Onboarding guide

Make sure to keep the international Buddies or the International Office updated on your arrival; in case of delays, cancellations, or other issues.

Arrival to your accommodation

Depending on the type of Arrival assistance offered at each campus, your Buddies will either pick you up and bring you to your accommodation, or you will need to get there yourself. Detailed information on this is provided directly to the admitted students by the International Office at each campus. 

Accommodation with SINN Housing

Information on how to obtain your SINN accommodation key will be provided directly by the International Office to admitted students. Please check out the information on SINN's webpages. Remember to translate the relevant page to English.

• Information on SINN accommodation, Campus Elverum (external link).
• Information on SINN accommodation, Campus Evenstad (external link).
• Information on SINN accommodation, Campus Hamar (external link).
• Information on SINN accommodation, Campus Lillehammer (external link).

Remember to view SINN's information on paying rent (external link).

Specific information regarding accommodation at Campus Evenstad

Students will be provided with a guest card for dorm access upon arrival. This will be handed out by the international buddies. The WiFi at the accommodation is provided by INN, so you can use your INN account to access Eduroam.

Do also check out INN's webpage on the dormitory in Evenstad, containing special information for Evenstad students.

Private accommodation

Schedule your arrival and pick up the key from your landlord. 

At INN, all students can book study rooms (grupperom in Norwegian). These rooms are intended for group work. If you wish to study alone, please use other spaces such as the library, quiet study halls, or open areas on campus.

To book a study room:

1. Go to: https://www.inn.no/for-studenter/tp-for-studenter/
2. Log in with your FEIDE account.
3. Change the language to English in the top-right corner (if needed).
4. Choose your campus.
5. Select the desired room and time, and complete the booking.

If you are unsure where the room is located, you can use Mazemap to find it.

Rules for study rooms

• There are several rules when it comes to booking and using a study room:
• Students and employees may utilise the study rooms during the university's opening hours (07:00-22:00).
• Each student may rent a group study space for no more than 20 hours per two weeks.
• Do not book study rooms in a way that blocks access for other students.
• If the study room is not occupied within 15 minutes of the reservation starting, other students are welcome to utilise it.
• These study rooms are only available for group work. If you want to work alone, use the study halls and other locations around campus.

Students may occasionally experience problems connecting to the campus Wi‑Fi. You must be able to log in to your student account before you can access the main Wi‑Fi network on all INN campuses, called eduroam.

For step‑by‑step instructions, please see the IT Department’s webpage on how to connect to eduroam or use the guest Wi‑Fi..

Make sure to check your course schedule so you are aware when and where your first lecture will be held. You can view your schedule in TP or Canvas. In some cases, the Canvas room for your lecture might not be published until after the first lecture. It is therefore highly recommended that all students check TP for the schedule of their first lectures.

The professor will, in most instances, inform you about mandatory assignments, any attendance requirements, and other details during the first lecture.

Finding a part-time job in Norway can be very challenging when one does not speak English. In addition, to complete the registration in Norway, apply for a Tax Card, including applying for a Norwegian bank account and Bank ID can take months. 

Read more on our webpage for working in Norway.

Finding your way to and around campus can be challenging at the beginning of your studies, until you get to know the area better.

• Find your way to campus
• Find your way around campus (Mazemap)

Parking on campus

International students who bring their car from abroad must register with Apcoa Flow through its webpage before activating the student benefit in the app. It is not possible to register a non-Norwegian car directly in the app. 

• Information on parking on campus.
• Apcoa Flow webpage. 

In need of a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, want to know about fire safety on campus, what to do in an emergency situation and more? View our webpages for health, safety and emergency support.

After you receive your Norwegian ID number, you are also assigned a General Practitioner (GP). Before this, you have to use the service of the municipality for visitors and students without a Norwegian ID number. 

All students who are new to Norway (except for Nordic citizens) must register with the local Police Station. The appointment takes five to ten minutes and is free. 

• For the campuses Evenstad and Hamar the International Office books this appointment for you.
• At Campus Lillehammer, students must book their own appointments

For more information, check out our webpages for immigration after arrival.

If you did not access your INN student account prior to arrival, it is highly recommended that you do so shortly after arrival.

Read about how to access your student account in preparation for your stay.

• If you experience issues trying to log in by receiving a code on your phone, try to activate two-factor authentication as described on the IT Department's webpage.

If you experience issues with your student account later in the semester, please visit the IT Department.

Students may occasionally experience problems connecting to the campus Wi‑Fi. You must be able to log in to your student account before you can access the main Wi‑Fi network on all INN campuses, called eduroam.

