Exemptions and documentation
Source: https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/tuition/exemptions.html Parent: https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/tuition/
Norwegian version of this page
Exemptions and documentation
Applicants who have received and accepted an offer of admission may apply for an exemption. Please note that it is not possible to combine the various grounds for exemption.
Table of Contents
Who are eligible for an exemption?
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.
Documentation:
- 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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
You have a residence permit due to protection (asylum), strong humanitarian considerations or a special connection to Norway
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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
- 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 a reason 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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
- 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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the residence certificate for you, your cohabitating person and your child
- Copy of your spouse passport or national ID card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- 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 passport or national ID card
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
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 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.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or 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 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 (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. We will ask you to confirm this in the online application form.
Documentation:
- Copy of your passport or national ID card
- Copy of your residence card issued by the UDI
- Copy of transcripts or diplomas for education completed in Norway
- Copy of the decision letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) or police
You are a UK citizen or a family member of a UK citizen who 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 or your family member are a citizen of the United Kingdom, and 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.
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 police
Resident in a Nordic country
If you are resident in a Nordic country and have a permanent residence permit or the right to education in the country where you live, you may qualify for an exemption. Please contact us for more information.
Will you become eligible for an exemption before the start of studies?
If you are not eligible for an exemption now, but will be eligible before the start of studies in August or January, you may apply for an exemption. Please use the online application form provided with your invoice, upload the relevant documentation and use the comment section to describe how you will become eligible.
If it is likely that you will fulfil the requirements for an exemption before the start of studies, you may get a conditional exemption. To get a permanent exemption, you must fulfil the conditions before starting your studies. You should be prepared to document the exemption no later than 8 August for the autumn semester or 10 January for the spring semester.
Questions?
If you have questions, contact Knutepunktet - International Student Reception.
Published Feb. 6, 2023 3:41 PM - Last modified Dec. 8, 2025 1:52 PM