Practical preparations before you go on exchange

Everyone participating in Erasmus+ student mobility can take a free online language test through Erasmus+ Online Language Support (OLS). After taking the test, you can access a free online language course. 

Many universities offer language courses to improve your skills in the local language, either before the semester starts or as one of the available semester courses. You can also consider taking a language course in Oslo prior to leaving.

Everyone who goes on an exchange to take courses, practical training or project work must make sure that they are covered by adequate insurance, covering illness, hospitalisation, accidents etc. and have a dedicated student travel insurance policy. If you are going to take practical training, you must also ensure that your insurance policy covers you at work/the practical training institution and that you have general liability insurance. 

We recommend that you check if you are covered by a national insurance scheme, either in your home country or in Norway.  

In some cases, you might be eligible for coverage by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme while aboard. If you are a European citizen, going on exchange to another European country, please check if you are eligible for the European Health Insurance Card. 

If you qualify for coverage by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme while on exchange, you also qualify for purchasing the Ansa Student Insurance Policy which many Norwegian students opt for. For more information, please contact ANSA – the Association of Norwegian Students Abroad.  

You are responsible for making sure that you have all and any necessary vaccinations before you leave.   

Which vaccines you need depends on which country you are going to, your living arrangements there and how long you are going to stay. You will find more information about what you need on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s website.  

Some countries or institutions might require you to be fully vaccinated against covid before entering the country. It is your responsibility to know and abide by any such requirements.

It is important that you are safe when you are going on exchange. Read more about safety and security abroad. 

If you have a chronic illness and need medication, it is important that you contact your GP before you leave. Ask for a prescription for medication to cover the entire duration of the exchange. To avoid problems with customs, you should also bring a note from your GP in English confirming that the medicine is necessary.  

Check that your passport is valid for the entire duration of the exchange. Some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months after the period you are going to stay in the country.   A copy of your passport may be useful if you lose it while abroad, so scan the photo page and visa page of your passport and send it to yourself. 

You should always look for up-to-date information issued by the country’s embassy/foreign service mission; to see if you need a visa well in advance of your travels. 

We recommend that you book tickets as soon as your place has been confirmed by the exchange institution abroad or you have received your letter of admission. It can often be difficult to predict exactly when you will be able to return home. It is therefore wise to buy a one-way ticket or student ticket with an open return or set aside enough money to buy a new return ticket if necessary.