Student Housing in Norway: SiO, Sammen, Sit and Other Welfare Organisations
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Students in Norway rent either from a student welfare organisation (studentsamskipnad) or on the private market. Student housing is cheaper and safer, but in the big cities there is not enough of it for everyone at the start of the autumn semester. Non-EU students also need an address: UDI requires you to have somewhere to live before it grants a study permit.
Who rents to students
There are 14 student welfare organisations. Each is linked to the institutions in its area, and all students pay them a semester fee. The largest are:
| Area | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Oslo and Lillestrøm | SiO |
| Bergen and Western Norway | Sammen (Studentsamskipnaden på Vestlandet) |
| Trondheim, Gjøvik and Ålesund | Sit |
| Stavanger | SiS |
| Agder (Kristiansand, Grimstad) | SiA |
| Northern Norway | Samskipnaden (Norges arktiske studentsamskipnad) and Studentinnord |
Smaller ones serve Ås, Molde, Volda, Østfold, Innlandet, South-Eastern Norway and Inner Finnmark. Study in Norway, the official HK-dir portal, has the full list.
Prices in 2026/27
Rent depends on the city, the building and whether you share a bathroom. Rents are adjusted every year.
| City | Typical student room | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Oslo | NOK 4,510–5,032 for a room sharing a kitchen and bathroom at Kringsjå; NOK 6,364 at Sogn; about NOK 7,000–8,000 with a private bathroom | SiO listings, rent until 31 July 2027 |
| Bergen | NOK 3,600–6,000 for a single room at Sammen | Study Bergen, October 2026 |
| Trondheim | NOK 4,500–6,500 plus utilities for a room with shared bathroom and kitchen | NTNU estimate |
In euros, that is roughly €340 to €760 a month. On the private market a room costs more: Study Bergen puts a room in a shared flat in Bergen at around NOK 7,900 (about €750) a month in October 2026. Check what the rent includes: according to the University of Bergen, Sammen's rent includes internet, water and heating, but not electricity.
Housing guarantees
Some institutions guarantee international students a room, but the rules differ, and some guarantees cover only exchange students.
- NTNU (Trondheim): students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland are guaranteed an offer of Sit housing, and international degree students with a guarantee do not need to apply. EU/EEA citizens may or may not get an offer.
- University of Bergen: the guarantee covers exchange and some programme students. Students admitted to regular degree programmes are not entitled to it.
- SiO (Oslo): international students with a guarantee through their institution must apply by 1 June for the autumn and 1 November for the spring.
Ask your institution's international office what applies to you before you look elsewhere.
How to apply
- Apply online to the welfare organisation as soon as you have your admission, or earlier if they allow it. At SiO, those who apply earliest usually get offers first.
- List several buildings or room types. SiO lets you accept offers of similar housing, but if you decline one, you lose your place in the queue.
- Accept the offer and sign the contract in time. For the start of a semester, contracts usually begin on 1 August or in early January.
- Note the notice period: at SiO it is three months.
Deposits and the law
The Tenancy Act limits a deposit to six months' rent. The money must be placed in a special deposit account in the tenant's name at a Norwegian bank, and neither you nor the landlord can take money from it alone during the tenancy. Study Bergen says a usual deposit is two to three months' rent.
Never transfer a deposit to a landlord's personal account or pay it in cash, and always sign a written contract that states the rent, the deposit and the length of the lease.
The private market
If you do not get student housing, you can rent privately, often a room in a shared flat. Study Bergen notes that a private flat in central Bergen normally starts at about NOK 14,000 a month. Fake landlords ask for money before you have seen the room or signed anything. Read finding student housing in Europe without being scammed.
Tips
- Apply for student housing the day you are admitted. Demand peaks in August.
- If you are an EU student without a guarantee, have a back-up: a short-term room while you keep your application active.
Where to look next
- How much it costs to study in Norway
- How to get into a university in Norway
- Student visa for Norway
- Document recognition for Norway
Official sources
- Study in Norway: Student welfare organisations: HK-dir
- SiO: How to apply for housing: Oslo
- NTNU: Sit housing: guarantees in Trondheim
- University of Bergen: Student housing for international students
- Tenancy Act (husleieloven): section 3-5 on deposits (Lovdata, in Norwegian)
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.