Immigration before arrival for exchange students

This information does not apply to non-EU/EEA students on Erasmus+ or EEA/Norway grants. The International Office will provide you with the financial documentation needed for the residence permit.

Other exchange students have two options. The International Office at INN will inform nominated students which of the two options must be used:

1. Deposit the required amount into INN's Deposit account to receive the necessary financial confirmation. Students will receive an email confirmation of the deposit account from our Economy Department.
2. Complete a document together with the home institution that confirms one's funds.
   • It is up to your home institution whether or not they use this option.
   • Students must present their home institution with a bank statement confirming their funds.
   • The funds cannot be in a savings account (e.g. stocks) where withdrawing the entire amount required is not possible due to tax or similar.

Tuition fee

Exchange students from partner institutions are not required to pay tuition. However, some exceptions may apply to our Study Abroad partners. The International Office will provide information to those who must pay the tuition fee. 

Students required to pay a tuition fee must include a payment confirmation, in addition to the deposit transfer confirmation, with their study permit application.

The following documents must be prepared:

1. The passport and a copy of all the used pages.
2. Letter of Admission from INN.
3. Documentation of financing support. This can be:
   • Confirmation of the transfer of the deposit.
   • Certificate of Eligibility - only students on Erasmus+/SEMP/EEA grant mobility, or where the institution agrees to INN's terms for confirming the funding.
   • (Confirmation of tuition fee payment for whom it applies.)
4. Housing contract in Norway (tenancy agreement).
5. Other documents, if required, based on your citizenship.

Please note the following:

• INN's organisational number is 918108467.
• The application must be submitted from your country of origin or a country where you have been a legal resident for at least six months.
• UDI charges a non-refundable application fee upon application. View the UDI webpage for the exact amount (external link).
• The passport must be valid for six months beyond your planned stay.
• For some countries, submitting application papers can only be done in a different city/country from the student's city/country of residence. If you have questions, contact the relevant embassy/consulate/VFS Visa Application Centre (external link), as shown in the online application. 

Online application

Complete the application form for a "study permit" (external link) according to one's citizenship, and upload the necessary documents. You will need to create a user in the UDI portal.

In-person application

In some countries, Norway does not have a VFS Visa Application Centre for study permit applications. In such instances, the VFS Visa Application Centre, consulate, or embassy of another country (often Denmark) accepts applications for Norway and forwards them to the UDI. 

When you reach the "how to apply" stage of the study permit, you can find out whether this applies to you (external link). If so, you must download and complete the application for your study permit before booking an appointment. You pay the application fee at your appointment. 

In addition to the documents you have prepared for your study permit application (step 2), you must also bring the following documents to the in-person appointment:

1. The signed cover letter from the application portal. Print and sign this document.
2. The attachment received by email upon completing the online application. Print and sign this document.
3. One new/recent passport-size photo with a white background*.
4. Complete, print and sign the UDI's checklist (external link).

A detailed overview is available in the UDI checklist mentioned above.

*In most instances, a passport-size photo is unnecessary when submitting the passport. For detailed information, view the UDI webpage for photo/passport photos (external link).

Where can I hand in the documents?

The UDI webpage provides information on where to submit the original application documents. Please note that the documents may need to be forwarded to a different country.

• Not all VFS Visa Application Centres process study permit applications. You may need to travel to a VFS Visa Application Centre in another city/country to submit your application documents, or some centres may allow you to send them by post.
• In some countries, Norway does not have a VFS Visa Application Centre. In such countries, centres in Denmark or another country may process your application on Norway’s behalf.

Please see the UDI webpage for more information on any questions you may have while your application is being processed (external link).

If you have any missing/renewed documents/questions regarding the application, they must be directed to the UDI, not the VFS Visa Application Centre.

If you book any tickets to Norway (due to, e.g., the cost of flights), ensure that you add a cancellation option in case your study permit application is delayed, denied, or you decide to cancel your exchange.

Please proceed according to the information below, depending on whether your study permit was approved or declined.

