What are valid grounds for exemption, and which documents must I provide?
You are citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
You have a permanent residence permit in Norway
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have a permanent residence permit in Norway.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You have a residence permit due to protection (asylum)
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have residence (asylum) in Norway due to protection, strong humanitarian considerations or a special connection to Norway.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You have a residence permit as family member of an EU/EEA citizen
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have a residence permit as family member of an EU/EEA citizen. The EU/EEA citizen must have grounds for residence in Norway other than studying.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
- Copy of the registration certificate for your family member
You have a residence permit due to family immigration
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you have a residence permit due to family immigration. The person with whom you have been reunited must either be a Norwegian citizen or a foreign national with grounds for residence in Norway other than studying.
Furthermore, you do not have to pay tuition fees if you have gained a continued residence permit on an independent basis due to the Norwegian immigration act § 53.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
- Copy of the residence card or registration certificate for your family member
You are cohabiting and have children with a Norwegian citizen
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are cohabiting with and have children with a Norwegian citizen. Both you and your cohabiting person must live in Norway.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of the residence certificate for you, your cohabitating person and your child
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You are married to a Norwegian citizen
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are married to a Norwegian citizen or are the legal partner of a Norwegian citizen. Both you and your spouse or legal partner must live in Norway.
With legal partner we mean a person with whom you are married or have an equivalent official relation.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of your marriage certificate from the Norwegian Tax Administration or from the foreign authority who officiated the wedding
- Copy of the residence certificate for you and your spouse/legal partner
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You have worked in Norway for at least two years full-time
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you during a qualifying period of at least 24 months have had continuous full-time work in Norway, have been resident in and paid tax to Norway.
You must have had a residence permit as an employee during the earning period. There must be no gap during the accrual period or between the accrual period and further studies. However, exceptions can be made for stays of up to 1 year in the event of illness or childbirth.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Certificate from your employer, printout of the determination of income tax, salary and deduction statements, payslips or corresponding documentation.
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You have studied in Norway for at least three years full-time
You do not have to pay tuition fees if you during an accrual period of at least 36 months have lived in and been in education in Norway and passed education equivalent to 3 years of full-time education.
There must be no gap during the accrual period or between the accrual period and further studies. However, exceptions can be made for stays of up to 1 year in the event of illness or childbirth.
During the qualifying period, you cannot have received support for the education from public education support schemes or Norwegian public support schemes for development.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card
- Copy of transcripts or diplomas for education completed in Norway
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
You are a UK citizen and moved to Norway before 31 December 2020
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 from paying 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 paying tuition fees.
You must provide the following documents:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card or registration certificate
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI)
Application form
Please do not apply for exemption unless you have been offered admission, and you have received an invoice for tuition.
Application for exemption from tuition
Make sure you have all your supporting documents ready, as you will be required to upload these as part of filling out the application form.