Language course

If you are going to study abroad in a language other than English, Danish or Swedish, you may get loans and grants for a language course.

How to apply

You will find a link to the application for longer language courses further down on this page.

If you are going to attend a short language course, you apply at the same time as you are applying for ordinary support.

The language course must be a preparation for studies abroad

To receive support, the language course must be intended to prepare you for studies abroad that you have already started or are planning to undertake.

Applies to full degree and exchange programme

You may be eligible for support for language courses both if you will be undertaking your entire studies abroad and in connection with exchange stays.

You may receive support for both short and long language courses

Lånekassen can provide support for both short and long language courses. However, different rules apply to the short and long language courses.

You cannot receive support for short and long language courses at the same time.

Language grant
NOK 25,686

Short language courses

You may be eligible for a grant for short language courses whether you are undertaking your entire programme of education abroad or whether you are going on an exchange programme.

Requirements for short language courses

The course duration must be a minimum of four weeks, with 15 hours of teaching per week. It is not a requirement for the language course to have a continuous duration. Language grants may be given for language course combinations with a combined duration of at least four weeks.

As a general rule, you will need to take the course in the country where you will be studying, which has to be a country outside of Scandinavia.

You must have been admitted to a main programme of education that entitles you to support from Lånekassen. The course must be taught in a language other than English. We may approve parts of the programme of education being taught in English.

The language course must be taken in addition to the credits you are otherwise planning to take in order for you to be eligible for a language grant.

You cannot normally receive grants for language courses in the same language more than once

No separate application

You should apply for a language grant at the same time that you apply for ordinary support.

Basic support
NOK 13,790
per month

Longer language courses

If you will be studying in a non-englishspeaking country outside of Scandinavia , you may be eligible for support for up to two semesters in order to take a language course.

You may be eligible for the same support as other students abroad to take a longer language course.

You may be eligible for basic support

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.

In order to have 40 per cent of your loan converted into a grant, you must:

  • complete your programme of education. After you have completed the course, you must submit your course certificate and any confirmation that you have passed an official language exam
  • have income and assets below the set limits
  • start a degree in the country where you took the language course, within one year of finishing the course (new in the academic year 2024-2025)

Other support

You may also be entitled to support for travel and for tuition fees, if you have to pay them

Requirements for longer language courses

The course duration must be a minimum of three months, with 15 hours of teaching per week.

The course must take place at a university or an accredited language school.

Courses at language schools must conclude with an official language exam that forms the basis for admission to university and university college education in the country in question.

You must be planning to study in the country in question

You do not need to have been admitted to a further programme of education in order to apply for support for the language course, but you must be planning to attend university and university college education in that country. The course you are planning to study for must be eligible for support from Lånekassen.

Remember that in order to have 40 per cent of your loan converted into a grant, you must start a degree in the country where you took the language course, within one year of finishing the course.

Go to application

Approved examination in various countries

In Germany, you can take a language course at the Goethe Institut or government-approved language schools.

You must complete your training with one of the following language tests:

  • Goethe-Zertifikat
  • DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang)
  • TestDaF (Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache)
  • Telc (The European Language Certificates)

In France, you can take a language course at Alliance française or other DELF or DALF examination centres approved by CIEP (Centre international d`etudes pédagogiques) or FLE (Français langue étrangère).

You must complete your training with one of the following language tests:

  • DELF (Diplôme d`etudes en langue française)
  • DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française)
  • TCF (Test de connaissance du français)

In Spain, the language school must be approved by Instituto Cervantes.

You must complete your training with one of the following language tests:

  • DELE (Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera)
  • Selectividad  

You need to attend a government-approved language school or accredited examination centre.

You must complete your training with one of the following language tests:

  • CILS (Certificaziones di Italiano come Lingua Straniera)
  • CELI Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana)
  • PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri)
Documentation for longer language courses