The legal basis for such processing is Article 6 no. 1 e of the GDPR and Sections 8 and 9 of the Norwegian Personal Data Act (if such disclosure relates to special categories of personal data).
The research institution that owns the research project is the data controller for the personal data that has been disclosed. This means that the research project must ensure that the processing has a legal basis, that the data protection principles are followed, that a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is carried out for the project, and that any necessary data processing agreements are entered into.
Data that is subject to confidentiality
If the research will make use of confidential information, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research will decide whether Lånekassen can disclose the data to the researchers, cf. Section 13 d of the Norwegian Public Administration Act. In cases in which Lånekassen may disclose confidential information for research purposes, the researchers will be subject to a duty of confidentiality. The data may be used only as part of the research work and in accordance with any terms and conditions set down by the Ministry. If the results of the research work will be published or otherwise used, consent is required from those the data relates to, or the data must be provided in statistical form, or by otherwise omitting any identifying characteristics.
Privacy guarantees
When Lånekassen discloses personal data for research purposes, we have a duty to obtain the necessary guarantees to safeguard the privacy of the data subjects, please see Article 89 of the GDPR.
This means that Lånekassen will ensure that
- information disclosed for research purposes is limited to the data that is necessary for the research and is disclosed securely
- information is de-identified or anonymised where possible
- researchers are subject to a duty of confidentiality and do not use the data in ways other than required for the research
- the disclosure is subject to an assessment of the impact on privacy pursuant to Article 35 of the GDPR in cases in which disclosure carries a high risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects
Research projects
Information disclosed to research projects in 2026:
The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) discloses information to the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills to enable them to conduct a user survey among exchange students. The purpose of the survey and the types of data to be disclosed are the same as for the 2023 survey. The survey targets students who received educational support for exchange stays in the 2024–2025 academic year.
Information disclosed to research projects in 2025:
Debt aversion and debt behavior among students
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and the University of Stavanger have received information from Lånekassen for the research project “Debt Aversion and Debt Behavior among Students.”
This PhD project examines students’ behavior in the loan market. The knowledge gained may help improve understanding of financial choices and contribute to better financial guidance for students.
Who is included: Customers of Lånekassen who received educational support or were in repayment from autumn 2013 through spring 2024.
Disclosed information:
• Loans and grants applied for and paid out by Lånekassen
• Age, gender, parental status, and the centrality class of the municipality of residence
• Where the customer studies/has studied, field of study, and study progression
• Information on loan repayment
• Connections between use of student support and work alongside studies
Relation between use of student financial aid and working alongside studies
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) and Lånekassen will conduct a research project to examine how the use of student financial aid and working alongside studies relate to educational and labour market outcomes.
Who is included in the disclosure: Customers of Lånekassen aged 18–29 who started higher education for the first time during the period 2008–2023.
What information is disclosed:
- Academic progress
- Disbursements from Lånekassen
- Financial information we have used to calculate loans and grants
- Information about marital status, gender, and age
- Information about debt repayment
Designing Incentive Systems in Higher Education
The Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU) has received information from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) for the research project “Designing Incentive Systems in Higher Education.”
NIFU will investigate how well Lånekassen’s support schemes work to promote students’ progression and completion of study programs. They will also examine how students themselves experience these schemes. They will do this by combining different methods, one of which is analyzing data from Lånekassen’s registers. In addition, Lånekassen will collaborate with NIFU to develop and test the effect of a measure aimed at increasing students’ academic progress.
Who is included in the data disclosure:
Customers of Lånekassen who have received financial support from the academic year 2003–2004 through 2024–2025.
What information is disclosed:
• Study progression
• Payments from Lånekassen
• Financial information used to calculate loans and grants
• Information about marital status, address, gender, and age
• Information about loan repayment
Lånekassen’s test of Microdata 2.0
Microdata.no is a platform for analysis and research that was established in 2018. The platform is operated by Statistics Norway (SSB) and Sikt – the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research. With the microdata platform, researchers and other accredited end users can independently link and analyze data, but all output available to users consists of anonymous statistics. Microdata 2.0 builds on the original platform. In version 2.0, data owners such as Lånekassen and other organizations can enrich the data foundation that microdata users may utilize to produce anonymous statistics.
End users will not be able to view the data or personal information being researched—only the metadata describing it. No personal data will be disclosed, neither between data owners nor between a data owner and the end user. This is an advantage compared to traditional research projects, which often require data owners to disclose large amounts of personal information to researchers.
Lånekassen is currently assessing whether to contribute its data to Microdata 2.0. Part of this assessment involves testing the solution by linking personal data for which Lånekassen is the data controller with data controlled by SSB in order to produce statistics. Through this test, we can ensure that individuals cannot be identified in the resulting statistics. We are conducting a thorough test because ensuring anonymized output is essential for our potential future use of microdata.
