Norway · Student

Norway Student · Vocational

Savings needed: NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k

Study permit: upper secondary and vocational school

Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Student · Vocational is a student route for Norway. Applicants need savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.

Money needed: NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k
Government fees: NOK 5,400 ≈ $560

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee NOK 5,400 ≈ $560; savings to show NOK 170k+/yr ≈ $18k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government feesNOK 5,400 ≈ $560

NOK 5,400 (≈ $560)Application fee for a study residence permit, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

Shown, not spentNOK 170k+/yr ≈ $18k

NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800)For the entire academic year; NOK 77,440 (≈ $8,090) autumn only, NOK 92,928 (≈ $9,710) spring only for vocational one-semester study; tuition extra.

RenewalRenewable

A temporary permit can be renewed on application if the basis for the permit still exists. Apply at least one month before the permit expires to keep your right to stay while the renewal is decided.

Lovdata

Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count

The regulations state that a student permit does not form a basis for permanent residence, so study time does not count toward the 3-year residence requirement.

Lovdata

CitizenshipGeneral rule: 8 years of residence

The general rule is 8 years of residence in the last 11 on permits of at least one year, and the applicant must also meet the conditions for permanent residence, which a student permit does not provide.

Lovdata

Where to applyFrom abroad

A first-time permit must normally be granted before you enter Norway, applied for through the Norwegian embassy in your country of citizenship or where you lived in the last six months. UDI guidelines can allow some students to apply from inside Norway.

Lovdata Lovdata

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
Applications are made from outside Norway, not after arriving
Needs a place at a school or university in Norway
Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports

What you'll need

Who can apply4

Upper secondary applicants are admitted through an exchange partnership, an IB programme or skills-based admission.
Skills-based admission covers schools such as the Norwegian College of Elite Sport and Barrat Due Institute of Music.
Vocational applicants are admitted to a full-time programme at a vocational school on the NOKUT list; online programmes do not qualify.
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after school.

What you must show3

Funds are NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (NOK 170,368 (≈ $17,800) per academic year) from loans, grants or own funds in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's account.
NOK 77,440 (≈ $8,090) is required for one autumn semester and NOK 92,928 (≈ $9,710) for one spring semester of vocational study.
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560).

Documents1

Somewhere to live is shown.

After you arrive1

The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week and full time in holidays; no self-employment.

When you become tax resident

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

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

For admitted students at upper secondary (exchange partnership, IB programme or skills-based admission) or vocational schools. ^{1 2}

What you must show and pay

Savings of at least NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800) · For the entire academic year; NOK 77,440 (≈ $8,090) autumn only, NOK 92,928 (≈ $9,710) spring only for vocational one-semester study; tuition extra. ¹
A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560) · Application fee for a study residence permit, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half. ²

Requirements

Upper secondary applicants are admitted through an exchange partnership, an IB programme or skills-based admission. ¹
Skills-based admission covers schools such as the Norwegian College of Elite Sport and Barrat Due Institute of Music. ¹
Vocational applicants are admitted to a full-time programme at a vocational school on the NOKUT list; online programmes do not qualify. ¹
Conditions in the home country make it likely that the applicant will return after school. ¹
Funds are NOK 15,488 (≈ $1,620) per month (NOK 170,368 (≈ $17,800) per academic year) from loans, grants or own funds in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's account. ¹
NOK 77,440 (≈ $8,090) is required for one autumn semester and NOK 92,928 (≈ $9,710) for one spring semester of vocational study. ¹
The application fee is NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). ²
Somewhere to live is shown. ¹
The holder can work part time up to 20 hours per week and full time in holidays; no self-employment. ¹

Stay

For the study period.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

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 and full time in holidays; no self-employment.

Family

Spouse or cohabitant and children of vocational school students can usually apply, but UDI currently cannot process family applications at the same time as the student application.

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
Immigration Act (Act of 15 May 2008 No. 35), English translation · Lovdata · checked 2026-10-11
Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Nationality Act (statsborgerloven) section 7: main rule on acquisition by application · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-11

Student · Vocational and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Student · Vocational	Needs savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k	–	–
Supplementary education	Needs savings of NOK 170k+ a year ≈ $18k	2 yr	–
Folk high school	Needs savings of NOK 131k+ a year ≈ $14k	1 yr	–
Bible school study	Needs savings of NOK 155k+ a year ≈ $16k	1 yr	–
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 Student · Vocational?

Savings of at least NOK 170,368 a year (≈ $17,800). For the entire academic year; NOK 77,440 (≈ $8,090) autumn only, NOK 92,928 (≈ $9,710) spring only for vocational one-semester study; tuition extra. A fee of NOK 5,400 (≈ $560). Application fee for a study residence permit, including renewals; applicants under 18 pay half.

How long can I stay on the Student · Vocational?

For the study period.

Can I work on the Student · Vocational?

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

Can I bring my family on the Student · Vocational?

Spouse or cohabitant and children of vocational school students can usually apply, but UDI currently cannot process family applications at the same time as the student application.

Who can apply for the Student · Vocational?

Does the Student · Vocational lead to permanent residence in Norway?

Time on the Student · Vocational doesn't count toward permanent residence in Norway. The general rule for citizenship is 8 years of residence.

How are Student · Vocational holders taxed in Norway?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Student · Vocational. 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.

Ask the AI about this route AI

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How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-12 against 5 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
Immigration Act (Act of 15 May 2008 No. 35), English translation · Lovdata · checked 2026-10-11
Immigration Regulations (utlendingsforskriften), chapters 6 and 10 · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
Nationality Act (statsborgerloven) section 7: main rule on acquisition by application · Lovdata (Norwegian legislation) · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. 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.