To study in Norway for more than three months, a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA needs a residence permit for studies — a studietillatelse — rather than a visa. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) decides. The core requirements are admission to a full-time programme at an accredited institution, $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for living costs in the 2026/27 academic year, tuition paid or funds to pay it, housing, and a fee of $560 (NOK 5,400). Russian citizens can hand in their application at a VFS Global centre in Russia, but UDI cautions that permits for programmes under master's level are rarely granted to them without special circumstances.
This guide covers who applies where, the documents required, the step-by-step process, what changed for Russian citizens after 2022 and the rights a study permit gives you. Universities, fees and teaching languages are summarised on our study in Norway page.
Visa or residence permit: what the document is
A study permit is a Norwegian national residence permit for the purpose of study. Once it is approved, a visa sticker is placed in your passport so you can enter, and in Norway the police issue a residence card. A Schengen visitor visa does not work for degree study: it allows at most 90 days in any 180-day period. For a programme shorter than 90 days, such as a summer school, check UDI's rules for your nationality to see whether a study permit is needed; a visitor visa is never issued for more than 90 days.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not apply for a study permit; they register with the police within three months of arrival.
UDI's requirements for university students
UDI publishes requirements by nationality. For Russian citizens studying at a university or university college they are:
| Requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Admission | an admission letter from an institution on NOKUT's list of accredited institutions |
| Full-time study | a full study load; online programmes do not qualify |
| Living funds | $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for 2026/27, or $1,620 (NOK 15,488) a month; for one semester $8,090 (NOK 77,440) in autumn or $9,700 (NOK 92,928) in spring |
| Tuition | proof of payment, or the tuition amount in addition to living funds in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account the institution specifies; if exempt, confirmation from the institution |
| Housing | a tenancy agreement or confirmation of a student room |
| Intention to return | circumstances in your home country must indicate you can return after your studies |
| Fee | $560 (NOK 5,400) for applicants over 18; $280 (NOK 2,700) under 18 |
Living funds can combine your own money in a Norwegian or deposit account, student loans, scholarships and income from a job you have already been offered in Norway.
The extra condition for Russian citizens. UDI's guidance for Russian nationals states that, because of the situation in the home country, a study permit below master's level may be difficult to obtain, and every application is assessed individually. The Norwegian embassy in Moscow says the same: without exceptional circumstances, permits for programmes below master's level are hard to get. That is why the master's route is the workable one — see our guide to master's degrees in Norway.
Where Russian and CIS citizens apply
According to the Norwegian embassy in Moscow:
- Applications from Russia can be made by citizens of Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and by foreigners holding a residence permit in those countries issued at least six months before the application.
- Documents are handed in only in person at a VFS Global centre, by appointment. You cannot walk into the embassy or send documents by post.
- VFS appointments are limited. The embassy warns that applicants should expect to wait for a slot, so book as soon as you have registered your application.
- In Kazakhstan, applications are submitted at the VFS centre in Kazakhstan and routed to the Norwegian embassy in Ankara; UDI still makes the decision. Applicants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Armenia can also use VFS centres that report to the Ankara embassy.
- In Belarus, a separate VFS centre handles applications for the embassy in Moscow.
If you live legally in another country, apply at the Norwegian mission or visa centre there; each mission publishes its own procedure.
Step by step
- Receive your admission letter and tuition invoice. Pay it or arrange an exemption.
- Transfer your living funds to a Norwegian account or the deposit account your university specifies (SiO for UiO, Sammen for UiB, NTNU's own account in Trondheim), and keep the receipt and the university's confirmation. If transfers from Russia are difficult, choose a lawful route early — see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.
- Arrange housing. Apply to the city's student welfare organisation as early as possible.
- Register your application online in UDI's portal and pay the fee by Visa or Mastercard. The embassy notes that if neither you nor your contact person (reference) in Norway can pay online, the application cannot be submitted. After payment you receive a copy of the application, a cover letter and a receipt by email; print and sign the cover letter.
- Gather documents from the checklist the portal generates: passport, photo, admission letter, proof of funds and payment, housing and any items specific to your case.
- Attend your VFS appointment. Every applicant is photographed, applicants over 6 give ten fingerprints, and those over 10 also sign. The original passport is needed for verification by the embassy and can be returned on request.
- Wait for UDI's decision, which is sent by email. If approved, the visa sticker is placed in your passport, collected from the same VFS centre. If refused, you receive written reasons and can appeal.
- After arrival, book an appointment with the police and attend within the first days. They take your photo and order the residence card, which lets you travel within the Schengen area.
