Are you planning on studying in the UK and need to know more about funding? The State Educational Loan Fund can help you fund your studies.

Most Norwegian students depend on financial support from the State Educational Loan Fund. The Loan Fund will give you support to study in the UK as long as the institution is publicly recognised, you are enrolled as a full-time student and study for a recognised degree, such as a Bachelor or Masters degree.

How much will I get from the Loan Fund when studying in the UK?

How much support you will get depends on what level you are studying at (under or postgraduate) and which course you choose. The student financial support model has undergone some changes recently, which will affect students commencing their studies in 2004/2005.

The new support model from the Loan Fund consists of the following components:

Basisstøtte (utdanningsstøtte) - You will recieve 80,000 kroner to cover living costs. The Norwegian Parliament normally adjusts this amount on a yearly basis. When you have finished your degree and passed all your exams within the standard timeframe it should take to complete it, 40 % of this loan will turn into a grant. You will recieve Basisstøtte whether you are studying for a Bachelor or Masters degree and regardless of what course you are studying, as long as the Loan Fund's criteria are fullfilled.

Reisestøtte - Consists of one loan, and one grant component depending on which country you are studying in. The amount you recieve is based on the cost of travelling to and from your study destination twice a year. At the moment you will be given approximatly 4,800 kroner per academic year when studying in the UK.

Skolepengestøtte (gebyrstipend) - The gebyrstipend has changed name to skolepengestøtte and is given as part loan and part grant regardless of what course you are studying. This means that you can study whatever subject you like, yet the support you recieve will no longer be 100% grant. As a Bachelor student you will recieve 52,320 kroner for the academic year 2004/2005, with 50% of that amount being a loan and the remainding 50% a grant. For Masters and Exchange programmes you will recieve the same amount, although it will be given as 30% loan and 70% grant.

Ekstra støtte - In addition to the skolepengestøtte, the new model allows you to take up an additional loan of up to 50,000 kroner per academic year to cover tuition fees over 52,320 kroner.

Tilleggsstipend - Is given in certain circumstances to cover extra high tuition fees at a selection of institutions and courses. The list of institutions and courses where you can obtain tileggsstipend for the academic year 2004/2005 has been sent to the Department of Education for approval. The amount has been sat to a maximum of 55,320 kroner.

To find out what your grant and loan will be in £, visit Aftenposten's valutakalkulator for today's exchange rate.

This new model for student support may still undergo some changes and we recommend that you contact the Norwegian Loan Fund to ensure that your study is eligible for the support you assume.