Finances during your exchange

Make sure to research the cost of living in the country where you’ll be studying abroad. Keep in mind that living expenses can vary greatly between cities within the same country. It is important to look into typical student costs, especially for housing, groceries, transportation, activities, and similar daily expenses. These costs are in addition to insurance, travel expenses, health-related costs (such as vaccinations), visa fees, and any tuition fees charged by the host institution

Tuition fees

All students going on exchange must pay the semester fee at UiS and may be asked to pay an administration fee at the host institution.

Students going on exchange through Erasmus+ do not pay tuition fees to the host institution. Please note that institutions outside Europe usually require tuition fees, especially in USA and Australia. If you are eligible for financial support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen), you may apply for additional support for tuition fees.

International students paying tuition fees at UiS must still pay this fee during the exchange period and are not exempt from any tuition fees at the host institution.

Financial support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen)

Lånekassen provides support for students taking part of their studies abroad. Please note that support from Lånekassen is not available to all students from outside of Norway and that you must check whether you are eligible.

• Basic support (as usual)
• Travel grant (depending on the destination)
• Tuition fee support (if applicable)
• Support for preparatory language courses (under certain conditions)

Check how much you can receive in loans and grants on Lånekassen's website. There you will also find information about conditions and application deadlines, as well as information that exchanges in certain countries make you eligible for additional grants.

When can you apply to Lånekassen?

You can apply for support for partial studies abroad once you have received:

• Pre-approval of your studies abroad
• Confirmed admission from the host institution

Grants for exchange within the EU through Erasmus+

All students who go on exchange to an institution with which UiS has an Erasmus+ agreement can apply for an Erasmus+ grant. The allocation depends on whether UiS has sufficient funds and requires that students submit the necessary documentation within the specified deadlines.

The International Office provides relevant information to eligible students.

This grant is in addition to any support from Lånekassen.

Please visit the Erasmus+ website for information on grant rates, deadlines, and payment dates.

Grants for exchange through Nordplus

Exchange through the Nordplus network is conducted via the Erasmus+ program and thus qualifies for an Erasmus+ grant.

This grant is in addition to any support from Lånekassen.

The International Office provides relevant information to eligible students.

Here you can find an overview of the different Nordplus networks (only in Norwegian).

north2north

The Faculty of Science and Technology at UiS is part of the university network UArctic. North2north is UArctic's student exchange program and applies only to students at this faculty.

This program gives students an opportunity to study in the Arctic regions. If you choose to go on exchange through north2north, you may be eligible for both a grant and possibly a waiver of tuition fees. Please note that grants are prioritized for exchanges outside the EU.

Please visit the north2north website for more information on destinations, application deadlines, and grant rates.

Other grant opportunities

There may be grant programs for students going on exchange to certain countries. The Association of Norwegian Students Abroad (ANSA) has compiled information about various grant opportunities on their website. Please note that their websites are mainly in Norwegian.

We recommend checking if you find anything relevant for you.