Plan your stay at Kristiania University College
Plan your arrival in Norway
Plan your arrival in Norway
It is compulsory to have valid health insurance when you enter Norway.
Check what applies for EU/EEA citizens
You must have valid documentation of health insurance to cover any costs that you might incur during your stay in Norway. It can be either in the form of:
European Health Insurance Card that entitles you to the same treatment as Citizens of Norway.
‘or’
Private Insurance that covers for the period of your stay in Norway.
Note: You will need to have private insurance/travel insurance to cover Dental Care or damage of your belongings, liability insurance to cover injuries or damage caused to other people belongings or property.
For EU/EEA citizens
EU/EEA citizens do not require residence permits if the study period is up to 3 Months. All EU/EEA citizens who will be staying in Norway for more than 3 Months must register with the police.
The registration scheme for EU/EEA nationals
For Nordic citizens
All Nordic citizens who will be staying for less than 6 Months do not need residence permit or registration with the police.
All Nordic citizens who will be staying for more than 6 Months are required to report their move to the National Registry.
For non-EU/EEA citizens
If you are studying in Norway for more than three months you are required to have a study permit. You must apply for a residence permit prior to your arrival in Norway. Remember to apply as soon as you receive your offer of admission.
Apply for affordable student housing through ‘The Student Welfare Organisation of Oslo and Akershus’ (SiO).
Application guide for student housing
Move in to your housing
Move out of your housingApply for student housing as soon as possible after receiving the admission letter and accept the offer sent by SiO, before the offer expires, to avoid long waiting time.
When you receive an offer for a student accommodation, you will receive an email referring to a contract on My page. This contract needs to be signed and uploaded within the deadline stated on the offer you have received. If you fail to do so, the offer will be given to the next person on the waiting list. You must also remember to pay your deposit in due time.
Upon arrival in Norway
Upon arrival in Norway
It is cheaper to travel by Airport express train or a local train as taking a taxi is expensive. When you buy train tickets for either trains, remember to show your student ID to get a student discount. Both trains stop at Oslo Central Station.
Oslo has an efficient public transport system with several modes of transport.
If you have a smart phone, download the app Ruter to plan your journey and to buy tickets. For the official city app, download VisitOSLO’s app and get access to offline map of the city.
Rent a city bike or an electric scooter
You can explore Oslo on a city bike or an electric scooter. The bikes can be found at 250 stations in and around the city centre. To rent, you must have a telephone number and credit card.
Find out where and when you can pick up the keys for your student house and get acquainted with student housing facilities.
It is difficult to open a bank account in Norway if you are staying for a short term of 3 or 6 months, we recommend you use your own home bank account.
ATMs in Norway are referred to as MiniBanks can be found in public places or by the side of banks or at shopping centres and accepts international Visa/Master Card for money withdrawals. Credit/Debit cards usually have a chip and not having one such card might be of problem in some stores.
Living in Oslo
Living in Oslo
The cost of living in Norway is expensive but there are other ways to stretch the student budget. Basic expenses for students vary from 9000-11,500 Norwegian Kroner per month.
Information about the general cost of living
Food and Beverage
Cheaper options to buy food are from supermarkets like Kiwi, Coop Prix, Rema 1000. For cheaper brands, look for First Price or Euroshopper or Xtra, depending on the supermarket. For vegetables and fruits, there are many shops in Grønland, Oslo.
Shopping
For office/room/kitchen supplies/other essential items; IKEA at two different locations offers free shuttle bus every 30 minutes.
Another shop for kitchen and room essentials is ‘Nille’. For shopping leisure & multimedia products visit ‘Clas Ohlson’
Check Finn for various ‘used or second hand’ items.
Students with a Norwegian Identity number will be automatically assigned a GP. Students without Norwegian Identity number may also contact a GP at SiO health services, if medical attention is needed.
GP visits charge patient fees and you must buy your medication. Contact the SiO health services for questions related to reimbursement of health care expenses.
Outside normal opening hours, you can also consult the public emergency medical service (‘legevakt’). Call 116 117 to get in contact with the emergency medical service in Oslo.Find out more about Norwegian healthcare services on Helsenorge.no
Oslo is most famous for its architecture, museums, forests and fjords.
Activities and attractions in Oslo
Tour guide for Oslo and Akershus
Oslo on a budget