State Education Loan Fund

Norway , Unknown to Ongoing

Compendium: Higher Education

Background

Strategies to increase the student mobility in Higher Education are embedded in the Quality Reform in Higher education (implemented in 2003).

  • In the White paper to the Storting (Parliament) on the Quality Reform in Higher Education in 2001 every student was given the right to spend at least one semester abroad;
  • In addition a new funding formula was introduced with the Quality Reform. One of the components in the funding formula gives the HEIs NOK 6300 (EUR 780) for each exchange student in and out of Norway (given that the exchange period exceeds three months). This shows that mobility of students is of high importance;
  • The Ministry of Education and Research sets various objectives and aims in the yearly budget allocation letters to the HEIs. Special attention is also given to increase the amount of exchange students, even though Norway has set no specific targets for student mobility;
  • Student mobility is discussed in the annual governance meetings with each HEI. 
  • The Ministry also encourage the HE-institutions to actively use the EU mobility programmes;
  • The students receive student’s loans and grants that are portable (see below).

In the near future (early 2009) a white paper on Internationalisation of education (not just HE) will be presented to the Parliament (Storting).

Norwegian students in higher education may spend the financial support of NOK 85 000 (Approx. EUR 10 600) a year on full-time studies in a country of their own choice. They may also get extra support to cover tuition fees at foreign universities. If the students pass all their exams 40% of the NOK 85 000 will be converted into a grant.

Aims and targets

Students in higher education may receive financial support for up to eight years provided that they do not fall more than one year behind on their scheduled academic progression. In order to receive financial support, the applicant must be enrolled at an officially approved educational institution, and the course(s) must be approved for support.

Norwegian students have freedom of choice when planning to study abroad, both full-degree and shorter study abroad courses are eligible for support. At the same time, the current tuition support of NOK 54 580 (Approx. EUR 6 800) per year will be given partly as a grant and partly as a loan, to target exchange students and Master’s level.
  • For students at lower level university studies (Bachelor level), 50 percent of this amount will be given as a grant and 50 percent will be given as a loan.
  • For students at higher level university studies (Master level) and exchange students, 70 percent of this amount will be given as a grant and 30 percent of the amount will be given as a loan.

In addition, the students will have the opportunity to borrow NOK 52 000 (Approx. EUR 6 500) per year to cover their tuition fees. Thus the students will have NOK 106 740 (Approx. EUR 13 300) per year at their disposal to cover their tuition fees abroad.

There is also a supplementary grant of NOK 57 700 (Approx. EUR 7 200) to students studying at specific educational institutions of high quality, but this grant are only given when the tuition fees exceed NOK 106 740 (Approx. EUR 13 300) per academic year.

There are special language grants and schemes to increase the number of students in non-English-speaking countries.

Both Norwegian citizens and foreign citizens, who qualify for student support in Norway, must have resided in Norway for at least two of the last five years prior to a full-degree study abroad.

Knowledge System for Lifelong Learning