You will need a student residence permit. Visas are issued for stays up to 90 days, while students who plan to stay in Norway for more than three months need this student residence permit.

The short list of documents for a student residence permit is:

• An application form for student residence with a passport photograph;
• A copy of your passport.
• Documentation of admission to an approved educational institution;
• A plan of study;
• A form stating the progress of your studies;
• Documentation of housing.

Who does need a student visa for Norway?

All other students will need to apply for a student residence permit if they intend to study in Norway for more than three months. If you are studying in Norway for less than three months, and you come from a country with a visa requirement for entering Norway, you will still need to obtain a visa. Requirements and procedures for obtaining a student residence permit will depend upon your country of origin.

Requirements to get a student visa for Norway

In order to be granted a student visa for Norway, you must have been admitted to a field of study at a college or university (with some exemptions).

After you’ve received your letter of admission you should contact your nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate for information on the study permit application procedure, and apply from your country of origin.
While some candidates can apply online from within Norway or through a Norwegian embassy, most students will need to hand in a paper application form to their closest Norwegian embassy or consulate.
When you hand in your student residence permit application form, you must also provide your passport, along with other necessary documentation. You’ll need to submit:

• A completed application form
• Receipt of having paid the application fee (NOK 3,200, which is roughly US$370)
• A valid travel document (i.e. passport)
• Two recent passport-sized photos with a white background
• Evidence of admittance to an approved full-time education program
• Evidence of sufficient financial funds for the entire period of study, including funds to support any accompanying family, which should be in a Norwegian bank account (it can be difficult to open an account in a Norwegian bank without a Norwegian personal number, so you can usually deposit the required amount into an account established by your educational institution). You need to prove you have access to NOK 111,657 for each academic year (10 months), which is approximately US$13,000.
• Evidence that you have somewhere to live (such as a house, apartment, bedsit or room in a hall of residence)
• Evidence that you will leave Norway when your residence permit expires (usually in the form of a return ticket)
• Completed and signed UDI document checklist, which you should print off and hand in along with your other documents

Processing times for student residence permits will vary and may take two months or so, therefore it is advisable to apply as soon as you are able.

If your application is granted, you must then obtain a residence card. This is proof that you have the right to live in Norway and is issued by your local police station in Norway.

You’re required to visit the police station within seven days of your arrival in Norway. You’ll have your fingerprints and photo taken and will be sent your residence card by post within 10 working days.

Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa