Practical things to arrange before starting your studies

Housing and/or daycare

• Student housing

The Student Welfare Organisation for Inner Finnmark (SSO) provides accommodation for students. SSO has a total of 42 housing units reserved for students at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences. Accommodation can be rented for both longer and shorter periods. For example, it is possible to rent accommodation only during on-campus sessions. More information about student housing is available from SSO, Bolig (in norwegian).

• Student daycare

  Students with children are guaranteed a daycare place throughout their period of study. It is also possible to arrange daycare only during on-campus sessions. More information about daycare is available from SSO, Barnehage (in norwegian).

Individual accommodations for students with special needs

Students who require accommodations due to illness or disability are entitled to reasonable adjustments to their studies and examinations.

Accommodations may be provided, for example, for students with visual and/or hearing impairments, reduced mobility, reading and/or writing difficulties, chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or epilepsy, as well as mental health conditions, cognitive disabilities or social challenges.

If you require individual accommodations as a student, please contact the Study Administration as early as possible before starting your studies. This will allow us to work together to find solutions that meet your individual needs.

You can contact the Study Administration by phone or via the shared email address oahppohalddahus@samas.no ,or visit the service desk on the ground floor of Diehtosiida.

Semester fee

The semester fee must be paid before you can register as a student and obtain student rights at the university. You can find the invoice for the semester fee in Studentweb. Please note that the invoice will not be sent by post or email. To log in to Studentweb, use the same login method you used when applying for your programme.

Please note: If you do not have a Norwegian national identity number, you must contact the Study Administration in order to register as a student.

All students must pay a semester fee of NOK 500 to SSO (the Student Welfare Organisation for Inner Finnmark), as well as a materials fee to the Sámi University of Applied Sciences. The amount of the materials fee depends on your programme and whether you are a full-time or part-time student. The payment deadline is 1 September for the autumn semester and 1 February for the spring semester.

Under the rules of the Act relating to Student Welfare Organisations, students who do not live at their place of study may choose to pay the semester fee to another student welfare organisation that provides services where they live. Please also note that if you are studying at more than one institution at the same time, you do not need to pay the semester fee to more than one student welfare organisation. The general principle is that you pay the semester fee to the student welfare organisation whose services you use. 

If you have paid the semester fee to another institution, you can send documentation to the Study Aministration.

Student registration

Once you have paid the semester fee and your payment has been registered by us, you can register as a student. Registration is completed through Studentweb. Please note that it may take a couple of days for us to receive and register your payment.

Once you have registered as a student, you can create your IT account, obtain your student ID and key card, and receive payments of loans and grants from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen).

IT account

All students at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences must have an IT account. Your IT account gives you access to the services we provide, such as logging in to computers, using printers and scanners, and accessing your student email. We recommend setting up your IT account well in advance of the start of your studies so that you have access to all necessary systems when your programme begins.

Instructions on how to set up your IT account are available here: https://samas.topdesk.net/solutions/open-knowledge-items/item/KI%200134/no/

IT support

We recommend familiarising yourself with the technical tools and services before classes begin, including Office 365, Zoom, Wi-Fi and document printing. You can find more information here.

IT assistanceIf you need help with IT services, you can contact the Sámi University of Applied Sciences IT support team at support@samas.no or visit the reception at Diehtosiida.

Loans and grants

As a student at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, you may apply for grants and loans from, among others, Lånekassen (the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund). You can submit your application before registering as a student, but the first payment will not be made until you have paid the semester fee and registered for your studies. The Sámi University of Applied Sciences will notify Lånekassen once these requirements have been met. This is consistent with Lånekassen’s information for students at Norwegian universities and university colleges.

More information about grants and loans, as well as the application, is available on the Lånekassen website.

You may also want to check the websites of the Sámi Parliaments in Norway, Sweden and Finland to see whether grants or scholarships are available for higher education.

Canvas

Canvas is the learning platform and an important communication channel between teaching staff, students and the Study Administration. All information about your studies, including course materials, reading lists and other study-related information, is available in Canvas. Your username and password are the same as for your IT account. Once you have registered as a student and set up your IT account, you will have access to Canvas.

Mobile app: We recommend installing the Canvas app on your mobile phone. The app provides access to the same information as the desktop version. You can adjust settings in the app, such as enabling push notifications, so that new messages and reminders appear on your screen. The Canvas app is also a useful communication channel for keeping in touch with your study coordinator. The app is available for both iOS and Android.

Study and class schedules in TimeEdit

In TimeEdit, you can find information about when your classes are scheduled, which classroom or location they will take place in, how the teaching is organised, as well as dates for exams and deadlines for compulsory assignments.

Key card

Order your key card for the Sámi University of Applied Sciences here, then select Min konto / My account.

When you receive your key card at Diehtosiida, please note the following:

• The key card is personal and must be kept safe.
• You are not permitted to lend your card to anyone else.
• If you lose your card, you must notify the reception as soon as possible.
• Cardholders must be familiar with the fire safety procedures that apply at Diehtosiida, including parking regulations.
• You are not permitted to remain at Diehtosiida between 23:30 and 06:00.
• The key card also serves as your library card and printing/copying card. It must be activated.
• Please familiarise yourself with the guidelines for using the fitness room.
• The card must be updated monthly.

The image shows the card update station located next to the reception desk.

Police certificate requirement for practical training

Under Chapter 6 of the Regulations pursuant to the Universities and University Colleges Act, students enrolled in programmes where they may come into contact with minors during practical training are required to submit a police certificate of conduct.

At the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, this requirement applies to the following programmes:

• Sámi Early Childhood Teacher Education
• Sámi Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education for Years 1–7
• Sámi Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education for Years 5–10

Deadlines for submitting a police certificate of conduct

Applicants who are offered admission to one of the programmes listed above and whose police certificate contains remarks that are relevant to admission to the programme must submit the certificate to the university within three (3) weeks.

Applicants who are offered admission to one of the programmes listed above and whose police certificate does not contain remarks relevant to admission to the programme must submit the certificate to the university no later than the official start date of the programme.

Applicants who receive an offer of admission less than fourteen (14) days before the start of the programme, or after the programme has started, must submit the police certificate no later than three (3) weeks after receiving the offer of admission.

The police certificate must not be more than three (3) months old.

How do I apply for a police certificate of conduct?
You can apply electronically through www.politiet.no 

1. Log in using MiniID, BankID or another available electronic ID
2. Select the category “Students” and the purpose “Admission – General”
3. Upload your admission letter confirming your offer of a study place
4. Submit

Recognition and transfer of previous studies

If you have previously completed courses and/or subjects that you believe may be relevant to the programme you plan to study at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, you may apply to have them recognised and included as part of your degree programme.

If you have completed courses and/or subjects that are similar to compulsory components of your programme at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, you may apply for an exemption from those components. You may also apply to have previously completed courses or subjects recognised as supplementary subjects. Exemptions may also be granted on the basis of prior learning and work experience.

• Please contact the Study Administration well in advance of the start of your studies.

Practical information

The Study Administration is the main information and support centre for students at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences. We can assist you with a wide range of study-related matters, including admissions, academic guidance, examinations, processing of student matters, individual accommodations, and recognition and transfer of previous studies.

You can contact the Study Administration via the shared email address oahppohalddahus@samas.no or visit us on the ground floor of Diehtosiida. You can also ask for assistance at the reception desk.