If you are coming to Norway for a year or more, you will as a general rule become a member of the National Insurance Scheme, and your membership starts on the date you arrive. If you are staying for less than a year, or you are from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, the rules are different. This page walks you through what Helsenorge, Nav and NTNU say, so you can work out what cover you need before you get on the plane.
Who joins the National Insurance Scheme
Nav's starting point is simple: if you live in Norway, you are as a general rule a member of the National Insurance Scheme. For that to apply, your stay must last, or be intended to last, at least 12 months, and it must be legal. When you move to Norway to stay at least 12 months, you become a member from your date of entry.
If you will stay less than 12 months, will not work, and have strong ties to Norway, you may be entitled to voluntary membership. That is a decision for Nav, so check with them directly rather than assuming.
NTNU spells out the timing for students from outside the EU/EEA/EFTA. If you stay less than 3 months, you are not eligible for membership. If you stay 3 to 12 months, you can apply. If you stay more than 12 months and have a valid residence permit, you are covered automatically from arrival. For most degree students, that last category is the one that matters, because bachelor's degrees take three years (180 ECTS) and master's degrees two years (120 ECTS) after a bachelor's degree.
What membership actually gives you
Members of the National Insurance Scheme are entitled to subsidised health care from the public health care system. That is the core benefit: you get access to public health services on the same footing as the scheme provides.
But Helsenorge still advises considering private health insurance on top, for example to cover medical transport back to your home country. The National Insurance Scheme only applies within the borders of Norway, according to NTNU, so anything that happens while you are travelling outside Norway is not covered by it.
If you are not a member
Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland should first check whether they already have health insurance from their home country. If they do not, they should check with Nav whether they are entitled to join the National Insurance Scheme.
If you are covered neither by the National Insurance Scheme nor by insurance from your home country, Helsenorge says you should take out private health insurance. That is the fallback position: no scheme membership and no home cover means you need private cover.
NTNU recommends private health insurance before arrival anyway, because it may take some time to obtain membership. That practical point is easy to miss. Even if you will eventually be covered automatically, you may have a gap between landing and your membership being registered. Private cover bridges that gap.
EU/EEA, Swiss and Nordic students
EU/EEA/EFTA students are told to bring a valid EHIC card from their home country. As a general rule, they cannot become members of the National Insurance Scheme. Nordic citizens are entitled to care without insurance documentation.
So if you are an EU/EEA or Swiss student, your health cover usually comes from your home country's arrangements, not from Nav. Keep your EHIC card valid for the whole stay. If you are unsure how your card works with the Norwegian system, ask your home country's health authority before you leave.
Health insurance and your residence permit
Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who wish to study in Norway for three months or longer must apply for a residence permit for studies, also called a study permit. Health insurance is part of the paperwork for many applicants, so sort out your cover before you apply. You can read more about the permit process in our residence permit guide.
The rules here depend on your nationality and your length of stay, so check the UDI pages for your situation. UDI decides on study permits, and the institution decides on admission. Do not rely on a friend's experience as a substitute for the official rules.
Practical steps before you arrive
- Check your home cover. Find out whether your existing insurance covers you in Norway for the length of your stay. If it does not, ask Nav about National Insurance Scheme membership.
- Decide whether you need private cover. If you have neither scheme membership nor home cover, Helsenorge says to take out private health insurance. NTNU also recommends it before arrival, because membership can take time to process.
- For EU/EEA/EFTA students, bring your EHIC. Make sure it is valid for the whole period you will be in Norway.
- Check the terms of any private policy. Look at what it covers, including medical transport back to your home country, and whether it covers the whole period of your stay.
- Keep your documents together. Store your insurance documents and your residence permit paperwork in one place, so you can produce them when asked.
The health insurance guide on this site goes into more detail on the different routes. If you are still choosing where to apply, our list of all universities in Norway can help you compare institutions.
What it means for your application
Health insurance is one of several things to arrange around your application. Admission to bachelor's degrees taught in English is handled through the institutions' own systems, while bachelor's degrees taught in Norwegian go through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS). Postgraduate programmes are not part of the NUCAS coordinated application service, so master's applicants apply through the websites of the institutions.
Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary between institutions and study programmes. This site lists 27 Norwegian higher education institutions and 353 programmes imported from the Study in Norway register. The fees shown are as listed in the Study in Norway register, so confirm them with the institution before you budget. You can also check studyinnorway.no for the official programme details. Our own catalogue is a starting point, not the final word.
The Norwegian government offers no individual scholarships to degree students, so plan your finances accordingly. Health insurance is a separate cost on top of tuition and living expenses, and private cover premiums vary, so get quotes rather than guessing.
Sources
- Helsenorge, students from outside the EU/EEA
- Nav, membership of the National Insurance Scheme
- NTNU, insurance for international students
- Study in Norway, education system
- Study in Norway, admission to degree programmes
- Samordna opptak, English home page
- Study in Norway, tuition fees
- Study in Norway, cost and requirements
- Study in Norway, scholarships for degree students
- This site's catalogue, imported from the Study in Norway register
Frequently asked questions
Do international students automatically get Norwegian National Insurance Scheme membership?
Not always. If you live in Norway and your stay lasts or is intended to last at least 12 months and is legal, you are as a general rule a member from your date of entry. Shorter stays may qualify for voluntary membership in some cases, and EU/EEA/EFTA students generally cannot become members. Check with Nav.
Do I need private health insurance as a student in Norway?
Helsenorge says you should take out private comprehensive health insurance if you are covered neither by the National Insurance Scheme nor by insurance from your home country. NTNU also recommends private insurance before arrival, because scheme membership may take some time to obtain.
What does the National Insurance Scheme cover for students?
Members are entitled to subsidised health care from the public health care system. The scheme only applies within the borders of Norway, according to NTNU. Helsenorge advises considering private insurance on top, for example to cover medical transport back to your home country.
Can EU/EEA students join the National Insurance Scheme?
As a general rule, no. EU/EEA/EFTA students are told to bring a valid EHIC card from their home country. Nordic citizens are entitled to care without insurance documentation. If you are unsure how your EHIC works in Norway, ask your home country's health authority.