Checklist for international master students

1. Register as a Student

All students attending HVL must register digitally in Studentweb, which is usually open for registration from august. You will receive a PIN code that enables you log in. Please check that the contact information registered in Studentweb is correct.

Also, Studentweb is where you sign up for classes and exams and find payment information.

When you have registrered and paid the semester fee, you may download your digital student ID.

Note that you need to registrer as an HVL student each semester: Semester registration

Who: All students
Where: Studentweb
When: Deadline 1st of September / 1st of February
What you need: Your personal HVL registration numbers

2. Semester Fee

In order to register as a Student you need to pay your student union membership fee of NOK 780. You go to 'More' and 'Payments' on StudentWeb. An invoice is automatically generated when you register in Studentweb. Your registration only becomes valid once this invoice is payed.

If you pay from a foreign account, you must use the following information:

• Bank: Den norske Bank ASA
• Bank account no: 7694 05 17644
• IBAN: NO62 7694 05 17644
• Swift/BIC: DNBANOKK

Once you have registered you will be granted access to Canvas; a digital communication platform used for essential communication between HVL and you. On Canvas, you will receive specific information about each course you will be attending. It is also the main information platform between you and the lecturers.

Who: All students, except exchange students
Where: Any Norwegian bank or online bank
When: Deadline 1 September / 1st of February
What you need: The KID number from the invoice generated in Studentweb when you register

3. Study permit and Visa

As an international student moving to Norway you may have to apply for a visa or a study permit, or both. 

Please beware that if you are nationals from outside EU/EEA/EFTA and staying more than 90 days you will be asked to document that you have funds enough to cover subsistence at NOK 121 220 per year, and NOK 60 610 per semester for the academic year 2019-2020. When applying for half a year you should only need to show financial subsistence for the period you are staying in Norway. Generally, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration requires the money to be deposited in a Norwegian bank account.

For students in Master in Maritime Operations:
In order to study in Germany (in the second semester) you will need a German Student Visa. We recommend you to start the process of applying for this visa as soon as possible, as the application process may take several months. Applications must be lodged via the German embassy in your home country. Please be aware that the demands may vary from country to country. The embassy in your country will have the full information of what is required. They will also be able to inform you of the amount of money you will need to keep in a blocked account in Germany and which banks to use.

4. Health insurance

You need to have a valid travel and medical insurance for your entire stay at HVL. These insurances must be obtained before you arrive in Norway. It is your own responsibility to make insurance arrangements for any accident, illness, injury, loss or damage to persons or property resulting from, or in any way connected with, your study period in Norway.

5. Register with the police

International students arriving from a country outside the EU/EEA have to register at the local police station upon arrival to get a residence card. Exemption: Citizens from Nordic countries and students staying less than 3 months.

The police will send a residence card by post to your Norwegian address.

6. Norwegian ID Number

If you are going to stay in Norway for more than six months, you should register with the National Registry so that you can be awarded an 11-digit identity number (your date of birth plus a 5 digit personal number).

The ID number is required for opening a bank account, obtaining a student card among other things.

Students from EU/EEA/EFTA countries

EU/EEA/EFTA students staying in Norway for more than six months must apply for a Norwegian ID number after obtaining the registration certificate from the local police authorities.

For more information please check the Tax Adminitration website Report a move to Norway from abroad.

Students from non-EU/EEA countries

If you are a student from a country outside of the EU/EEA area, you will register for the National Registry at the same time as you meet with the police to order a residence permit card.

• The police will notify the Tax Administration (Skatt Øst) on your behalf.
• The Tax Administration will send you a letter with your national ID number.

Note: You must notify the police if you have changed your address, so that the correct residence address is registered in the National Registry.

Please check the UDI website How to get a national identity number.

7. Money and banking

In order to open a bank account in Norway you will need a Norwegian identity number. You can choose between local or regional banks, or banks with branches all over Norway. Some banks are also pure online banks, with no physical branches. Norwegian banks have advanced solutions for online banking so you can administrate your accounts, pay bills and transfer money online.

See how to get access to banking services in Norway.

8. Accommodation

HVL offers housing arrangements in cooperation with Sammen, the student union (welfare organization). In order to apply for housing you must create an account and formally apply on the Sammen website.

It is important that you apply for accommodation before the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline will not normally be processed.

9. Refund of funds

You must contact the student welfare organization Sammen for a refund of the funds you have transferred for visa/study permit purposes. It may take some time before you get access to your money after arrival. Therefore we recommend that you bring along enough money for at least the first weeks.

Cash Card

Only for students in Haugesund: Sammen may issue a cash card to cover your living expenses before you can open a Norwegian bank account. The total amount that can be given in advance is NOK 19.000, divided into two cash card of NOK 9,500. The cash card can be ordered by sending an e-mail to Sammen with your name and the required amount, or you can visit the Information desk in person. The cash card will be ready to be picked up the following day.

Students in Sogndal may contact Sammen at post.sfj@sammen.no

Sammen will transfer the remaining funds to you as soon as you notify them of your Norwegian bank account number.