If you are from Switzerland or from a non-Nordic EU/EEA country and are coming to Norway to study, you should check if you are entitled to a European health insurance card before traveling from your home country.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
You will not, in principle, be considered to be resident in Norway. You should check with the national insurance authorities in your country of residence whether your entitlement to subsidised health care applies abroad.
If you are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your country of residence, you should make sure you bring it with you. This card documents your entitlement to necessary health care at treatment centres that are part of the public health care service.
You should also consider taking out private health insurance. This might be used, for example, to meet the costs of medical transport back to your home country if you fall ill.
If you are not entitled to a European Health Insurance Card and are staying in Norway for up to one year, you should take out private health insurance.
Carlos from Spain is going to study in Norway for one term, before returning to Spain to complete his master's degree. He takes her European Health Insurance Card with him to Norway.
Show your European Health Insurance Card to document your rights.
If you do not have a European Health Insurance Card, you should check with the national insurance authorities in your country of residence to see if you are entitled to one.
Find out more about your health care entitlements in Norway if you have a European Health Insurance Card, and what to do if you fall ill.
You are entitled to health care in Norway if you are considered to be resident here. In that case, you do not need to show your European Health Insurance Card, and you are among other things entitled to a regular General Practitioner (GP).
If you take a job while you are studying in Norway, you must check with NAV (in Norwegian) about how this affects your rights.
Carlos is in Hemsedal and is knocked over on the ski slope. He falls badly and is sent to hospital. He shows his European Health Insurance Card and receives treatment at the hospital free of charge. It turns out that Carlos has broken his leg, so he wants to return to Spain as quickly as possible. Medical transport back to Spain will be very expensive since he needs special transport arrangements. Fortunately, he has taken out private health insurance which will cover the cost.