Self-financing

Financial guarantee

One of the requirements for obtaining a student visa or a student residence permit for Norway is that the applicant must document access to funds corresponding to maximum basic support for higher education from the State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen).

For the study year 2023-2024 this corresponds to NOK 137 907. The basic support is NOK 62 685 for the autumn semester in 2023 and NOK 75 222 for the spring semester in 2024.
^{Subsistence requirement - students (external link to The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI))}

As a main rule, this money must be in a Norwegian bank account.  In some cases, a bank statement / payment guarantee from a bank in the student’s home country is accepted, but this is seldom recommended as the Norwegian Immigration Authorities are fairly strict about the financial guarantee for studies in Norway.

For the same reason, guarantees from relatives or others (except a bank or a university) are not recommended.  Usually the lack of approved financial documentation makes the processing for the application for a student residence permit / visa take longer than usual, which might result in students not obtaining their residence permit / visa in time to start their studies.
_{Requirement for assured subsistence (external link to The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI))}
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Deposit account

It has proven difficult for students to open bank accounts in Norway on their own prior to receiving their personal number (ID. number) which is provided after the residence permit is granted.  Therefore, the Student Welfare Organization in Bergen has established a deposit account in “Den norske Bank ASA” for international students, where students can deposit the needed amount from their home country.  This bank account has:

• Swift address: DNBANOKKXXX and IBAN NO37 5210 0537 524.
• Account number 05.37524
• Account owner Studentsamskipnaden på Vestlandet
• Address:
  Parkveien 1
  5007 Bergen
  Norway

• Account title  Deposit account foreign students

Apply for a Norwegian personal number

Be sure to apply for a Norwegian personal number as soon as possible after registering at the local Police Station (within 7 days after arrival).  The personal number is vital for opening a bank account in Norway.

Be sure to open a bank account in a Norwegian bank of your choice as soon as possible after receiving your personal number.  After receiving the account number, please notify Sammen as soon as possible, by e-mail: sammen.okonomi@sammen.no 

Instructions for deposit of money in Sammen’s Deposit account for international students.

Conditions for depositing money in Sammen’s deposit account for international students:

Please read the following carefully:

• Only students accepted to studies at the University of Bergen (UiB), Norwegian School for Economics and Business Administration (NHH), Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) and Bergen National Academy of the Arts (KHiB) may deposit money in this account. The money must be deposited in the student’s own name.
• There is no interest on deposit money, according to Norwegian Law.
• Please note that a banking fee may be deducted from the money deposited.
• When you arrive in Norway, Sammen can give you a kronekort with a balance NOK 9 500 from your deposit money. We can make refill on card, from your deposit money
• The kronekort can be obtained at one of our service centers at the Student Center (Parkveien 1) or Fantoft (Fantoftvegen 14i)
• Replacement card has a price of NOK 200
• The rest of the deposit money will be transferred to your Norwegian bank account.
• Sammen will deduct a small banking fee of NOK 150.
• The student must notify Sammen of his/her Norwegian bank account and address in Norway as soon as possible.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding financing, please contact your place of study:

For students at UiB: opptak@uib.no
For students at NHH: admission@nhh.no
For students at HVL: opptak@hvl.no