600 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS EACH YEAR IN UNIVERSITY OF OSLO
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calendar_month 25 Ian 2008, 00:00

"Norway is a small country in the world", as one Norwegian politician was famously quoted. With a population of 4 million, this is obviously true. Though Oslo's population has only recently passed the half million mark, the city is still the metropolis of Norway. You will have to go farther north, however, if you want to experience the midnight sun. Furthermore, polar bears have not been reported to attack school children for the last couple of thousand years, as they're not part of the mainland fauna at all.
Each year the University of Oslo receives around 600 international students, the majority of whom are bilateral exchange students and programme students.


After you have received your Letter of Admission from the University of Oslo there are several important procedures which must be completed, both before and after arriving in Norway.
Conditions of Admission


It is important that you carefully read your formal Letter of Admission containing terms of your admission and note the conditions stipulated. After reading the letter, please complete the Declaration of Acceptance form online by the given deadline. Please have your Letter of Admission and your copy of the blue letter addressed to the immigration authorities (if applicable) ready to present at your port of entry to Norway. These two letters are included in your admission package.


The University reserves the right to require that you submit original documents of all your certificates and diplomas after your arrival in Norway (this does not apply to ERASMUS/NORDPLUS students). Should any of the documents you submit be found to be incorrect, your admission to the University of Oslo will be cancelled.


You are expected to begin your studies on time, and to arrive in time for the orientation meeting. If you arrive after the time specified in your Letter of Admission, you risk losing your place of study. ERASMUS/NORDPLUS students whose courses start later in the semester may arrive later.
Documentation of financing for students applying for a student residence permit to Norway


As a general rule, students from outside the EU (European Union) and EEA (European Economic Area) need to document a certain amount (presently NOK 82 900 for one academic year and NOK 41 450 for one semester) in a Norwegian bank account in order to be granted a student residence permit/visa in Norway. The Norwegian Immigration Authorities (UDI) enforce this rule strictly and UDI will in most cases not accept other means of documentation like a bank statement from a bank in your home country or financial guarantees from relatives (or others). If the UDI does not accept your documentation it will affect your residence permit application both with regard to:


A) the final result (your residence permit/visa might be denied); and
B) processing time (the length of the processing time of the application is sure to be much longer than normal, which means you will not obtain your residence permit/visa in time to start your studies). Special conditions apply for some bilateral exchange students. Please refer to your admission materials.


Our experience is that it is very difficult for students, without a Norwegian personal number, to open a bank account in Norway, from abroad. Therefore, the Foundation for Student Life in Oslo (SiO), which is the Student Welfare Organization for students at the University of Oslo, has opened a Deposit Account in Nordea Bank for international students. This account, which is called the SiO Deposit Account, is meant for international students from countries outside the EU/EEA. As mentioned above, non-EU/EEA students need to document the possession of NOK 82 900 / NOK 41 450 in order to be granted a student residence permit. Please read the instructions below if you want to transfer your money to the Deposit Account.

Students from EU/EEA and Switzerland are not required to apply for a residence permit before arrival in Norway but must register with the Norwegian Police, Foreign Section, as soon as possible after arrival in Norway.

International Education Office
E-mail: international@admin.uio.no
PO Box 1081
Blindern
NO-0317 Oslo
Norway