Norway · Student

Norway Folk high school

Savings needed: NOK 131k+ a year ≈ $14k

Study permit: folk high school

Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Folk high school is a student route for Norway. Applicants need savings of NOK 131k+ a year ≈ $14k. You can stay 1 yr. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.

Money needed: NOK 131k+ a year ≈ $14k
Government fees: NOK 5,400 ≈ $560
First stay: 1 yr

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee NOK 5,400 ≈ $560; savings to show NOK 131k+/yr ≈ $14k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government feesNOK 5,400 ≈ $560

NOK 5,400 (≈ $560)Application fee under Immigration Regulations section 17-10 for students, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

Shown, not spentNOK 131k+/yr ≈ $14k

NOK 130,745 a year (≈ $13,700)Living costs and school tuition fees for the 2026/2027 school year, from student loans, grants, own funds in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's account; income from an offered part-time job may count.

Renewal1 year max, no extension

Granted for one year and cannot be renewed.

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count

This permit does not lead to permanent residence.

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Can't be renewed: 1 year in total at most
Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
Needs a place at a school or university in Norway
Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports

What you'll need

Who can apply3

The applicant is admitted to a folk high school on the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training list.
The applicant has not held an earlier permit to attend a folk high school or a religion/belief-based school in Norway.
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the studies.

What you must show2

Funds are at least NOK 130,745 (≈ $13,700) for the 2026/2027 school year, covering living costs and tuition.
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560).

After you arrive3

The permit is valid for one year and cannot be renewed.
The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays; no self-employment.
Family members cannot apply for family immigration; the permit does not count towards permanent residence.

When you become tax resident

How Norway decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route: Up to 1 year in total
Tax residence: More than 183 days in any 12-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 183 days in one or more periods makes a person resident for the income year in which the limit is passed.
More than 270 days in any 36-month periodPresence in Norway for more than 270 days in any 36-month period also makes a person resident, except for persons resident on Svalbard.
Foreign-source income: Norwegian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income and wealth: 22% on general income plus bracket tax of 1.7% to 17.8% on personal income above NOK 226,100, (≈ $23,600) and employees pay 7.6% national insurance contributions.

All tax rules for Norway Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026

Official site

Full official text

One-year study permit for a course at a folk high school on the Directorate for Education and Training list; it cannot be renewed and family cannot accompany. ^{1 2}

What you must show and pay

Savings of at least NOK 130,745 a year (≈ $13,700) · Living costs and school tuition fees for the 2026/2027 school year, from student loans, grants, own funds in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's account; income from an offered part-time job may count. ¹
A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560) · Application fee under Immigration Regulations section 17-10 for students, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half. ²

Requirements

The applicant is admitted to a folk high school on the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training list. ¹
The applicant has not held an earlier permit to attend a folk high school or a religion/belief-based school in Norway. ¹
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after the studies. ¹
Funds are at least NOK 130,745 (≈ $13,700) for the 2026/2027 school year, covering living costs and tuition. ¹
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). ²
The permit is valid for one year and cannot be renewed. ¹
The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays; no self-employment. ¹
Family members cannot apply for family immigration; the permit does not count towards permanent residence. ¹

Stay

One year; the permit cannot be renewed.
Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
Not renewable according to our source.

Nationality

Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Part-time work up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays; no self-employment.

Family

Family members cannot apply for family immigration.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

Study permit · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11

Folk high school and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Folk high school	Needs savings of NOK 131k+ a year ≈ $14k	1 yr	–
Supplementary education	Needs savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k	2 yr	–
Bible school study	Needs savings of NOK 155k+ a year ≈ $16k	1 yr	–
Student · Vocational	Needs savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k	–	–
Student permit Portugal	Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030	3 yr, renewable	Yes

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Folk high school?

Savings of at least NOK 130,745 a year (≈ $13,700). Living costs and school tuition fees for the 2026/2027 school year, from student loans, grants, own funds in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's account; income from an offered part-time job may count. A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). Application fee under Immigration Regulations section 17-10 for students, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

How long can I stay on the Folk high school?

One year; the permit cannot be renewed.

Can I work on the Folk high school?

Part-time work up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, and full time in holidays; no self-employment.

Can I bring my family on the Folk high school?

Family members cannot apply for family immigration.

Who can apply for the Folk high school?

Does the Folk high school lead to permanent residence in Norway?

Time on the Folk high school doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway. The stay itself ends after 12 months and can't be extended.

How are Folk high school holders taxed in Norway?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Folk high school. The standard rules apply: Norwegian tax residents are taxed on worldwide income and wealth: 22% on general income plus bracket tax of 1.7% to 17.8% on personal income above NOK 226,100, (≈ $23,600) and employees pay 7.6% national insurance contributions.

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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

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How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-12 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Study permit · Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) · checked 2026-10-12
Regulation on foreigners' entry and residence (utlendingsforskriften), section 17-10: processing fees for residence permits · Lovdata (Norwegian regulation text) · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.