Approved study permit

If your application has been accepted, you can finalise your travel plans to Norway. Make sure to inform the International Office of these plans. Check step 6 of the 

Declined study permit

If your study permit is declined, please inform the International Office as soon as possible. Most likely, there will not be enough time to reapply or to complain and get a reply before the start of the semester.

If you have signed a contract with SINN, please cancel it within 14 days of the date of signing. This is the deadline to cancel the housing contract for free.

Remember to inform your home institution about the situation.

Upon arrival in Norway, you will have to register with the Police. This appointment is free. For detailed information on what happens after arrival, view our immigration after arrival webpages.

Be assigned or apply for an appointment?

It depends on which campus you are enrolled in.

Enrolled in Campus Elverum

If you are enrolled in Campus Elverum, you must book the appointment yourself. The closest Police Station is located in Hamar. View the information at the bottom of this drop-down list.

Enrolled in Campus Evenstad, Hamar and Lillehammer

If you are enrolled in Campus Evenstad, Hamar or Lillehammer, the International Office will book your Police appointment for you. 

• The appointments will be announced after arrival. If you decide to book the appointment yourself, please inform the International Office.
• In some instances, you might have to book the appointment yourself. The International Office will inform you if this is the case.
• If one's arrival is delayed, the student needs to notify the International Office as soon as possible and book an appointment at the police station themselves.
• If you must book the appointment yourself, view the information at the bottom of this drop-down list.

How to book a Police appointment

You can book an appointment on the same webpage where you submitted your study permit application. Log in to the UDI portal and follow the instructions. A booking confirmation will be sent to you by email. If you experience issues booking, close down the form and try again later.

A D-number (external link) is a temporary 11-digit identification number assigned to international students who will reside in Norway for less than six months. It is not given to students applying for a visitor's visa.

A Norwegian National Identification Number (external link) is an 11-digit identification number assigned to each person for life. It is unique, and the first six digits indicate one’s date of birth. Students staying more than six months in Norway will be assigned/must apply for this identification number. 

Submitting a bank statement from a foreign (non-Norwegian) bank when applying for a study permit is not possible. The consequence of doing so is that your application may be delayed or rejected. If your application is delayed, there is no guarantee that you will get a study permit by the start of the semester. 

• If you have submitted this, please contact the UDI so you can add the correct financial statement to your application.
• If the UDI has asked you to upload new documentation, see this webpage for instructions and do this as soon as possible (external link).

What is INN’s organization number and address?

Organizational number: 918108467

Postal address

University of Inland Norway
Campus (enter the correct campus)
P.O. Box 400
2418 Elverum
Norway

Be aware that the visiting address for each campus differs.

I am a non-EU/EEA citizen and an exchange student. Can I enter Norway before my residence permit has been granted?

Check to see if this is possible in your situation on the UDI webpage (external link). 

When you submit the study permit application and complete the appointment with the Embassy/Consulate/VFS Visa Application Centre, your application is sent to the UDI. The Embassies/Consulates/VFS Visa Application Centre are not processing your application; that is the responsibility of the UDI.

The processing for first-time study permits may take 2-3 months. The waiting time may be extended if documents are missing or the application contains errors. Check out UDI's guide to view the expected waiting time (external link). Questions regarding the process of one's application must be directed to UDI. 

If you have any questions regarding your application, you can contact UDI by phone or e-mail. Their contact information can be found on their webpage (external link). To gain information about your case, you must provide the DUF number (case number). 

The International Office has nothing to do with the study permit application or processing of the application. We cannot assist with uploading missing or additional documents, request a sooner processing or similar. All questions should be directed to the UDI. 

The validity of your permit depends on the duration of your exchange at INN.

• If you have been admitted for one semester, your permit will expire approximately 1-2 months after the final date of your study.
• If you have been admitted for two semesters, your permit will be valid for approximately one year.

If you wish to prolong your exchange - and this has been accepted by both your home institution and INN, you will need to apply for a study permit renewal. More information on study permit renewals can be found on UDI's webpage.

Please notice that the permit to work part-time next to your studies is not automatically renewed with your study permit application.