University and university college in Norway

See what you can receive in loans and grants. You can find the application further down the page.

Veileder høyskole og universitet i Norge

Student with a newspaper in his hands. Photo.

Studying in Norway

Programmes at all universities and approved university colleges entitle you to support from Lånekassen to take 480 credits (studiepoeng)

All students receive basic support

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

Application deadlines

You must have received admission before applying, and you may apply no earlier then medio May. The final deadline for applying is

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

Assessment time

Most applications are processed within 24 hours. More complex cases can take a long time to process. Make sure you apply as early as possible, so that the money is in your account when the semester starts.

The loan is free of interest for as long as you are receiving loans for full-time education

In order for the loan to be free of interest and instalments, you must be taking a student loan for full-time education. When you no longer receive a student loan or go from full- to part-time studies, interest will accrue on the loan and you must start repayments. It will take around seven months from the last time you received a student loan from us until you receive the first bill.

Go to the application for loan and grant

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

Do you have reduced functional ability?

You may apply for an
extra grant
if you are unable to work besides your studies

If you have reduced functional ability that prevents you from working beside your studies, you may be eligible for an additional grant of NOK 4,443 per month. If you are a part-time student, you get a smaller amount.

You may also receive grants and loans during summer if you are unable to work during the summer holiday. A specialist must confirm that you have reduced functional ability.
You apply for loans and grants due to disability on a separate form.

Read more about grants for people with reduced functional ability

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

 

Important to complete your education programme

When you receive loans from Lånekassen, it is a requirement that you must complete your educational programme. If you complete less than you have received loans for, this impacts whether you may receive more grants and loans later, and how much loan that is converted to grant.
The income limit is
214 213
for 2024

How much may I earn?

To receive a full grant, you may not earn more than NOK 214,213 if you have received grants and loans for the full year.

In addition to completing your educational programme, there is also a requirement of not earning too much. Note that the income limits apply for the calendar year, not the academic year. If you receive support for only one semester, the limit is higher.

You don’t lose the entire grant if you have income slightly over the limit, but we reduce it gradually according to the size of your income.

We also take social security benefits and assets into account.

Assets and social security benefits may also affect how much of the basic support that may be converted to a grant.

 

More about income and assets

When unexpected things happen

If you become ill during your education or have a child, you may du receive additional grants due to this.

Related rules