Exemptions from paying tuition fees

Citizens from the following countries are exempt from paying tuition fees:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Anyone with a permanent residence permit in Norway is exempt from paying tuition fees.

Anyone who is granted protection (asylum) in Norway is exempt from paying tuition fees.

Anyone who is married to, or cohabiting with, and have joint children with a Norwegian citizen is exempt from paying tuition fees. Both you and your spouse/cohabiting partner must live in Norway.

Anyone who has a right of residence as a family member of an EU/EEA citizen is exempt from paying tuition fees. The EU/EEA citizen must have grounds for residence in Norway other than studying.

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 were 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.

Anyone with a residence permit because of family immigration may be exempt from paying tuition fees. The person the student has been reunited with must either be a Norwegian citizen or a foreign national with a reason for residence in Norway other than studying.

Anyone who has lived in and has had continuous full-time employment in Norway for at least 24 months immediately prior to commencing studies, may be exempt from paying tuition fees. The person must have had a residence permit as an employee and paid tax to Norway during this period.

There must be no breaks during the accrual period or between the accrual period and the period in which you start your studies. Nevertheless, exceptions may be made for breaks of up to one year in connection with illness or childbirth.

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

Maternity leave and leave for occasional care of children whilst employed may be included 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.

Anyone who has been undertaking continuous study in Norway during an accrual period of at least three years, and has completed studies corresponding to at least three years of full-time studies (equivalent to 180 credits), is exempt from paying tuition fees.

There should be no break between the studies you have completed in Norway and the new study programme you are planning to attend. Nevertheless, exceptions may be made for breaks of up to one year in connection with illness or childbirth.

During that 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).