Norway Study Permit From Pakistan: UDI Funds, Fee and Deposit Rules (2026)

Do Pakistani students need a study permit for Norway?

Yes. Norway is outside the EU but inside the Schengen and European Economic Area systems, and a Pakistani citizen who wants to study at a Norwegian university or university college must hold a study permit before arriving. A tourist or short stay visa does not let you start a degree. You apply, wait for the decision, and travel only after the permit is granted.

The same UDI page covers several kinds of school: universities and university colleges, upper secondary school, vocational school, folk high schools and recognition courses. This article is about the university route, because that is where nearly all Pakistani students apply.

A word on tuition, since it affects the money you must prove. Study in Norway, the national portal, says degree students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition at public institutions, and that fees differ by university and programme. Exchange students, doctoral candidates and holders of schemes such as Erasmus Mundus are normally exempt. If you assumed Norway is tuition free, check the specific programme before you plan. Our guide to studying in Norway from Pakistan covers universities and scholarships, and our note on what it costs to study in Norway from Pakistan covers the budget.

What does UDI require before it grants one?

UDI's own page states the rule plainly: you must have enough money to live on during the period you will study. Alongside that, universities list the same core items on their pages, so treat them as one checklist.

• An admission letter confirming your programme and its length.
• Evidence that tuition is paid, or a letter confirming you are exempt.
• A financing document covering your living costs.
• Somewhere to live, backed by a tenancy or housing confirmation.
• A valid passport and a completed application filed through UDI's portal.

The point that catches students is the order. The university will normally need to confirm your admission and, for non-EU students, your tuition payment before UDI will have a complete file. NMBU, for example, lists proof of paid tuition or an exemption letter as a required document. Start by clearing every condition on your offer and then asking the university what it needs from you and by when.

How much money must you prove for Norway?

This is the figure to read slowly, because the official sources do not agree. As of 14 October 2026, the UDI study permit page still shows NOK 166,859 per year, while Study in Norway and NMBU give NOK 170,368 for 2026 to 2027, so the two official sources do not agree.

Why the two figures differ

The UDI page we read does not state an academic year next to its amounts. The national portal and NMBU attach NOK 170,368 explicitly to 2026 to 2027. The most likely explanation is that UDI's page had not been refreshed when we read it, but we cannot confirm that, and we do not guess. For planning, use the higher number, and confirm the figure for your intake on the UDI page or with your university before you transfer anything.

UDI also lists a lower amount for a single semester, split into an autumn and a spring figure, and a different figure for folk high schools and Bible schools. If you are a degree student you will almost always be proving the full year.

Where the money is allowed to come from

UDI lists student loans, grants, your own funds in a Norwegian bank account or in the institution's deposit account, or a combination. Income from a part time job already offered in Norway may also count. For a Pakistani student, the realistic route is family savings moved into the deposit account that the university or a student welfare body provides.

What is the university deposit account?

Many institutions ask non-EU students to pay the living cost money into an account the university or a student welfare organisation controls. You do not simply upload a Pakistani bank statement. The details differ by institution, so use the examples below to understand the pattern rather than as a rule for your university.

• NMBU uses the student welfare body SiÅS. The full amount is sent in one instalment, with your applicant number in the payment reference, and the funds must arrive by 15 May. The receipt is emailed to the welfare body, which then confirms receipt for your permit application.
• UiS in Stavanger offers a deposit account, asks full degree students to transfer the deposit within three weeks of admission, and says proof of funds must be an official copy in English or a Scandinavian language dated no more than one month before submission.
• BI Norwegian Business School uses SiO. Students open a residence permit deposit account, pay an invoice, and wait for a confirmation letter that goes into the UDI file. BI states the confirmation letter can take up to 10 working days after the deposit arrives.

On access: NMBU explains that funds can be taken out through a prepaid debit card, by transfer to your Norwegian account after you arrive, or by return to your home account if the permit is refused. Card and bank fees apply. The practical lesson is that the money is not lost, but it is not instantly spendable either. Plan your first weeks' cash separately.

For help with the banking side of paying a foreign institution, see our guide on how Pakistani students pay university tuition fees abroad.

Do you need housing before you apply?

Yes. UDI's page says you must have somewhere to live, and universities treat proof of housing as a required document. UiB asks for a copy of your tenancy agreement as proof of adequate and secure housing. Study in Norway warns that student housing from the welfare organisations is competitive, especially in larger cities, so apply early and keep proof of the booking.

This is a real hurdle for applicants who plan to "find a room after landing". A permit file without housing evidence is incomplete. Our guide on finding student accommodation abroad and what it costs explains how to compare university halls and private rooms before you commit.

What does the application cost?

As of 14 October 2026, the UDI fee table lists NOK 5,400 for a study permit for applicants over the age of 18, and the University of Bergen quotes the same NOK 5,400 for Pakistani applicants. The page covers renewals too, so a later extension is charged the same way. The University of Bergen adds that the fee is paid through UDI's portal after you submit, and the University of Stavanger says payment is by credit card.

The fee is only one line in the cost picture, and the funds and tuition dwarf it.

