The case in summary: Earlier this year, the government introduced a new tuition fee scheme for international students outside the EU and EEA, which has led to financial challenges for many students. Kristina Pantovic, an international student from Serbia, works two extra help positions and pays taxes to Norway, but receives no support from Lånekassen or her home country. Her Norwegian education now costs over NOK 137,000 per semester. If international students work more than 20 hours a week, the Directorate of Immigration will consider throwing them out of the country. Leader of the Norwegian Student Organization, Oline Sæther, believes that the obstacles for international students outside the EU/EEA are too many, and that it is almost impossible for them to study in Norway unless they are very rich. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I am stuck in a “Catch-22”, we have to complete an education, but it has become extremely expensive and extremely difficult, says Kristina Pantovic, an international student who lives in Stavanger. Earlier this year, the government introduced a new tuition fee scheme for international students outside the EU and EEA. This arrangement meant that the student group lost the opportunity for free education in Norway. Kristina Pantovic is from Serbia, and is taking a master’s degree in Migration and Intercultural Relations at the University of Stavanger. She currently has two extra help positions, but is not entitled to money from the loan fund. She also receives zero support from her home country and her Norwegian education now costs over NOK 137,000 per semester. Her financial situation is very tight. She wants to work more, but if she works more than 20 hours a week she could be thrown out of the country. Struggling financially Kristina Pantovic started studying in Norway, when Norway was one of the few countries that offered the specialized education. Photo: Philip Kollstrøm / news Pantovic was an international student when it was free, but had just started a new master’s when tuition fees were introduced. Before the introduction, she had enough money to live. With 20 hours a week, she earned NOK 10,000-15,000 a month. Enough to cover rent, food and phone bills. – This was just enough to be able to manage on its own, says Pantovic. But now the financial pressure has become too great. She works as much as before, but has had to rely on financial support from family and close friends. In addition, she sinks further and further into a personal debt crisis. Neither the Norwegian student organization nor the Student organization in Stavanger (Stor) have figures on how many this applies to, but according to leader of Stor, Joakim Ramsland, this problem is widespread. – Must be possible to live here – The snowball of negative consequences after school fees were introduced continues to roll. The obstacles stand in the queue for international students from outside the EU/EEA who want to study in Norway, and make it almost impossible for them to study in Norway unless they are very rich, says leader of the Norwegian student organization, Oline Sæther, to news NSO leader Oline Sæther is concerned about the international students in the country. Photo: Skjalg Bøhmer Vold / NSO She is strongly against the introduction of tuition fees for international students outside the EU/EEA. – It must be possible to live here. in Norway we have a very high price compared to Sweden and Denmark, she says. She is supported by the leader Stor. – When they come to Norway, it is a requirement that you have so and so much money in your account. Often this is sponsored by the whole family, but from 2023 you also have to pay for school fees, says Ramsland and continues: – This means that many of the international students have to earn even more money. Kristina Pantovic is 29 years old and lives in one of the student residences in Stavanger. The rental price is around NOK five thousand. Photo: Philip Kollstrøm / news The Ministry of Education believes that Norway is in line with the rest of the world with the introduction of tuition fees. – That is why the government is taking action in the state budget for 2024 by creating 200 scholarships for international students from developing countries, who otherwise do not have the opportunity to study, states the Ministry of Education. But this scholarship will not help Pantovic, or others who are outside developing countries. The Ministry of Education says that they first want to get the scheme in place, then see if this is to be expanded. Considered illegal work The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) writes in an e-mail that work over 20 hours a week will be considered illegal work. A case of deportation will then be established. – Every year, UDI decides a number of cases that end with students being expelled because they have worked more than the permit allowed, writes the directorate. The justification from UDI for this limit: is that the purpose of the stay of the international students must be to study, not to work. They are still allowed to have 100 per cent employment during holidays. Kristina Pantovic tries to work as much as possible, but if she works too much she may be forced out of the country. Photo: Philip Kollstrøm / news International students within the EU and EEA can work as much as they want throughout the year. news has repeatedly tried to get an answer from the Ministry of Justice, without success. According to Senior Adviser in the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman, Thomas Jahren, it is the EEA Agreement that makes this discrimination legal. For Kristina Pantovic in Stavanger, the situation is desperate, but she has no plans to stop her studies before she finishes her master’s degree. – I have already invested a lot of time, energy and money in getting my education. And what would I do with only half of it?, says the woman.
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Struggling with the finances of international students – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