Processing times vary through the year, and UDI publishes current waiting times on its website. The University of Bergen warns that the process takes several weeks and gives a benchmark: applications submitted by 1 July (autumn semester) or 1 December (spring semester) are processed in time for the start of teaching. Apply as soon as tuition is paid and living funds are deposited.
What changed for Russian citizens after 2022
- The visa facilitation agreement was suspended from 22 September 2022. Russian applicants are subject to the general rules on visa documents, fees and processing times.
- Since 29 May 2024, Norway has restricted entry for Russian citizens travelling for tourism and other non-essential purposes. The Norwegian government states that the restriction does not apply to those coming to work or study, or to residence permit holders.
- The European Commission decision of 6 November 2025 on multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals applies only to short-stay Schengen visas lodged in Russia. Norway applies it as part of the Schengen rules, but it does not cover study permits.
- Exchanges between Norwegian and Russian universities are suspended. Russian students apply to Norwegian institutions independently, on general terms.
Rights under a study permit
- Work. Up to 20 hours a week during studies, including remote work, and full-time during holidays. You cannot be self-employed or run a business.
- Family. A spouse or partner and children can usually apply for family immigration. UDI notes that it currently cannot process family members' applications at the same time as the student's.
- Health cover. If your stay lasts 12 months or more, you are normally a member of the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden). For shorter stays you need private insurance.
- Permanent residence. Time on a study permit does not count towards permanent residence.
- After graduation. You can apply for a job-seeker permit of up to one year. Apply before your study permit expires, ideally at least a month ahead, and show your own funds for living costs.
Renewing a study permit
Permits are granted for the period covered by documented funds, so second-year students usually renew. Apply before the permit expires and document living funds again — UiT, for example, cites the same UDI amount for renewing the residence card. If you pay tuition, you will need proof of payment for the next year.
Common mistakes
- Applying before paying tuition. Without proof of payment or the funds for it, UDI will not consider the funding requirement met.
- Keeping money in a Russian or other foreign account. UDI accepts funds in a Norwegian account or in the deposit account named by your university.
- Delaying the VFS booking. With limited slots, getting an appointment can take weeks.
- Travelling on a visitor visa to apply in Norway. Applying from inside Norway is only allowed in specific cases, and Norway has restricted tourist entry for Russian citizens since 2024.
- Choosing a bachelor's without knowing UDI's position. A university may admit you while UDI refuses the permit because of the programme level.
FAQ
$17,790 (NOK 170,368) for the 2026/27 academic year — UDI's standard for 11 months of living costs. You also need tuition if it has not been paid in advance, plus the $560 (NOK 5,400) fee.
Yes. You register the application online in UDI's portal and hand in documents in person at a VFS Global centre in Russia by appointment. UDI makes the decision.
UDI states that permits below master's level are difficult for Russian citizens to obtain and are granted only if something specific in your situation justifies it. Master's programmes are not subject to this restriction.
There is no fixed time; UDI publishes current waiting times on its website. The University of Bergen gives a benchmark: applications submitted by 1 July are processed before the autumn semester starts, and those submitted by 1 December before the spring semester.
Yes, up to 20 hours a week during studies and full-time in holidays; remote work counts too. Self-employment and running your own business are not allowed.
If you will stay in Norway for 12 months or longer, you are normally covered by the National Insurance Scheme. For a shorter stay, you need private insurance.
You can apply for a job-seeker permit of up to one year while your study permit is still valid. You need your own funds for living costs and must look for skilled work matching your qualification.
Sources
- UDI: study permit requirements for Russian citizens and UDI fees — checked 29 September 2026
- UDI: job-seeker permit after graduation — checked 29 September 2026
- Norwegian embassy in Moscow: residence permits, visas and permits and studying in Norway — checked 29 September 2026
- Government of Norway: entry restrictions for Russian citizens, Q&A — checked 30 September 2026
- European Commission: decision on multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals — checked 30 September 2026
- NAV: membership of the National Insurance Scheme — checked 29 September 2026
- UiB: first-time study permit and UiT: deposit and renewal — checked 29 September 2026
- Study in Norway: study permit and work — checked 29 September 2026
- To convert kroner into dollars we used the ECB rate of 29 September 2026: €1 = $1.1355 and €1 = NOK 10.8735 (about NOK 9.58 per $1). Sums under $100 were rounded to the dollar and larger ones to $10.
Document checks, timeline planning and preparation of your study permit application are provided under an agreement with StudyU. UDI decides on the permit; VFS Global only receives the documents.
Next steps
- Master's Degrees in Norway: English-Taught Programmes, Requirements and Costs
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Studying in Norway for international applicants
- Free Education in Norway: Who Still Studies Without Tuition in 2026
- Applying to Norwegian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines and Steps
- Cost of Studying in Norway in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget
