Support for school fees for single parents
BENEFITS
|Updated 19. September 2023
Support for school fees in brief
Copy linkLink successfully copiedThis benefit covers actual expenses related to tuition fees, semester fees and examination fees for single parents taking education. The benefit covers your expenses up to a defined upper limit.
Support for school fees is relevant for you who are wholly or partly alone with children (in Norwegian)
Support for school fees in brief
Copy linkLink successfully copiedThis benefit covers actual expenses related to tuition fees, semester fees and examination fees for single parents taking education. The benefit covers your expenses up to a defined upper limit.
Support for school fees is relevant for you who are wholly or partly alone with children (in Norwegian)
Who is entitled to this benefit?
Copy linkLink successfully copiedYou can receive support for school fees when you are taking an education that NAV has approved. You can only receive this benefit if you are a single parent.
Generally, you and the child must live in Norway to qualify for the benefit, and you must have been a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme for the last 5 years. Read more about staying or moving abroad, and exceptions to the membership requirement under to and from abroad.
You are considered a single parent if all of the following apply to you:
- you have at least 60 per cent of the daily care of children alone. When you and the other parent have a written agreement on shared permanent residence, the entitlement to benefits to a single mother or father depends on whether you have at least 60 per cent of the day-to-day care of the child alone, regardless of where the child lives at any given time.
- you are a biological parent, adoptive parent or have legally taken over custody of children
- you are unmarried, separated, divorced or have applied to the County Governor or court for a separation or divorce
- you live alone with child(ren) or share a home with another adult with whom you are not in a relationship
- you do not live very close to the other parent, i.e. the same building, the same block of flats, next door, or a building around the same courtyard, etc. We can make exceptions if you have not had the opportunity to choose freely where to live.
Shared permanent residence means that the child has a permanent place of residence with both parents. This is not the same as the child having a permanent residence with one parent and possibly spending the night with the other in connection with visitation. An agreement on shared permanent residence is a legal agreement pursuant to section 36 of the Children Act. Such an agreement entails that both parents jointly make major decisions on behalf of the child, such as where the child will attend kindergarten and where in the country the child will live.
You are not considered a single parent if:
- you are living (cohabiting) with your partner, regardless of whether this person is the child’s other parent or not
- you or the other parent is receiving or has previously received benefit for single parents and have another child with the same partner
- you are fostering the child you are a single parent of
- you spend so much time with the child’s other parent that you cannot be considered a single parent
Not sure if you are entitled to support for school fees? (in Norwegian)
About your education
Copy linkLink successfully copiedTo qualify for support, the education you are taking must be necessary and appropriate for you to be able to get a job and support yourself.
We assess the education you want to take when you apply for benefit or if you are already receiving benefit and are going to start education. In this context, we will assess:
- your goal for taking this particular education
- whether education is necessary for you to achieve this goal
- whether the education is appropriate. In this context, we will assess, among other things, both the needs on the labour market and the opportunities available to you
If you already have an education that means you are qualified for an occupation or that can be used in multiple occupations, you will not generally be granted support to take more education.
However, we may make exceptions if you have an education or occupational experience that is no longer relevant in today’s labour market. Education from a university college or university does not become outdated.
We may also make exceptions to this rule if your education or occupation is not compatible with looking after children..
The main rule is that only public education is approved. Only in very special cases can we approve private education. We can also inform you about and advise you on choice of occupation and education. We can also help you create an activity plan, and in some cases offer other measures, such as internships or courses.
What can you receive support for?
Copy linkLink successfully copiedThis benefit covers your actual expenses for tuition fees, semester fees and examination fees.
You can apply to have expenses for learning materials, travel, relocation and extra housing expenses in connection with your education covered by supplemental benefit.
How long can you receive support for school fees?
Copy linkLink successfully copiedSupport for school fees is granted for one academic year at a time. You can receive support for school fees for as long as education or training is required.
You can only receive this benefit for as long as you qualify for transitional benefit. This applies regardless of whether you actually receive transitional benefit during this period or not.
Are you receiving or do you intend to apply for transitional benefit?
You can receive transitional benefit for up to three years. Periods during which you receive benefit will be deducted from this period if you receive support for school fees. This applies if:
- you are entitled to transitional benefit during this period, but have not applied for it
- you are entitled to transitional benefit during this period, but have chosen not to receive it
- you have been granted transitional benefit, but your income is too high for the benefit to be paid
How much are you entitled to?
Copy linkLink successfully copiedYou can have your expenses covered up to a defined upper limit set by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (“Lånekassen”).
Rates
The following rates apply to the 2022/2023 school year:
| Education level | Maximum amount per year |
| Upper secondary education | NOK 29,002 |
| Higher education | NOK 69,500 |
If you are receiving a grant to cover your tuition fee, semester fee and examination fee, and the grant is not means-tested, the support for tuition and fees will be reduced.
This does not apply to grants and loans from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen).
No tax is deducted from the money.
When is the money paid out?
Copy linkLink successfully copiedAllowance to cover tuition fees will be paid as a lump sum on the 20th of the month from which you have been granted the financial support.
If we make the decision later than the month from which you have been granted the financial support, the support will be paid out within a week.
In your overview of payments, you can see the payment in the evening on the day the money is paid out.
Holiday pay
There is no holiday pay on this benefit.
Tax
No tax is deducted from the money.
You must notify us of any changes
Copy linkLink successfully copiedYou must notify us of changes if:
- you change, drop out of, or reduce the scope of your education
- you become ill and this prevents you from taking education
- your application for separation or divorce is refused
- you start living with your partner, enter a civil partnership, or get married
- you start a relationship with someone you have previously lived with and have children with
- you are expecting another child
- the child access arrangements change
- the day-to-day care of the child is temporarily or permanently left to others
- you will be spending time abroad
- you move
- you or the other parent move very close to one another, i.e. the same building, the same block of flats, next door, or a building around the same courtyard, etc.
Holiday and periods spent abroad
You can be abroad for up to six weeks, that is, 42 days, during a 12-month period while you are receiving this benefit. Weekend stays of up to two nights do not count.
You must notify us if:
- you are going to spend more than six weeks abroad
- you are going to travel abroad and have already spent six weeks outside Norway during the past 12 months
- you are going to travel abroad, and this stay will result in you having spent more than six weeks abroad during the past 12 months
See which rules apply under to and from abroad.
Relocation
If you are moving or have moved, we must assess whether you are still entitled to this benefit.
You must send us information about:
- whether you still live alone or are sharing your home with another adult. If you live in a marriage-like relationship, we will need your partner’s name and date of birth
- whether your children are registered in the National Registry as living at your address after you have moved
- any changes to your child access agreement
- you have changed or interrupted your course of education after moving
To and from abroad
Copy linkLink successfully copiedIn general, you and your children must live in Norway for you to receive single parent benefits. In some cases, you may still be entitled to single parent benefits if you move or stay abroad.
You may stay abroad for a period of up to 6 weeks (42 days), during a 12-month period while you receive the benefit. Weekend stays of up to 2 nights do not count.
You may also keep the benefit if you work for a Norwegian employer abroad.
If you meet the other conditions for the benefit, you may have the right to keep the benefit when staying in other EEA countries if:
- You are already receiving a single parent benefit.
- You are an employee in Norway, but you and your child live in another EEA country (e.g., you live in Sweden and work in Norway).
- You and your child live in another EEA country, while the other parent works or receives social security benefits or a pension from Norway.
Exceptions from requirement of membership in the National Insurance Scheme
Generally, you must have been a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme for the last 5 years to qualify for the benefit. We can make exceptions if you or the other parent have a strong connection to Norway.
The requirement for membership was changed from 3 to 5 years on 1 January 2021 (in Norwegian). At the same time, the separate rules for refugees were discontinued. If you are already receiving benefits, these changes do not affect you. If you reapply, we must assess your case specifically.
Social security periods from other EEA countries may count as equivalent to periods of membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. In other words, NAV may include social security periods from other EEA countries when we consider if you meet the requirement of 5 years membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. Social security periods in other EEA countries must be documented.
Only EEA citizens or family members of EEA citizens, can add social security periods from other EEA countries to periods of membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. If the social security periods are from another Nordic country, citizenship does not matter.
New practice after 1 January 1994 in accordance with EEA regulations
For single parents who are EEA citizens or family members of an EEA citizen, this has changed:
- Benefit recipients can still receive the benefit when staying in other EEA countries, provided that other conditions are met.
- Social security periods from other EEA countries can be included when considering whether you qualify for benefits from Norway.
- You may be entitled to benefits if you are an employee in Norway, but you and your child live in another EEA country (e.g., you live in Sweden and work in Norway).
- You have an independent right to the benefit if you live with the child in another EEA country, while the other parent works or receives social security benefits or a pension from Norway.
Read more about the new practice in cases concerning single parent benefits (in Norwegian), and how you can contact us if you believe you are affected by these changes.
How to apply
Copy linkLink successfully copiedYou can apply online or on paper. It is important that you fill in all the relevant fields and submit all the necessary documentation, so that your case can be processed promptly. You will be notified as you fill in the application if you need to provide documentation of any of the information you have provided.
Expenses for tuition fees, semester fees and/or examination fees
Invoice in your name
The education you are taking or about to take
The documentation showing:
- name of place of study
- name of study
- how much you will study
- the period you will study
The documentation must clearly show who it applies to
If you are pregnant
Confirmation of expected date of delivery
If you have a visitation agreement for the child(ren)
Visitation agreement
If you are alone with children due to a break-up with the other parent or you have previously lived together
Confirmation of the break-up. The confirmation must be signed by both of you and show the date of the breakup. This is how a confirmation of divorce (PDF 35 kB) can look like (in Norwegian). This is not the mediation certificate from the family protection office.
If you have applied for separation or divorce, but are not separated or divorced yet
Confirmation from the County Governor on an application for separation or divorce
If one of you has filed for divorce in court
Confirmation that a case has been brought before the court
If you are married without this being registered in the National Register
Documentation of marriage
If you are separated or divorced without this being registered in the National Register
Documentation of separation or divorce
If you have a written agreement on shared permanent residence
Agreement on shared permanent residence
If your former partner is still registered at your address and does not cooperate with the change of address
- Documentation showing that you live alone with children and the time when you moved apart:
- Documentation confirming that you have been in contact with the National Register of Citizens because your former partner has moved out
- Information about where your former partner now lives
If you can document both points above, this is usually sufficient. If you do not have such documentation, you can attach, for example:
- tenancy agreement for both parties
- documentation that confirms that the former shared home has been transferred to one of the parties. This can be probate and/or documentation of who is the borrower for the home you live in.
- confirmation from child protection that you live alone with children
- documentation showing separate housing and household expenses. These can be bank statements showing paid rent, or other fixed housing expenses such as electricity and municipal taxes.
If a nursery, school, health centre or similar knows your family situation well, a statement from them can be part of the overall assessment we make of your living situation. This may include information about who collects and delivers and may be added to other documentation.
If the other parent does not cooperate with a change of address for children living with you
Documentation that the child lives with you, for example:
- the reason for the lack of change of address for the child
- copy of notice of relocation/tip to the National Register of Citizens
- confirmation from, for example, a nursery/school, child protection or health centre
If you are ill and it affects your ability to work, study or look for work
If you do not have a sick leave or do not receive work assessment allowance (AAP) or disability benefit, you must attach documentation that confirms that you are ill. The documentation from your doctor must show:
- the reason why you cannot work, study or look for work
- when you fell ill
- when your doctor expects you to recover
- how much you can work
Are you already receiving transition benefit and are you applying to extend the benefit period beyond 3 years because you have an illness that is not permanent? Then we need the documentation from your doctor even if you have sick leave.
The illness not being permanent in this context means that it has not lasted for more than 2 years or will last for more than 2 years.
We have created a to-do list that you can take with you to your doctor (PDF 59 kB) to make sure that the doctor documents the necessary information.
If your child is ill and it affects your ability to work, study or look for work
Documentation that confirms that the child is ill and describes your ability to work, study or look for work. The documentation from the doctor must show:
- the reason why the child’s illness affects your ability to work, study or look for work
- when the child fell ill
- when the doctor expects the child to recover
- how much you can work
We have created a to-do list that you can take with you to the doctor (PDF 57 kB) to make sure that the doctor documents the necessary information.
If you have children who need special supervision
Documentation of the child’s need for supervision. We need:
- documentation from your doctor confirming that the child has medical, psychological or major social problems and needs supervision.
- documentation that describes how much and how your child needs supervision, and how this affects your ability to work, study or look for work.
If you lack childcare: documentation that you lack childcare
This means refusal of a kindergarten place/SFO place or confirmation that the child is on a waiting list. The documentation must show:
- the date you applied
- the date you applied for a place from
If you have been offered a job
Employment contract showing that you have received an offer of employment.
The documentation must show:
- name of employer
- percentage of full-time equivalent
- the date you start the job
- the date you received the offer
If you are taking or are going to take an education
Documentation of the education you are taking. The documentation must show:
- name of place of study
- name of study
- how much you will study
- the period you will study
The documentation must clearly show who it applies to.
Are you already receiving transitional benefit and applying to extend the benefit period because you have been offered a study place? Then the documentation must also show the date you accepted the offer.
If you establish your own business and do not receive unemployment benefits during establishment
Professional assessment from the municipality or county council. You can also use another professional competence.
If you are a job seeker and for health reasons cannot take up any work
Medical certificate describing the reason why you cannot take up any work
If you are an apprentice
Apprenticeship contract
If you work less than 50 percent because you quit your job or took voluntary leave without a reasonable reason during the last 6 months
Documentation of the employment relationship and the reason why you left. The documentation must show:
- the working relationship
- the reason you quit
- the date you resigned or agreed to take voluntary leave
If you work less than 50 percent because you have reduced your working hours without reasonable reason during the last 6 months
Documentation of the employment conditions and the reason why you reduced your working hours. The documentation must show:
- the employment conditions
- the reason why you reduced your working hours
- the date you agreed to a reduction in working hours
You can apply as soon as you have received an invoice or payment notice from the school, at the latest within six months of receiving it.
You may contact NAV if you want more information and guidance, and/or help filling in the form.
You will receive a written decision when the application has been processed.
Processing time for applications
The processing time is the time from when we receive your application until we have made a decision. Remember that we need all the necessary documentation to process your application.
| Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
|---|---|
| Application | 4 weeks |
Processing time for complaints and appeals
Have you received a decision from us that you think is wrong? You can appeal to the NAV office that issued the decision. They will reassess your case. If they do not agree with your appeal, they will forward it to NAV Appeals Management Unit.
| Case concerns | Expected case processing time |
|---|---|
Complaint to the NAV unit | 10 weeks |
Complaint to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 14 weeks |
Appeals to the NAV Appeals Management Unit | 14 weeks |
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