Exemption from paying tuition fees

If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you do not have to pay tuition fees. 

You need to document your national identity with a copy of your passport or national ID card.

You do not have to pay tuition fees, if you have permanent residence permit in Norway. 

Required documentation:

• 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) or the police.

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. 

Required documentation: 

• 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) or the police. 

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 other grounds for residence in Norway than studying. 

Required documentation: 

• 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) or the police 
• Copy of the registration certificate for your family member.

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 another reason for residence in Norway 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, section 53.  

Required documentation: 

• 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) or the police 
• Copy of the residence card or registration certificate for your family member.

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are cohabiting with and have children with a Norwegian citizen. Both you and your partner must live in Norway. 

Required documentation: 

• Copy of your passport or national ID card 
• Copy of your residence card 
• Copy of the residence certificate for you, your cohabiting person and your child 
• Copy of your spouse’s passport or national ID card 
• Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or the police.

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 to or have an equivalent official relation with. 

Required documentation: 

• 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 your spouse’s passport or national ID card 
• Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or the police.

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 accrual period. There must be no gap during the accrual period. In addition, there must be no gap 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. 

Au-pair work is not considered full-time employment.  

Required documentation:  

• 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) or the police 
• Certificate from your employer, printout of the determination of income tax, salary and deduction statements, payslips or corresponding documentation. The documentation must show that you have paid tax in Norway for the last 24 months immediately prior to commencing studies.

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you during an accrual period of at least 36 months have lived and studied in Norway and fulfilled education equivalent to 3 years of full-time study (180 ECTS credits). 

There must be no gap during the accrual period. In addition, there must be no gap 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.  

Required documentation: 

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) or the police.

During a transitional period up 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. 

Required documentation: 

• 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) or the police.