Leave of absence

You may apply for leave when health- or welfare issues, conscription, public office or other conditions make normal student activity difficult. An application explaining the reasons for leave must be sent  to the school administration before the semester registration deadline for the semester you wish to apply for leave. If the need for leave arises after the deadline or there are special reasons for disregarding it, applications will be considered even though the deadline has passed. Remember to include relevant documentation.

When we consider an application, we will, among other things, give weight to the reason given for leave and to what degree this would make it difficult for you to participate in normal school activity. Normally, MF grants leave for up to two semesters, and, as a rule, for whole semesters. When considering the length of leave granted, we will, among other things, take into view the consequences the disruption will have for your study plan.

Contact the school administration when you wish to begin studying again.

For students who give birth during their studies, there are specific rules regarding the right to take a leave. This is regulated by The act relating to universities and university colleges (universitets- og høyskoleloven) § 4-5.  Contact your student advisor for more information about this.

Applications for maternity or paternity leave need to be documented with a due-date confirmation, birth certificate or the like.

The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund places certain requirements for the payment of birth grants and the conversion of loans to grants. You are responsible for understanding these conditions when you apply for maternity or paternity leave. MF will not report to the Sate Educational Loan Fund that you have status as a student when you are on leave. Therefore, the Sate Educational Loan Fund requires documentation from your school that you have status as a student and are on leave.  Contact your student advisor to ask for this.

You may choose to pay the semester fee and register in studentweb while you are on maternity or paternity leave, even though you are not going to take any classes. You will then receive a semester receipt and be able to use the services of the Student Welfare Organization (Studentsamskipnaden). The normal deadlines for paying the semester fee and registration apply.

You can sign up for classes, be an active student and take exams even though you are on maternity or paternity leave if your study program is set up in a way that makes this possible.

Your alloted time of study will be expanded by the same amount of time granted for maternity or paternity leave. This applies even when you choose to pay the semester fee, register, take classes and sit for exams.

Contact the school administration when you wish to begin studying again.

Rules for leave of absence can be found here (Norwegian only).

If you have accepted an offer of admission to a study programme but cannot start in the semester for which you have been admitted, you can apply for deferral/reservation of your admission.

Who can apply?
If you have accepted studies with a workload of at least 60 credits, you can apply for a deferred start based on:

• birth and care for a child
• military service
• other special reasons, such as prolonged illness

As a general rule, the admission can be deferred/reserved for one year or until the next regular admission to the program. The right to reservation expires if the relevant study programme is discontinued.

Please be aware that during the deferral period, there may be changes to the study programme that could impact the structure of the programme and your future academic progression.

Students who have deferred their admission to studies must reapply for admission by the application deadline for the year or semester to which their study placement has been reserved.

For the reservation of study placements allocated through the Samordna opptak, the regulations of the Samordna opptak regarding this matter apply.

Application Deadline:

• 1 August for study programmes starting in the Autumn semester
• 15 January for study programmes starting in the Spring semester