Familiarise yourself with potential host countries before applying for exchange.
It's important to research the countries you are interested in before you apply for exchange through the University of Stavanger (UiS). This way, you can make informed decisions and be better prepared for your stay abroad.
Below are some key points you should look into.
Personal considerations
There may be personal matters you should consider when looking at possible countries for an exchange. For example minority background, ethnicity and religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or identity. You should also think about things like language and culture, climate, safety, and access to healthcare and medications.
Here are some external links that may be useful:
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Travel information for various countries
- Equaldex: Index of LGBTQ+ rights in different countries
Personal finances
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’s 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
Read more about finances during your exchange.
Academic freedom, activism, and security
As a student from Norway, it can be a big transition to study in a country where there might be less academic freedom. This could mean that certain topics or viewpoints are not accepted or open for discussion. You can explore different countries through the Academic Freedom Index.
If you experience direct or indirect pressure on your academic freedom of expression or recruitment attempts related to intelligence activities, you should report this through UiS's notification portal Let us know. Here you can report things that have happened in your classes, during traineeships, or in your free time as long as it affects your learning environment.
You should also be aware exchange students may not be allowed to participate in political demonstrations or similar activities in some countries. This can result in visa cancellation and deportation, and it's important that you are familiar with the relevant laws.
Visa
You must check whether you need a visa. This usually depends on your citizenship. Find out what type of visa you need and what affects this (e.g., studies or traineeship, and the duration of your stay). Remember to check your passport's expiry date and any validity requirements.
Contact the relevant embassy or consulate for questions about the visa and the application process. If you have already been nominated to a host institution, you can also contact them for any documents needed for the visa application.
Vaccines
Stay updated on which vaccinations are required or recommended for the country you are traveling to. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has useful information on infection prevention advice for travel. Start vaccinations well in advance of departure for the best possible protection.
If you are going on a traineeship, there may be specific vaccine requirements. Please contact your faculty/department and the host institution for information on any vaccine requirements for the traineeship period.
Always check the documentation requirements in advance if you are traveling with medication.
