🏠 Student housing for incoming exchange students

To maximize your chances of securing a student room, apply for housing with Samskipnaden immediately after receiving the email titled "Nomination for student exchange".

✅ Before you submit your housing application in Samskipnaden's portal ("My Page")

• Select the filter “International student”.
• Enter the correct start date for your exchange period at UiT.
• Confirm that you are an exchange student.
• Select at least three single-room options.
• Read the housing application instructions before submitting your application: 🔗 Samskipnaden: Step-by-step information about the application process

🔗 Samskipnaden: Apply for student housing

• Autumn semester (August–December)
  Deadline: 10 May
• Spring semester (January–June)
  Deadline: 10 November

Housing applications are processed as quickly as possible. Autumn applicants normally receive housing results by mid-June. You will receive a notification directly from Samskipnaden when your housing application has been processed.

• It is your responsibility to read and follow all requirements and instructions provided by Samskipnaden.
• Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered for reserved student housing.
• Only single rooms are reserved for incoming exchange students.
• Apartments are limited and cannot be guaranteed through the Housing Office.

Most student housing in Tromsø is owned and managed by the Housing Office at the Norwegian Arctic Student Welfare Organisation (Samskipnaden). UiT does not own or manage student housing.

✅ Who is guaranteed housing?

• Visa-seeking students are guaranteed housing because accommodation is required as part of the student visa application process.
• Double-degree students who are coming to UiT as part of their degree programme are also guaranteed housing.

⚠️ Who is not guaranteed housing?

• Students who are citizens of EU/EEA or Nordic countries are not guaranteed housing.
• Housing for these students is allocated based on availability, the principle of first-come, first-served, and housing priorities determined by Samskipnaden, including age-related criteria.

🏠 Private accommodation

Useful websites for finding accommodation (please note that these websites are primarily in Norwegian and may require translation):

• 🔹 Hybel.no – https://hybel.no/
• 🔹 Finn.no – https://www.finn.no/
• 🔹 The Box (generally more expensive) – https://www.thebox.no/

Facebook groups

We also recommend searching in the following Facebook groups:

• 🔹 Til Leie/Ønskes Leid Tromsø – https://www.facebook.com/groups/til.leie/
• 🔹 Til leie/ønskes leid i Tromsø & omegn – minimum 1 år – https://www.facebook.com/groups/121145954576568/
• 🔹 Til leie/ønskes leid Leilighet, Parkering i TROMSØ! – https://www.facebook.com/groups/141632089188125/

💰 Security deposits

Most landlords in Norway require tenants to provide a security deposit. The two most common arrangements are:

• Deposit Account (Depositumskonto) – A deposit account in the tenant's name. This normally requires a Norwegian bank account and a Norwegian national identity number.
• Deposit Guarantee (Depositumsgaranti) – A guarantee issued by an insurance provider and accepted by the landlord.

Hybel.no, in cooperation with Tryg Forsikring, offers a deposit guarantee scheme. Under this arrangement, tenants pay a non-refundable fee equal to 14% of the total deposit amount, and Tryg acts as the guarantor.

This solution may be particularly useful for international students who cannot open a Norwegian bank account or obtain a Norwegian national identity number before arriving in Norway.

With a deposit guarantee, you:

• ✅ Do not need to transfer the full deposit amount.
• ✅ Do not need to open a deposit account.
• ✅ Do not need a Norwegian national identity number.

More information: https://hybel.no/depositumsgaranti

⚠️ Avoid housing scams

When renting accommodation privately, please keep the following in mind:

• Always ensure that you have a written tenancy agreement.
• Obtain a receipt or proof of payment for any money transferred.
• Never pay large sums in cash without a contract and receipt.
• Verify the landlord's identity and the existence of the property before making any payments.
• If possible, visit the property in person or verify the address using online maps and other available resources.
• Be cautious of offers that seem unusually attractive or unrealistically cheap.

🚩 Common warning signs

1. The landlord says they are staying abroad and asks you to transfer money to a foreign bank account.
2. The landlord cannot show you the room or apartment but promises to send the key after you transfer the deposit.
3. The landlord asks for your credit card number.
4. The rent is considerably lower than similar rooms or apartments in the same area.
5. The landlord asks for a security deposit exceeding six months' rent. This is illegal.
6. The landlord asks you to transfer the deposit to a private bank account. This is illegal. Security deposits must be held in a dedicated deposit account. Read more about security deposits . Do not transfer your deposit to a private bank account.
7. Never share your credit card details by email, phone, or other communication channels.
8. Check the property address using Google Maps. The property shown on the map should match the photographs in the advertisement.
9. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is not.

Contact the Housing Office at Samskipnaden if you have questions about:

• Housing applications
• Housing offers
• Contracts and accommodation
• Waiting lists
• Room availability

🔗 Housing Office contact information