Practical information

Researching admissions and programmes are just parts of the process preparing for studies abroad. Practical information about transportation, accommodation etc. is also important. If you can't find what you are looking for on these pages, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can also find general information about studying in Norway here.

Language

Most people in Norway understand and speak English, and as a result it is fairly easy to get by without speaking Norwegian.

Norwegian language course

All international students on exchange programmes or bilateral agreements are welcome to attend a course in the Norwegian Language for beginners. There is no tuition fee for this course, which is offered every semester and starts in September and February. The course amounts to four hours of lectures a week, and there is no examination and no credits awarded. In addition to language learning, the course includes a few excursions to museums and various other sites in Trondheim.

Erasmus students may apply for an intensive summer course, specifically adapted to suit exchange students. The courses are organised by NTNU, the Norwegian University of Technology and Science.

Accommodation

A large majority of exchange students stay in the student villages run by the student welfare organisation SiT. When a student is admitted, booking a room will be taken care of by Sør-Trøndelag University College. The monthly charge for a bed-sitting room is around NOK 2800 and upwards per month. You will be provided your own room, furnished with a bed, desk, bookshelf, cupboard, table and desk lamp, and share kitchen and bathroom facilities with three or four other students. All rooms have a telephone and a broadband internet connection, but you must install a computer yourself.
You must sign a contract before receiving the key to your room, and you will be personally responsible for paying the rent. You will also have to pay a deposit of NOK 5000, which you will be refunded when you leave Norway. Please note that rent may only be paid for months as a whole, consequently a rental payment that represents only parts of a month will not be accepted.

Students are responsible for keeping their room clean and tidy. Unpaid rent, laundry charges, telephone bills, etc., and the extra costs due to an insufficiently cleaned room when moving out will be deducted from your deposit.

You must bring with you pillow, duvet, bed linen and towels. You can also purchase the things you need when you arrive. Each building in the student villages has a contact person whom you can ask for information regarding practical matters such as where to shop, laundry machines, available equipment in the kitchen.

Currency and cost of living

The Norwegian currency is called krone (NOK), and you are advised to carry some of it when entering Norway. In addition we advise you to bring along an international credit card, or traveller's cheques.

The cost of living in Norway is high, and most international students will find that prices here are higher than the price levels in their home countries. It is estimated that students need a minimum amount of approximately NOK 8000 per month to cover all expenses.

Cultural events, recreation and entertainment are also expensive, but a student identity card will entitle you to various discounts on train fares, theatre tickets, etc.

Banking

Students staying for less than three months are advised not to open a bank account in a Norwegian bank. To open a bank account in Norway you need a residence permit and a Norwegian identity number, which can be obtained by applying to the National Population Registry Office (Folkeregisteret) after arrival. Banking services, including exchange of foreign currency, are also offered at post offices.