Exemptions for paying tuition fees

You must upload a copy of your passport as part of your application to be exempted. You do not have to apply for exemption in addition. 

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have permanent residence permit in Norway. You can document this through:

• copy of your passport or national ID card
• copy of your residence card
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have residence (asylum) in Norway due to protection, strong humanitarian considerations or a special connection to Norway.

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your residence card 
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have a residence permit as family member of an EU/EEA citizen. The EU/EEA citizen must have grounds for residence in Norway other than studying.

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your residence card
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
• copy of the registration certificate for your family member

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have a residence permit due to family immigration. The person with whom you have been reunited must either be a Norwegian citizen or a foreign national with a reason for residence in Norway other than studying.

Furthermore, you do not have to pay tuition fees if you have gained a continued residence permit on an independent basis due to the Norwegian immigration act § 53. 

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your residence card 
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
• copy of the residence card or registration certificate for your family member

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are cohabiting and have children with a Norwegian citizen. Both you and your cohabiting person must live in Norway.

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card
• copy of your residence card
• copy of the residence certificate (bostedsattest) for you, your cohabitating partner and your child
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are married to a Norwegian citizen. Both you and your spouse must live in Norway. 

Documentation requirements:

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your residence card 
• copy of your marriage certificate from the Norwegian Tax Administration or from the foreign authority who officiated the wedding
• copy of the residence certificate (bostedsattest) for you and your spouse/legal partner
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have had continuous full-time work in Norway, have been resident in and paid tax to Norway during a qualifying period of at least 24 months.

You must have had a residence permit as an employee during the earning period. There must be no break during the accrual period or between the accrual period and further studies. However, exceptions can be made for stays of up to 1 year in the event of illness or childbirth.

Stays due to ordinary five-week holidays per year will be accepted as part of the accrual period of 24 months.

Au-pair work is not considered full-time employment and does therefore not give exemptions from paying tuition fees.

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card
• copy of your residence card 
• confirmation(s) from employer(s) showing that you have had continuous full-time employment in Norway for at least 24 months immediately prior to commencing the study programme (start and finish dates). The confirmation(s) must show the role percentage and start and finish dates of the employment. An employment contract is not considered sufficient documentation.
• documentation showing that you have paid tax in Norway for the last 24 months immediately prior to commencing studies. This could include copies of the tax return, payslips or corresponding documentation.
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)

During a transitional period that lasted until 2020, the United Kingdom was to be treated as if it were still a member of the EU and the EEA.

If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, who was entitled to reside in Norway in accordance with the EEA agreement before the end of the transition period (31.12.2020), you are exempt to pay tuition fees. You must also have stayed in Norway.

If you came to Norway on 1 January 2021 or later, you are not exempt from the tuition fees.

Documentation requirements: 

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your registration certificate

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you during an accrual period of at least 36 months have lived in and been in education in Norway and passed education equivalent to 3 years of full-time education.

There must be no gap during the accrual period or between the accrual period and further studies. However, exceptions can be made for stays of up to 1 year in the event of illness or childbirth.

During the qualifying period, you cannot have received loans or grants for education from Lånekassen, public support schemes in other countries (e.g. Centrala studiestödsnämnden and Uddannelsesstyrelsen), or from Norwegian public support schemes for development, e.g. Norad, the Norwegian Programme for Development, Research and Education (NUFU), the Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED).

Documentation requirements:

• copy of your passport or national ID card 
• copy of your residence card 
• copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
• copy of transcripts of records or diplomas for education completed in Norway