Do you live in Finnmark or Nord-Troms

Your debts could be written off if you live and work here

  • Finnmark
  • Lyngen
  • Storfjord
  • Kåfjord
  • Skjervøy
  • Nordreisa
  • Karlsøy
  • Kvænangen

Reduction of debt for those living in Finnmark and Nord-Troms

Up to 20 percent of your loan could be written off, up to a maximum of NOK 30,000, every year. A further NOK 20,000 can be written off for primary school teachers.

Your debt could be reduced if you have lived and worked in Finnmark or selected municipalities in Troms for a continuous 12-month period.

All customers who live and work in the approved areas may get up to 20 per cent of their original student loan written off each year, up to a maximum limit of NOK 30,000 per year.

For accrual periods starting before 1 January 2022, the amount is 10 per cent of your original student loan, up to a maximum of NOK 25,000 per year.

If you are working as a primary school teacher, a further NOK 20,000 per year may be written off.

You need to live and work in the region for at least 12 months

In order to be eligible for debts to be written off, there is a requirement for you to live and be gainfully employed in Finnmark or the approved local authorities in Troms for a 12-month accrual period. We do not only count those in full-time employment as being gainfully employed. You can read more about the requirements here.

You can wait to make payments until the application has been processed

When you have submitted an application to write off debt, you can wait to pay your invoices from us until you receive a decision. We will not send any reminders in the meantime.

You do not need to pay instalments on the loan

As long as your loan is being written off under this scheme, you will be required to pay interest but not instalments on the loan itself. This means that the invoices you receive in the year after your debt has been written off will include only interest and any fees.

However, if you have already paid instalments on the loan during this period, please contact us and we can refund some of the amount.

Deadline for applications

You need to submit your application within three months of having lived in Finnmark or Nord-Troms for one year, the one-year residence period is what we refer to as the accrual period. You need to have “accrued” one year’s residence before your debt can be reduced.

Go to application

Become a teacher in Finnmark and Nord-Troms!

If you are working as a primary school teacher in the region, an additional NOK 20,000 of your student loan can be written off in addition to the debt write-off available to anyone who lives and works in Finnmark or Nord-Troms.

New scheme to write off debt for teachers. (Norwegian only)

Primary school teachers in Finnmark or selected municipalities in Nord-Troms

Up to NOK 20,000 of your student loan can be written off each year.

The aim of the scheme is to strengthen the recruitment of qualified primary school teachers in the far north of the country. The way the scheme works, you first need to work as a primary school teacher in Finnmark or selected municipalities in Nord-Troms for one year. Parts of your student loan can then be written off

This is in addition to the general scheme where anyone who lives and works in the region can have up to NOK 30,000 written off each year. If you are entitled to both, you will need to submit two applications – one for each scheme. 

How much will my debt be reduced by?

Up to NOK 20,000 of your debt can be written off each year. If you owe less than NOK 20,000 we will write off the remainder of your debt.

Who can apply?

The scheme applies to those who:

  • are teachers in Finnmark or Nord-Troms (Lyngen, Storfjord, Kåfjord, Skjervøy, Nordreisa, Kvænangen and Karlsøy).
  • fulfil the qualification requirements pursuant to Section 10-1 of the Norwegian Education Act
  • have been gainfully employed in a teaching position with an FTE of at least 50 per cent in a primary school setting for 12 consecutive months

Deadline for applications

You must apply within three months of having worked as a teacher for one year (accrual period).

Go to application for teachers