Student visa & permits in Norway
Student visa, residence permit, registration, fees, deadlines and document guidance for studying in Norway.
Read the complete Norway study abroad guide.
Visa & Immigration
Nordic citizens have special free-movement arrangements. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not use the ordinary third-country study-permit route, although registration requirements can apply. Most students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland need a study permit for university study lasting more than three months.
For a university or university-college study permit in 2026/27, UDI requires admission to full-time study and at least NOK 15,488 per month, or NOK 170,368 for the full academic year. For one semester, UDI currently publishes NOK 77,440 for autumn 2026 and NOK 92,928 for spring 2027. If tuition applies, you must also document that it can be paid or has been paid.
UDI accepts combinations of student loans, grants and your own funds. Own funds are normally placed in a Norwegian bank account or the educational institution's deposit account; income from an already-offered part-time job may also be included under UDI's rules. Follow UDI's evidence instructions rather than trying to manufacture a particular transfer pattern.
The current study-permit application fee is NOK 5,400 for applicants aged 18 or over and NOK 2,700 for applicants under 18, including renewals. Fees and subsistence figures change, so recheck both immediately before applying.
Source: https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/
Residence Permit
Students from outside the EU/EEA who receive a study permit normally register with the police after arrival and receive a residence card. Follow the appointment instructions in your UDI decision and book early around semester start.
Your Norwegian identification-number process depends on citizenship and the length/type of stay. For a non-EU/EEA student, the Tax Administration states that UDI notifies it after a study permit is granted; if the study permit lasts more than nine months, you are registered as resident and receive a national identity number. If the permit is not over nine months, the Tax Administration sends information about the next steps. A D number may be issued when an authority or organisation needs you to have an identification number, but it is not simply an automatic 'short-stay student number'.
EU/EEA and Nordic students follow different registration and move-reporting rules. For example, EU/EEA students staying six months or more generally report a move to the Tax Administration, while Nordic citizens have their own simplified arrangements.
For third-country students, renewals require continued full-time study, normal progress—UDI says you cannot be more than one year behind—and sufficient funds. UDI recommends applying and uploading documents no later than one month before expiry.
Source: https://www.skatteetaten.no/en/person/foreign/international-students/
Common questions
What should international students know about visa in Norway?
2026/27 funds: NOK 15,488/month or NOK 170,368/year, plus tuition where applicable. Adult study-permit fee: NOK 5,400.
What should international students know about residence in Norway?
Police registration and ID-number rules depend on nationality and permit length; non-EEA study permits over nine months normally lead to resident registration and a national identity number.