For step‑by‑step instructions, please see the IT Department’s webpage on how to connect to eduroam or use the guest Wi‑Fi..

The offer of student groups, associations and NGO's varies from campus to campus. Further information can be found our student life webpage.

All students at INN will have free access to Microsoft 365. In addition, one will receive a student email, which the professors might use to get in touch with the students. 

View the IT-Department's webpages for more information.

Non-EU/EEA citizens can apply for a prepaid SIM card upon arrival, or at any time during the semester. We recommend applying for a mobile plan after you have gained a Norwegian ID number and a Norwegian bank account.

EU/EEA citizens are recommended to keep their mobile plan from their home country (if it works in Norway). If this is too expensive, or if you would like to get a Norwegian phone number, apply for a prepaid SIM card at any time, or for a mobile plan after you have obtained a Norwegian ID number and a Norwegian bank account. 

If you decide to get a Norwegian phone number during your stay, make sure to give the new phone number to the International Office as soon as possible.

Block your number to be viewed online

Many online services, such as www.1881.no and www.gulesider.no are pages where one can look for other Norwegian phone numbers (external links). If you do not want your number to be accessible here, make sure to not give permission for this when applying for a Norwegian phone number. 

If you forget to do it and wish to do so later in your degree, then you need a Norwegian ID number and Bank ID. More information on the Brønnøysund Register Centre's webpage (external link).

Prepaid SIM card

This option is often called a top-up or a kontant SIM card and can be bought at any time during your stay. We recommend using Mycall, but you can use other services. It can be purchased at Narvesen, 7/11 and other stores. Please be aware that you will need to bring a valid ID (such as a Passport) when purchasing it.

• Visit Mycall's website for more information (external link).
• If your phone only has a eSIM possibilty, view the webpage of Mycall explaining the differences (external link). 

Norwegian mobile plan

For mobile plans, you can choose one that suits your needs (roaming, calling, etc.). Be aware that to be eligible for a mobile plan, you will need a Norwegian ID number and a Norwegian bank account. When you have obtained this, and you wish to get a mobile plan, check which plans suit you best, e.g., from Mycall, Telia, Onecall, Telenor, and many others.

There is usually a Telia and/or a Telenor store in the closest city.  

The first week on campus consists of both an academic and social programme. View our orientation webpage for further information.

Students will received information on their first week directly from their study programme. 

With your student access card, you are able to print, scan and copy documents on campus. View the IT Department's webpages for how to print, scan and copy.

If you need adaptation on your exams, do not forget to apply within the deadlines of:

• Autumn semester: 15 September.
• Spring semester: 01 February.

View the Exam Office's information webpages for information on how to apply for special exam arrangements.

All international students should apply for the access card and activate the INN student ID. If you have not yet done so before arrival, make sure to do so shorty afterwards.

Student (access) card

View the INN webpages for instructions on ordering the student access card and finding the 4-digit PIN code for the card.

The student access card is free, but it is not a valid student ID or a payment card. If there are any issues with your application, you will receive a text message explaining the problem. Google translate it if needed and apply again. If you are unsure, visit the Servicepunkt (help desk) on campus.

Student ID - app

For identification (proof that you are a student), you need to download the "Studentbevis" app and sign in with your INN student account through FEIDE (student number and password). However, the identification is only valid when you have a photo in the app. 

The image you submit with your application for an access card will be added to your student ID profile. This means you must apply for an access card to have your picture added to the "Studentbevis" app.

Further information on the Digital Student ID can be found on the SIKT webpage (external link).

Borrow books from the Library

It is possible to borrow books from the Library. However, they only have a few copies of each book, so this is not guaranteed. View the Library's webpage on borrowing books for more information.

Finding the reading list for each course

The library has a detailed webpage that explains where and how to find the reading lists for your course(s).

If you are enrolled in a semester programme at Campus Evenstad or Hamar, you will need to search for the reading list of each of the courses in the programme.

Purchase the book(s)

If you cannot borrow it, you will need to purchase it. Many students purchase books together (split the costs), but you decide how you wish to purchase them.​

Here are a few options where you can purchase books:

• At the bookshop on campus (only in Lillehammer).​
• Online at different web shops. Some may have a physical store in the closest city:​
  • Akademika: https://www.akademika.no/
  • ARK: https://www.ark.no/  ​
  • Norli: https://www.norli.no/ 
• Local book stores​ in your closest city.

Second-hand options:

• https://ibok.no/ or https://bookis.com/no (only choose the ones without the payment method VIPPS).
• Through the FB group for INN (mainly in Norwegian). You will need to request books through the post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hihm2/ 

There are various things you can do during your semester at INN. Check out our student life webpage for more information.