Students do not have their own insurance scheme through the Academy because state institutions of higher education are not allowed to take out insurance on behalf of their students. This is because the state is a so-called self-insurer.
This also means that the Academy is not insured against equipment and furnishings being lost, stolen or damaged. Students are responsible for their own belongings and must pay for their own insurance for private belongings that are stored on the Academy’s premises. Equipment that a student borrows from the Academy is considered to belong to the student during the loan period.
As a student, you must take out your own travel, theft and personal injury insurance if you want to have the same level of insurance as the school’s employees.
Insurance pursuant to the National Insurance Act
In general, students who are Norwegian citizens have occupational injury coverage pursuant to sections 13.10 and 13.14 of the National Insurance Act. This entails that Norwegian students have the same rights as employees in regard to occupational injury coverage, if the terms laid down in the act are satisfied.
Occupational injury is defined as personal injury, illness or death that is caused by an accident at the workplace (cf. section 13.3 of the National Insurance Act). The injury must have been caused by a sudden, unexpected and unforeseen event.
In order for an injury to be covered, the injury must have occurred
- while the student was taking part in an act of instruction
- at the site of instruction
- during the hours of instruction
The site of instruction is the actual place where the instruction was carried out.
In the event of an injury, the student shall contact the administration, which will provide assistance in sending a report to NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration). The necessary documentation from the doctor must be attached. A separate form must also be filled in for internal review: Injury Report: Student Injury or Accident.
It is NAV that decides whether an injury qualifies for benefits pursuant to the National Insurance Act. Students must themselves apply to NAV for benefits. Read more about occupational injury insurance and the application process.
If you have lived abroad for an extended period, you will no longer be enrolled in the National Insurance Scheme. Read more about membership in the National Insurance Scheme.
Students who are not Norwegian citizens will not automatically be covered by the National Insurance Act. Foreign students must contact NAV in order to clarify what is required for them to be included in the National Insurance Scheme.
Students in work placement
In general, the Occupational Injury Insurance Act does not apply to students. Students who are in work placement may nevertheless be entitled to benefits pursuant to the Occupational Injury Insurance Act (subject to certain conditions) in addition to the benefits they are entitled to pursuant to the National Insurance Act.
When students are in work placement, they may be considered to be employees pursuant to section 2 of the Occupational Injury Insurance Act if they “carry out work or perform duties in the service of the employer”. This requires three conditions to be fulfilled:
- the student must have carried out work
- for an employer
- during working hours
There is no requirement that students who are in work placement must have carried out work of the same quality as a regular employee at the same workplace. If the conditions are met, this may entail that such students will receive a larger insurance payment than they otherwise would have received pursuant to the National Insurance Act.
Students who study abroad or are on a study trip abroad
Students who study abroad or are on a study trip abroad shall have travel insurance. Students should therefore find out whether they have insurance that will cover any injury, loss or return trip in the event of becoming ill during their stay abroad.
It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that they have travel insurance before leaving Norway. The Academy does not make any recommendations in regard to insurance. We do, however, refer to ANSA (the Association of Norwegian Students Abroad), which offers various insurance schemes to cover students who are studying abroad.
If you study abroad for any length of time under the auspices of the Academy (exchange programme, study trip), you must submit the form Student Form: Foreign Travel. You must also remember to register your sojourn abroad with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Travel Registration Service. If something serious should happen in your vicinity, such as political unrest, a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will then be able to contact you.
Insurance for foreign students
Foreign students are not automatically covered by the National Insurance Scheme’s benefits, since people must reside in Norway for a certain while before being eligible to enrol in the National Insurance Scheme. Foreign students must contact their local NAV office for more information.
Read more about the rules and regulations for foreign students in Norway.
Compensation according to general compensatory principles
The Academy might be liable to pay damages for an injury that occurred either because of staff negligence or because of defects in the school’s buildings or technical equipment. In such instances, the Academy is responsible for the injury pursuant to the normal rules and regulations concerning such compensation.
If a student believes he or she is entitled to financial compensation from the Academy, this must be submitted in such a way that the Academy can address the demand.
The Academy seeks primarily to prevent injuries from ever occurring by going through relevant safety procedures and by maintaining its buildings and premises. For example, every student who is to use a workshop must take a course on safety.
Make contact in the event of injury
Contact the department or section where the injury happened as soon as possible in order register the injury in the form Injury Report: Student Injury or Accident.
Additional grant from Lånekassen for students during illness
If you are put on sick leave, you may be entitled to an additional grant from Lånekassen (the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund). Read more about the additional grant for students during illness.
Ressurser
• The National Insurance Act (Lovdata)
• The Occupational Injury Insurance Act (Lovdata)
• The Injury Compensation Act (Lovdata)
• The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen)
• The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV)