SURVIVAL GUIDE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 2019/2020 CONTENT PRE-ARRIVAL Study permit 4 Bank transfer to BI 4 Health- and travel insurance 5 Housing 6 Pre-Arrival Checklist 7 ON ARRIVAL Student ID Card 8 EU/EEA citizens: Registration scheme 8 Non-EU/EEA citizens: Police appointment 8 National registry 9 Work permit and tax deduction card 9 Bank account 10 Norwegian SIM card 10 On Arrival Checklist 11 PRACTICALITIES Getting there and around 12 Shopping 13 Post packages to Norway 14 National Holidays 14 STUDENT LIFE AT BI Academics 15 Norwegian Language Course 16 Student welfare 17 On-campus facilities 18 Get involved 20 DESTINATION NORWAY Explore Norway 22 Discover Oslo 23 Language 25 Cultural Advice 26 Climate 27 CONTACT INFORMATION Who to contact at BI 28 In case of emergency 28 2 WELCOME TO BI Congratulations on your decision to study at BI Norwegian Business School! Whether you are coming to Oslo for one semester or several years, we sincerely hope you will enjoy your stay. We will be here to sup- port you along the way, but we leave it to you to make the most of it. Besides your studies, we encourage you to be active – participate in student associations, get to know Oslo and explore the rest of Norway as well. In this Survival Guide you will find practical information about studying at BI, as well as advice and guidelines for living in Norway. The International Office, the Bachelor Department and the MSc Department 3 STUDY PERMIT PRE-ARRIVAL A study permit is required for all non-EU/EEA NON-EU/EEA CITIZENS students who intend to stay in Norway for more Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA area than three months. Different rules and procedu- should apply for a study permit before arriving res apply. Consult your Admission Letter/Study in Norway. It is your responsibility to obtain the Contract for detailed information. correct study permit. Case processing time is up to two months, so you are advised to apply as EU/EEA AND SWISS CITIZENS soon as possible after receiving your Admission Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland Letter/Study Contract from BI. can enter Norway on the basis of their Passport or EU Identity Card. They do not need to apply Visit udi.no/en for information about the ap- for a permit in advance, but must register online plication process for your country. Follow the when they arrive in Norway. See p. 8 for further link “Want to apply” on UDI’s website to find information about the EU Registration Scheme. out what applies to you, and follow all the steps carefully. BANK TRANSFER TO BI Degree seeking students from non-EU/EEA Please mark the payment with your full name countries must deposit a given amount: and BI study programme (MSc, BBA or double (tuition fee + living costs required by UDI) into degree) the BI bank account for immigration purposes. Exchange students do not need to transfer Your bank must confirm that the funds: money. • are personal, including your name on the transfer documents The deposit transferred to BI will be available to • are to cover expenses related to your study you upon arrival in Norway, and can be with- period at BI Norwegian Business School. drawn by contacting your programme admi- nistration, or transferred to a Norwegian bank The Swift and IBAN codes can be used for elec- account. tronic transfers. Contact your local bank for details. BANK TRANSFER DETAILS: BI Norwegian Business School Nydalsveien 37, 0442 Oslo, Norway Account number 8200.01.39838 Swift-/BIC code: DNBANOKKXXX IBAN: NO1182000139838. Bank address: DNB Bank ASA, 0021 Oslo, Norway 4 HEALTH- AND TRAVEL INSURANCE you are only covered in Norway by the EHIC – PRE-ARRIVAL not while travelling to or from Norway, or during travels abroad. We therefore advise you to have additional valid travel insurance from your home country covering the period you will be living in Norway. The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare under the same conditions and at All students are responsible for having valid the same cost as Norwegian citizens. insurance covering the whole duration of their stay, including travel to and from Norway. Dental care and medicines or treatment of ill- nesses contracted before arrival in Norway are IN NORWAY FOR LESS THAN 12 MONTHS not covered. If you are staying in Norway for less than twelve months, you must obtain health- and travel insurance from your home country for the total duration of your stay. IN NORWAY FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS If you are staying in Norway for more than one year you will automatically become member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, when you have registered your move to Nor- way and received a Norwegian identity number (fødselsnummer). Please note that you are only covered in Nor- way – not while