Converting basic support to a grant

The ordinary student loan that everyone receives is called basic support. Up to 40% of the basic support can be converted to a grant.

Veileder omgjøring av basislån

Three conditions for conversion

The basic support comprises an ordinary loan and a conversion loan that may subsequently be converted to a grant. Three conditions determine whether loans can be converted to grants:
  • that you live away from home
  • that you complete your educational programme
  • that income and assets are below the limits

Conversion

To have parts of your loan converted to a grant, you must fullfil some conditions.

Only loans for periods you live away from home are converted

Loans for those periods where you have lived with your parents cannot be converted to grants. When you apply for loans, you specify whether you will be living with your parents or not while studying. If you are married or have children living with you, we consider you as living away from home, even if you live with your parents.

You are not required to change your address in the national population register, but you may be asked to prove that you actually were living away from home.

You must complete your education

In order to achieve full conversion, you must pass as many study credits as you have received loans to take. For some programmes it is sufficient to pass exams or courses, but if you are attending a university or university college, you must complete a full degree to achieve full conversion.

If you are delayed, for example because you fail one or more exams, loans will not be converted to grants for the subjects you have failed. You may nevertheless be granted conversion if you make up for the delay later.

If you are retaking a subject you have previously passed in upper secondary school, other rules apply.

You cannot have excessive income or assets

Your income and assets also determine how much of the basic support that can be converted to a grant. The income limit is what you can earn before tax (gross), without losing any of the grant. Assets mean net assets.

We use figures from the assessment we receive from the Norwegian tax administration. The assessment applies to the calendar year, and we therefore convert loans to grants for one calendar year at a time, not for each academic year.

You receive a decision letter once we have checked your income and assets, and when we convert loans to grants.

Sign in for your conversion details

How much may I earn?

In 2024 the limit is
214,213
for those studying the whole year

If you have more than NOK 214,213 in income in 2024, you will not receive a full grant. If you have received support from Lånekassen for seven months or less of the year, the income limit is NOK 535,532.

See limits for previous years.

Gradual reduction of grant

You don’t lose the entire grant if you earn slightly more than the limit, but the grant is gradually reduced in accordance with your income.

What is the limit for assets?

In 2024 the limit is
487,340
for unmarried persons

If you have assets in excess of the limit of NOK 487,340, you don’t receive a full grant. However, you don’t lose the whole grant if your assets only slightly exceed the limit, because the grant is subject to graduated reduction.

We use the net wealth specified in your assessment.

See asset limits for previous years.

Asset limit for married persons

If you are married or have a cohabitant with which you have joint children, we take into account the joint assets of you and your spouse/cohabitant. In 2024 the limit is NOK 935,978.

Social security benefits are also considered as income

In 2024 the limit is
114,617
for those studying the whole year.

If you recieve loans for the whole year and also have social security benefits of more than NOK 114,617, your grant will be reduced. If you have received loans and grants from Lånekassen for seven months or less of the calendar year, the limit is NOK 321,318.

See limits for previous years.

Not all social security and pension benefits are subject to the low income limit. Some social security benefits, such as parental benefit and sickness benefit, have the same limit as employment income, while other tax-free benefits are not included at all.

Ikke alt du får fra Lånekassen, er stipend

Veileder Inntektskalkulator

Income and basic loans

You don’t lose the entire grant if you only earn slightly above the limit.

If you earn more than NOK 214 213 before tax in 2024, you will not receive a full grant. However, you don’t lose the entire grant if you only earn slightly above the limit. The grant is reduced gradually in accordance with your income. The amount your grant is reduced by depends on the amount of basic support you have received and how high income you have had.

Calculate it yourself

In order to find out how much your grant will be reduced, you can use this formula: Income above income limit x 5 per cent x Number of months of support = Reduction in grant.

Read more about income and assets

Related rules