Insurance for students at the University of Stavanger

General information about insurance

Students do not have their own insurance scheme through the University of Stavanger because state educational institutions are not allowed to take out insurance on behalf of students. Therefore, as a student, you are not insured through UiS.

The state is a so-called self-insurer.

If students want to have the same insurance coverage as employees at the university, they must take out their own travel and personal injury insurance.

In some cases, students may still be covered by their parents’ insurance

Insurance under the National insurance act (folketrygdloven)

Students are covered by the provisions of the National Insurance Act regarding occupational injury coverage under the National Insurance Act § 13-10 (Lov om folketrygd (folketrygdloven) § 13-10), and have occupational injury coverage for injuries sustained at the place of instruction during instructional time, provided they are members of the National Insurance Scheme.

Students at state universities and colleges are not insured through their educational institution. If students want full coverage in case of injury, they must take out their own private insurance.

The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR) has developed the guide ‘Insurance and Compensation Legal Issues Concerning Students in the University and College Sector.’ The guide provides information on insurance and compensation issues related to injuries that students may sustain in connection with studies and research.

UHR’s review of the regulations shows that they are quite complicated and unclear. Students who have occupational injury coverage through the National Insurance Scheme for injuries sustained at the place of instruction during instructional time (occupational injury). If they are injured outside of instructional time, the special benefits for occupational injury in the National Insurance Scheme will not apply. If the injury is due to someone’s negligence or if the person who caused the injury may be liable without fault (strict liability), the student may claim compensation. However, this is a lengthy process that may require going to court. The student will also bear the full burden of proof. 

In summary: If students want full coverage in case of injury, they must take out their own private insurance.

Insurance in practice

In some situations, as a student, you are covered by occupational injury insurance against accidents, illness, and injuries caused by a work accident that occurs in an instructional situation. This is regulated by the National Insurance Act § 13-10.

The Occupational Injury Insurance Act (Yrkesskadeforsikringsloven) does not generally apply to students. However, if students are in an internship, benefits may be paid under the Occupational Injury Insurance Act in addition to the benefits under the National Insurance Act, under certain conditions.

When students are in an internship, they may be considered employees under the Occupational Injury Insurance Act § 2 if they ‘perform work or duties in the service of the employer.’ This requires that these conditions are met:

• The student must have performed work for an employer during working hours

There is no requirement for students in internships to have performed work of the same quality as a permanent employee at the same workplace. If the conditions are met, this may result in students receiving a larger insurance payout than they would under the National Insurance Act.

If the student is not covered by this law, they will have to pay the deductible themselves, and then go to the internship administration to fill out a form regarding the ‘undesired event,’ as well as form ‘13-07.05’ with NAV. More information about reporting an occupational injury can be found here: nav.no.

I tilfellet hvor skolen ikke dekker utgiftene, er det UiS som er å regne som «arbeidsgivere». Dersom skade, plikter arbeidsgiver å melde til NAV. Read more about occupational injury.

Insurance during the stay abroad

As a student going to study abroad, it is important to have sufficient travel, health, and other supplementary insurance. The University of Stavanger provides no insurance coverage.

Check if you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme and what benefits you are entitled to during your stay abroad. Remember that the National Insurance Scheme’s benefit system does not always provide full coverage – it does not include travel and accident insurance, home contents insurance, or repatriation in case of illness, among other things.

To be well covered, it is recommended to take out your own private insurance. The insurance should cover the purpose of your stay abroad and the entire period you are abroad.

Read more about Membership of the National Insurance Scheme and what applies to you when you are a student abroad.

Read about Emergency preparedness for your outbound exchange | University of Stavanger.

Read more about Emergency preparedness for your outbound exchange.

Insurance for international students at the University of Stavanger

Depending on how long you stay in Norway, students can be automatically covered by the National Insurance Scheme.

Read more about health insurance here: Health Matters | University of Stavanger.

Liability for damages incurred at the University of Stavanger

The University of Stavanger may, according to general principles of tort law, be liable for damages that have occurred as a result of negligence on the part of the university. This can include negligence by the university's employees and damages caused by defects in buildings or technical equipment.

If students believe they have a financial claim against the University of Stavanger, this must be made known to the university. This can be done by contacting the faculty or department where the damage occurred as soon as possible to report the damage.