Exchange programme at a university or university college

Applies to those who are participating in an exchange programme outside of the Nordic region.

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Support for exchange programmes

Lånekassen offers loans and grants for exchange programmes outside the Nordic region. Some countries are eligible for an additional grant.

Application deadlines

You must have a study place before applying and you may apply no earlier than mid-May. The final deadline for applying is

  • 15 November for the entire year or just the autumn semester
  • 15 March for the spring semester

The exchange programme must be approved as a part of your programme of education

When participating in an exchange programme, the exchange programme must be approved by the educational institution at which you are studying for your main education. In order to receive support, the exchange programme must be approved as part of your degree.

Most educational institutions in Norway will report this directly to Lånekassen, but, in some cases, for example if you are a student at the Norwegian Business School (BI), you will need to submit documentation of approval together with the application.

All students receive basic support and travel support

Most people receive three different types of support for exchange programmes with a foreign university: Basic support, travel support and support for tuition fees if you have to pay tuition fees.

All students can receive basic support, which is what most people call a student loan. Basic support is a loan, not a grant, but up to 40 per cent of this may be converted to a grant if you live away from your parents, complete your programme of education and your degree and have income and assets below the set limits.

If you have to pay tuition fees, you may be eligible for support to cover the tuition fees, up to a maximum amount, depending on where you are studying and how much you have to pay.

After applying for support, you will need to submit documentation showing how much you need to pay in tuition fees. You can submit documentation via Dine sider at lanekassen.no or by regular post.

We also provide travel support to subsidise two return trips to the continent in which you are studying.

Some countries are eligible for an additional grant

If you are participating in an exchange programme to Brazil, India, Japan, China, South Africa or South Korea, you will receive an additional recruitment grant at 4,277 NOK per month. You can receive this grant for up to ten months. 

Debt and repayments

Lånekassen loans are interest-free and you do not need to start making repayments for as long as you remain a full-time student and receive support from us. When you no longer receive support from Lånekassen for full-time studies, interest on the loan will start to accrue and you will need to start repayments around nine months later.

Go to the application

Documentation

We usually collect information about the exchange stay electronically when you apply for support, but you may still be required to submit documentation in some cases.

You must submit documentation if you have to pay tuition fees to an educational institution abroad, if your educational institution does not use the Norwegian National Student Database or if you are attending a language course.

Pre-approval of the exchange stay

In order to be eligible for support for an exchange programme abroad, the stay must have a duration of at least four weeks and be approved as part of a university or university college education that you are currently undertaking in Norway or abroad. Your educational institution will be able to provide you with further information about how to apply for pre-approval of exchange stays abroad.

If your educational institution uses the Norwegian National Student Database, they will be able to register information about the exchange programme in this system so that we can obtain the information electronically.

You can see which educational institutions use the Norwegian National Student Database on their webpage.

Does your educational institution not use the Norwegian National Student Database?

The Norwegian School of Economics and Bjørknes University College are examples of educational institutions that do not use the Norwegian National Student Database. If you are unable to find your educational institution on this list, then your educational institution does not use the Norwegian National Student Database. If your educational institution does not use the database, you will need to submit a separate form after applying for support. You can find the form at the bottom of this page. The form must be stamped and approved by your educational institution before sending it to us.

Tuition fees

If you have to pay tuition fees, you will need to enclose signed confirmation (official letter) from the educational institution abroad showing your name and the amount of tuition fees you must pay.

It must be clear from the documentation what the pure tuition fees are. For example, fees to student associations, administration fees and library fees are not covered by Lånekassen.

We do not accept Confirmation of Enrolment alone as documentation of tuition fees, as it does not show any potential discounts that Norwegian students may receive.

If you receive grants intended to cover tuition fees from other parties, you will have to enclose confirmation showing the amount.

Are you above the age of 30?

Then you can apply for up to
NOK 115,880
in additional loans per year

You can borrow up to NOK 115,880 extra per year if you are a full-time student, which corresponds to 60 credits per year. If you are taking fewer credits, you will be given an offer to borrow a smaller amount. You may borrow up to NOK 231,760 in total, and you may choose how many years you want to allocate the loan across. You apply for the loan on the same form as for ordinary loans and grants.

The loan may not be combined with additional loans for those with children.

Read more about additional loans

 

Do you have children?

You may receive extra
loans and grants
if you have or get children

If you have a child during your studies, or within seven months of completing a degree, you can receive a parental grant.

Parental grant in the event of birth or adoption

If you have children while studying, your basic support and additional loan for school fees may be converted to a grant for up to 49 weeks.

Child grant

If you have children below the age of 16, you may qualify for an additional grant. If you have several children, you receive more in grants. The child grant is means tested, which means that the amount is reduced if the family has income or assets in excess of the limits stipulated in the regulations. If you are a part-time student, you also get a smaller amount.

Additional loans

You may also borrow NOK 57,940 extra per year when you have children below the age of 16, with an upward limit of NOK 115,880 in total. Income and assets have no impact on whether you can receive an additional loan. If you are a part-time student, you will be offered a loan with a smaller amount.

Read about children and childbirth

Language course
You may receive support for a language course if the teaching is in another language than English
Extended grants for tuition fees
Some educational institutions abroad entitle you to an enhanced grant to pay for tuition fees

When unexpected things happen

When something happens in your life or in your studies, it may impact what you are entitled to receive from Lånekassen, either now or later.
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Converting loans to grants

Up to 40 per cent of basic support may be converted to a grant if you pass your studies and graduate with a degree.

Your Norwegian educational institution reports to Lånekassen

If you are participating in an exchange programme from a Norwegian educational institution, we will receive the information that you have passed your studies directly from that institution. You will therefore not have to submit anything to us.

If you have participated in an exchange programme from a foreign educational institution, you will have to document your results yourself, but you do not need to submit examination results before you have completed your degree.

Students attending longer language courses

You may also receive basic support to complete a language course in countries outside Scandinavia. In order for 40 percent of the loan you received to take a language course to be turned into a grant, you must meet a few requirements.

You must complete the course and language exam, and begin studying in the same country within one year after completing the course.

Read more about loans and grants for language courses.

Read more about the general rules for conversion.

Other resources

Rules