The test will include students abroad in the academic years 2021–2022 to 2023–2024. The data used include the country of study and tuition support received during this period. The test will also include upper secondary students who have received equipment grants, away-from-home grants, or income-dependent grants in the academic year 2023–2024. The test will continue until August 2025.
This processing is carried out pursuant to Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR and Section 8 of the Norwegian Personal Data Act, which permit the processing of personal data when necessary for statistical purposes and when the processing is subject to appropriate safeguards in accordance with GDPR Article 89(1).
When Lånekassen and SSB link personal data in Microdata 2.0, we are jointly responsible for the processing. If you would like more information about how we process your personal data in microdata, you may contact either Lånekassen or SSB. You can read more about this right to information and your other rights under the GDPR in Lånekassen’s privacy policy, where you will also find information about how to exercise these rights.
Information disclosed to research projects in 2024:
Professional students and professional practitioners: studies of recruitment, completion, and career paths
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) has received information from Lånekassen for the research project “Professional Students and Professional Practitioners: Studies of Recruitment, Study Completion, and Career Paths.”
The project examines:
• How recruitment patterns to professional education differ from other higher education programs, and whether patterns vary across professions
• Whether completion rates are lower in professional education, and how completion, dropout, and performance relate to recruitment profiles
• The relationship between the supply of qualified professionals and expected demand in coming years, and the factors influencing supply and demand
Who is included: Lånekassen customers who received support for education abroad from the 2003–2004 through 2022–2023 academic years.
Disclosed information: study country, institution, NUS code (Norwegian Standard Classification of Education), year/period of study, and whether the institution was approved for extended grant schemes.
User survey among exchange students
Lånekassen discloses information to the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills so they can conduct a user survey among exchange students. The purpose and data types are the same as for the 2023 survey. The survey targets students who received support for VG2 exchange during the 2023–2024 academic year.
Information disclosed to research projects in 2023:
User survey among exchange students
The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir.) received information from Lånekassen to conduct a new user survey among exchange students. Lånekassen provides information for such surveys.
Purpose:
To enable HK-dir. to carry out its mandate to improve education quality and strengthen international cooperation. Eligibility for education support for exchange in upper secondary school requires participation through an approved exchange organization or agreement.
Who is included: Students who received support for VG2 exchange in the 2022–2023 academic year.
Disclosed information: name, contact information, age, gender, county, institution, exchange country, whether support covered both semesters (but not details of loans/grants), and whether the exchange occurred through an organization or agreement.
Information disclosed to research projects 2020–2022:
Interaction between the Introduction Program and Lånekassen’s support schemes
Oslo Economics conducted a study for the Ministry of Education on the interaction between the Introduction Program and Lånekassen’s support schemes.
Purpose: To better understand how the two systems work together to support adult immigrants in obtaining formal qualifications. Lånekassen disclosed non-directly identifying personal data to Oslo Economics.
Who is included: Persons granted protection status who received educational support during the 2010–2011 through 2020–2021 academic years.
Disclosed information: amounts awarded in loans and grants per semester, including special categories (sick leave grants, extra grants for disabilities). Also: education details, basis for loans/grants, deferrals, interest, repayment status, and any loan defaults. Data was disclosed in November 2021.
Individuals do not have rights to access, rectification, or restriction of processing in this context, nor the right to object, under GDPR Article 89 and Article 21(6), and Section 17 of the Norwegian Personal Data Act.
Student Health and Well-being Survey (SHoT)
SHoT 2022
Sent in March 2022.
Purpose: To map students’ health and well-being over the last year. The project uses national ID numbers received via ID-porten to link responses with earlier SHoT surveys. Longitudinal analysis is a key goal.
Who is included: Full-time Norwegian students in Norway and abroad.
Disclosed information: national ID number, educational institution.
SHoT 2021
Similar purpose and method as in 2022; data was linked to the 2018 SHoT survey.
Disclosed information: national ID number.
Survey for the project on allocating educational support to skilled workers (2021–2022)
Purpose: Data disclosure to SSB for a Fafo survey among individuals invited to apply for support under a pilot program for skilled workers seeking further education.
2021 disclosure: name, telephone number, email address, national ID number.
2022 disclosure: national ID numbers of applicants who received support as of 15 November 2022.
User survey of the Lycée Scheme 2020
The Ministry of Education instructed the Norwegian Directorate for Internationalisation and Quality Development in Higher Education (Diku) to obtain information from Lånekassen to evaluate the Lycée scheme. This scheme applies to Norwegian students in French Lycées under a bilateral agreement.
Who is included: Students who began a three-year program at Norwegian sections in Lyon, Rouen, or Bayeux between 1989 and 2017.
Disclosed information: name, contact information, age, home municipality, and any later exchange stays supported by Lånekassen.