travelling to and from Norway, or on travels abroad. The membership entitles you to medically necessary, state-provided he- althcare under the same conditions and at the same cost as Norwegian citizens. Dental care and medicines or treatment of illnesses contrac- ted before arrival in Norway are not covered. EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD (EHIC) Most EU/EEA citizens can apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Please note that 5 HOUSING PRE-ARRIVAL BI offers a housing guarantee for exchange Find more information about housing options at students, double degree students and first year bi.edu/housing. Further questions can be direc- international BBA and MSc students moving to ted to BI’s housing office by e-mail Norway for the first time. [email protected]. To benefit from BI’s housing guarantee, you HOW IS MY ROOM EQUIPPED? must submit a pre-application for housing at You will have to bring your own duvet, pillow, bi.edu/housing. Please make sure to follow the bed sheets and towels. In addition, you will have application guidelines. to buy pots, pans and cutlery. Sometimes there are leftover kitchen utilities etc. from previous Student accommodation is usually the cheapest students in your room. See p. 13 for information housing option in Oslo. It is also a good way on where to purchase necessary items for your to meet other students. Units are spread out room. across the city – some are situated close to cam- pus; others are closer to the city center, or offer PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION direct access to the nature areas surrounding Private accommodation is usually more expen- Oslo. Prices and facilities vary. BI cooperates sive than student housing. Be aware that it can with three student housing providers: be very hard to find a place around semester start as the market is pressed in Oslo. We highly BSN recommend that you apply for housing through Offers housing to BI students only, and is loca- BI to secure an affordable place. ted only a few minutes walk from campus. You can search for private accommodation on- SIO - THE FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT line at hybel.no or finn.no/eiendom (information WELFARE IN OSLO in Norwegian only). Provides affordable student housing for stu- dents in Oslo, at many different locations. The standard varies according to price. DIAKONHJEMMET Has several different units located in the area between Majorstua and Vindern in Oslo West. BI is easily reach by metro. Please note that BI's housing guarantee only applies to single furnished rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom. 6 PRE-ARRIVAL PRE-ARRIVAL CHECKLIST I HAVE… ▪ checked that my personal information is correct in the Admission Letter (as written in my passport) ▪ signed and returned my Study Contract (degree seeking students) ▪ deposited money into the BI bank account (non-EU/EEA degree seeking students) (p. 4) ▪ applied for a study permit (if applicable) (p. 4) ▪ submitted the Pre-Application for Housing (p. 6) ▪ signed and returned my housing contract to BSN/SiO/Diakonhjemmet ▪ registered for courses (exchange students) (p. 15) ▪ booked a flight to Oslo! ▪ valid health- and travel insurance (p. 5) ▪ notified BI of my late arrival (if applicable) ▪ started practicing my Norwegian (p. 25) 7 STUDENT ID CARD Your personal BI student ID card is used for only valid with the correct semester tag. Please identification at exams and with the BI adminis- note that the student ID card is not valid as tration. You also use it to borrow books at the identification outside of BI. Have your picture library on campus and for printing and copying. taken for your student ID card at the Student Service Centre in U1 on your first day at BI. The student ID card makes you eligible for stu- dent discounts on public transport. The card is EU/EEA CITIZENS: ON ARRIVAL ON REGISTRATION SCHEME Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland • Private or European Health Insurance card must register online at selfservice.udi.no when that is valid for your entire stay in Norway they arrive in Norway. You can submit your do- (both sides, in English language) cuments to the Student Service Center at BI in • Printout from UDI’s self-service web page that the beginning of the semester, and we will take proves you have registered it to the immigration authorities for you. • Personal declaration stating that you have sufficient funds for the period of stay in Nor- Please submit the following documents within way (Form is available when you submit your the given deadline: documents) • Copy of valid passport or national ID card (both sides) You will be notified when your Registration • Admission Letter from BI Norwegian Business Certificate can be picked up from the Student School Service Center in U1.