Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

An offer of exchange is in general not dependent on your grades. Some partners do however have requirements to your grade average. This is written on HVLs webpage for the relevant institution.

For more information please see this webpage.

Yes! Get in touch with a study advisor at your faculty to book an appointment 

There is no formal deadline for withdrawing your application. We do however expect you to let your case worker know as soon as possible if you consider withdrawing.

If you choose to withdraw from your exchange while abroad, please notify the host institution first, before letting HVL know.

For more information please consult Academic Approval.

Following the Regulations for Student Exchange, HVL cannot take any wishes for travel companions into consideration when processing applications.

If there are more applicants that spaces available to a specific institution, applicants will be ranked based on grade averages. If you can go on exchange to the same place as your friend will therefore depend on how many available spaces there is, and how many applicants there are to this institution.

Before the application deadline HVL organises an information meeting. There will be information about the application process, expectations, Erasmus+ language preparations and financing.

Once your application is accepted HVL invites you to a webinar with a particular focus on practicalities like accommodation, visa and safety while abroad.

There might also be information meetings organised by your department or study programme. Please ask your academic contact person to find out more. 

You have to choos courses in the app before applying for exchange.

The deadline is the same as the deadline for applying: For exchange in the Spring semester, the deadline is 15 September. For exchange in the Autumn semester, the deadline is 1 February.

HVL have three weeks to process applications. Answers are given as soon as they are processed, therefore some students get an early reply while others have to wait.

You receive an answer to your application within three weeks from the application deadline. If you receive an offer, you will get an e-mail with information regarding how to apply to your partner institution. The timing of when you receive the e-mail depends on when your application has been processed. You may also see the process timeline in the app.

If you are applying for exchange in Europe through the Erasmus+ programme, please find more information on the Erasmus+ site.

The timing of when you receive an answer from the partner institution depends on their processing time. You should contact the partner institution directly for questions about their admission process.

In most cases, pre-approved course packages are available in the app when you apply. You may however also find courses on the partner university's web page and submit them for approval. Your academic contact person can help you with questions you might have regarding choice of courses.

Find more information at how you apply.

If you need to change courses during while you are abroad, you have to get a new pre-approval. This is easily done through the app.

Erasmus students must also change their Online Learning Agreement. Read about this in our user manual.

If you do not get to do similar practical placement on exchange, you must do your placement either before you leave or after you return from the exchange.

For obligatory assignments it will depend on whether the host institution can offer you to do the assignment there.

Please ask your study counsellor for advice.

If you fail any exam while on exchange without taking a re-sit exam arranged by the host institution, you will receive 0 study points for this course upon your return to HVL. In such an event, you will need to take courses at HVL to regain your study progression. Make sure you check with the host institution yourself if they offer a re-sit exam. Note that re-sit exams may take place after your exchange period has ended.

This may have implications for your loan and grant in Lånekassen in the same way as if you fail your exam at home. Check with Lånekassen which consequences this may have for you. If you receive Erasmus+ grant, this will not be affected.

If you go on exchange to Europe with Erasmus+ you qualify for an extra grant.

You will receive the Erasmus+ grant in addition to any support from Lånekassen. You will be notified about the process from HVL. Preparations to receive the grant is one of the last things you do before you travel.

You can read more about the Erasmus+ grant on this webpage.

You will receive the same amount of support from Lånekassen as when you are studying in Norway. Additionally, you can apply for support covering the travel expenses outside the Nordic countries.

Read more about the different funding possibilities on Lånekassen’s page. 

If you have to pay tuition may cover this if you upload the letter of admission from the partner institution when applying. Tuition fees are supported with approximately 30% grant and 70% loan.

HVL register most of the students for exchange in FS during November / May. 

If you apply for grant and support before this, you will get an error from Lånekassen. You do not need to do anything to correct this. The registration at Lånekassen will be automatically approved when HVL has registered students in FS.

Yes, you will receive support for this. For more information please consult Lånekassen’s pages.

Read the application thoroughly and prepare well before filling it out. If you are having issues with your application form, we advise you to contact the host institution for help. The host institution knows their own forms best!

If you can’t reach your host institution, you can contact a student adviser at HVL.

If you know that you’ll need to document your English proficiency, you should sign up for the TOEFL/IELTS test as soon as possible in the application process. The spaces available for these tests are limited and are quickly filled.

Erasmus students can show the result of the language test through EU Academy, and contact their case worker if necessary. Read more about Erasmus preparations on HVL's web page go abroad with Erasmus+.

All Erasmus students get access to a language test and language courses in preparation of their stay. The language preparation tools are available at EU Academy. You will receive more information by HVL. 

If you want to prepare for a new language before going on exchange, you can contact the host institution and ask if they offer courses before the exchange period starts. If you qualify for support from Lånekassen, they can support you financially for such courses.

Other language courses may be available. Check online to see what’s available.

It is your responsibility to find a place to stay. Most universities have student accommodation available, but you can also find housing on the private market. Your host institution will provide you with information about student accommodation.

If you are planning on finding private accommodation, we recommend that you travel to the city you’re staying in 1-2 weeks before the start of the semester. This enables you to focus on finding accommodation before the courses start.

If you are doing a clinical placement in Africa or Cuba through the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHS), you can get information about accommodation through your academic contact person at HVL.

HVL will invite you to an information meeting after you have been given an offer of exchange where this will be covered.

It is your responsibility to acquire a student visa to countries that require it. You will get more information about the visa process in the information meeting HVL has after you have been approved for exchange.

It should be noted that the application processes for student visa to Australia and Brazil are the most complicated, while students going to South-Africa and USA must go to Oslo for an interview at the embassy. 

When you have received a Letter of Admission from the host institution. Never before that!

The host institution has the final say in giving you an offer of place. It is therefore better to wait and get a plane ticket that’s a bit more expensive, than to purchase a “cheap” ticket you won’t be able to use and won’t get a refund for.

Report any criminal incidents to the police in the host country. Contact the embassy and your travel insurance company.

Inform your study programme and AFII Internationalisation (international@hvl.no)

In case of larger events, contact HVL’s emergency number (+47 48 11 07 00) and / or the emergency number for Sjømannskirken – The Norwegian Church Abroad (+47 95 11 91 81).

På den sikre siden is a webpage with a lot of useful information about what you need to prepare for before going abroad and what you should do if something happens during your exchange.