• UDI fee: NOK 5,400, paid online by card.
• Tuition: normally due for non-EU degree students, varying by university.
• Living funds: about NOK 167,000 to 170,000 for the year, deposited as the institution directs.
• Housing deposit and first month's rent.
• Document attestation, translations and the flight.

Pakistani documents that are not in English or a Scandinavian language need translation, and degree certificates are usually legalised first. Read our guide to apostille and attestation of Pakistani documents before you start.

How do you apply, step by step?

Step 1: Secure the admission letter

Accept the offer and clear every condition. Ask the university which deadlines it sets for tuition and funds.

Step 2: Pay tuition and deposit the funds

Follow the university's instructions exactly. Use the payment reference it gives you, keep the receipt, and email proof where required.

Step 3: Secure housing

Get a tenancy agreement or a housing confirmation from the welfare organisation.

Step 4: Create your UDI application

Go to UDI's website, choose your nationality and the study route, and fill in the online form. Enter the university's organisation number when asked. UiB lists its number on its own page, and each university publishes its own.

Step 5: Pay the fee and book your document appointment

Pay NOK 5,400. For Pakistan, UiB tells students to hand in their documents in person at the nearest embassy or VFS centre, and to check UDI for the current procedure because it can change. Treat that as an instruction to verify the route on the day you apply.

Step 6: Upload or hand in the documents

Admission letter, tuition proof or exemption, funds confirmation, housing proof, passport details, and the UDI checklist.

Step 7: Wait, then travel

Do not book a non-refundable flight before the decision. After arrival you register with the police for your residence card; UiS notes that non-EU students must register within seven days of arrival.

How long does a decision take and when should you apply?

UDI's page does not state a processing time. Universities give their own estimates: UiS says up to three months for a full degree permit, BI says up to eight weeks, and NMBU says processing times vary and points students to UDI's case time pages. We therefore advise planning for three months and treating anything faster as a bonus.

Deadlines are set by universities rather than UDI. UiB says applications submitted by 1 July for autumn, or 1 December for spring, are processed in time for the semester start. NMBU wants the funds by 15 May. UiS asks full degree students to start the UDI application immediately after receiving admission and to deposit funds within three weeks. The earliest of these deadlines governs you, so ask your own university for its dates in writing.

Can you work while studying in Norway?

As of 14 October 2026, the UDI study permit page says a study permit gives automatic permission to work up to 20 hours a week alongside your studies and full time during holidays. Study in Norway repeats the 20 hour limit for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland and stresses that you are first of all a full time student. Self employment is not allowed on a study permit, according to UDI.

Twenty hours will not cover Norwegian living costs by itself, and UDI's funds requirement exists precisely so that you do not depend on wages. Treat any job as a supplement. For a wider view of how countries treat student work, see our guide on part-time work rules while studying abroad.

What about family and settlement?

A spouse, cohabitant and children can usually apply to join a student, with exceptions for folk high school and Bible school students. At the time we read the page, UDI said it could not process family applications at the same time as the student application, so the family application waits until the student's permit is in hand. Check the current wording before you plan a joint move.

Also be clear-eyed about settlement. UDI states that time spent on a study permit does not count towards permanent residence. A Norwegian degree is valuable, but the permit itself is not a stepping stone to a settlement clock. Anyone choosing Norway mainly for long-term residence should read the post-study options carefully before paying a deposit.

Which mistakes delay or sink a file?

Missing the university's deposit deadline

NMBU says it is not responsible for funds that arrive after its deadline or cannot be identified. A missing payment reference means the money sits unmatched.

Using last year's number

The funds figure changes each academic year and sources can lag. Confirm the figure for your intake.

Applying before housing is arranged

An incomplete file waits, and a waiting file may miss the semester start.

An out-of-date proof of funds

UiS wants an official copy dated no more than one month before submission and in your own name. Request it late, not early.

Sending the wrong currency or amount

Remember the conversion and bank fees. Send a small margin.

Assuming Norway is free

Many degree programmes now charge non-EU students tuition. Learn the fee before you accept.

A worked example with dates

This is an illustration. Take Bilquis, a Lahore graduate admitted to a two year master's starting in August 2027.

• 15 January. She receives a conditional offer and sends her final transcript.
• 10 March. The university confirms final admission and sends the tuition invoice and deposit instructions.
• 20 March. Her family pays tuition and transfers the full-year funds into the university deposit account, with the applicant number in the reference and a margin for bank costs.
• 5 April. She reserves a student room through the welfare organisation and keeps the confirmation.
• 15 April. The deposit confirmation letter arrives. She creates her UDI account, pays NOK 5,400, and books her document appointment for Pakistan.
• May. She hands in documents, answers any follow-up request quickly, and waits.
• July. The permit is granted. She books her flight only now.
• August. She arrives, registers with the police within the stated window, and collects her residence card.

The version that fails: another applicant files in late June, has no housing, uses an old funds figure, and wires money without the reference number. Same university, same permit, preventable delay. Border and Bridges has seen these gaps cost students a full intake, and the fix usually costs very little if made early.

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions