Newly trained teachers may have student loans cancelled
The scheme applies to students who started their studies from and including the 2017–2018 academic year, and the first students may have debt cancelled in 2025.
For those taking primary school teacher training for years 1-7
If you complete the primary school teacher training for years 1-7, you may have NOK 106,000 of your student loan cancelled. The conditions are that you complete your studies in the prescribed time and that you have worked as a teacher for at least three of the first six years after completing training.
For those taking primary school teacher training for years 5-10
If you complete the primary school teacher training for years 5-10 and work as a teacher for at least three years, you may have NOK 51,000 of your student loan cancelled. The condition is that you complete your studies in the prescribed time and that you have worked as a teacher for at least three of the first six years after completing your studies.
For those taking secondary school teacher training for years 8-13
If you complete the secondary school teacher training for years 8-13 and work as a teacher for at least three years, you may have NOK 51,000 of your student loan cancelled. The condition is that you complete your studies in the prescribed time and that you have worked as a teacher for at least three of the first six years after completing your studies.
For those taking teacher training in practical and aesthetic subjects
If you complete the five-year teacher training in practical and aesthetic subjects for years 1-13 and work as a teacher for at least three years, you may have up to NOK 106,000 of your student loan cancelled. The condition is that you complete your studies in the prescribed time and that you have worked as a teacher for at least three of the first six years after completing your studies. The first cohort can have their debt for their studies cancelled in 2029.
You may be exempted from the stipulated time requirement
The main rule is that you must complete your studies within the stipulated time, but there are some exceptions. You may be exempt if the reason you spent longer was that you had children during the study period, that you were ill, that you have reduced functional ability and the learning environment or study situation was not adapted for this, or that you had a full-time position of trust for a period of at least three months in a countrywide student organisation or similar.
If any of these exceptions apply to you, you need to submit documentation when you apply for cancellation of debt.
Requirements for the earning period
In order to be entitled to cancellation of debt, you must be employed in a teaching post of at least 50 per cent FTE in primary, lower secondary or upper secondary education for at least three of the first six years after completing your studies. You may also be considered to have been employed during any periods of parental leave as long as your FTE percentage is at least 50 per cent.
For those who are teachers in Northern Norway
If you complete the primary and lower secondary teacher training, teacher training in practical and aesthetic subjects or a master’s in education, and work as a teacher in Nordland, Troms or Finnmark for at least three years, NOK 55,000 of your student loan may be cancelled. You are not required to have completed the studies in the stipulated time, but you must have worked as a teacher for at least three of the first six years after you completed your studies. As employed as a teacher in Finnmark and Northern Troms you may additionally be entitled to have up to NOK 50,000 of your student loan cancelled per year.
The schemes can be combined
The different schemes can be combined. For example, if you complete primary school teacher training years 1-7 in the stipulated time and work for three years as a teacher in Northern Norway, you may have NOK 161,000 of your student loan cancelled. If you teach in Finnmark or Nord-Troms, you may in addition have NOK 50,000 cancelled each year.
SEE also:
Examples of debt write off for teachers
How to apply for debt cancellation
You can only apply for debt cancellation once the earning period has been completed, which means when you have completed you studies and have worked for at least three years as a teacher.
The scheme applies to those who started their primary and lower secondary teacher training or master’s in education from and including the 2017-2018 academic year. This means that the first cohort can have their debts cancelled under the scheme in 2025. An application form will be available in July 2025.
Deadline for applications
The deadline is calculated from the start of the six years after completing your education. The application must have been received by us no later than six months after this six-year period has ended.
The rules for the scheme can be found in Chapter 11 of the repayment regulations, which are available at lanekassen.no/forskrifter.