Briefly, Vetle Vang is going to study in Oslo, but he cannot afford to live in the flats the student ship is building due to high rental prices. According to Statistics Norway, food prices have increased considerably, which takes a lot out of students’ budgets. The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) has prepared a student budget which shows that an average student runs a deficit of NOK 6,634 every month if they only have to live on the student grant. NSO, Sosialistisk Ungdom and AUF will increase the student grant and tie it to the basic amount in the national insurance. The government has increased student support by NOK 25,000 from 2021 to 2024 and believes that student life should be sober. Vetle plans to work alongside her studies to make ends meet. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. “Here we are building 223 homes for the Oslo students”. The red poster is clearly visible on the brand new building at Vulkan in Oslo. It was here that Vetle Vange (25) wanted to live when he will now become a student in Oslo. Until he saw the price. A one-room flat, measuring around 20 m², costs NOK 10,800 at Vulkan student house. – For the same price, I could live for two and a half months where I lived in Volda, says Vange. With a student grant of almost NOK 12,700, Vange cannot afford to live here. In the last year, food prices have also risen sharply. When the rent is paid and the food is bought, there is not much left of the money. Photo: Ola Hana / news Running several thousand shortfalls every month If the students are only going to live on the student grant, they will run a shortfall of NOK 6,634 every month, according to the Norwegian Student Organization (NSO). NSO has prepared a budget in which they have arrived at this number. Now the student organization, together with AUF and Sosialistisk Ungdom, will increase the student support. They want the support to be the same as the basic amount in the national insurance. – That way, students don’t have to fight to increase their student aid every single year, says NSO leader Kaja Ingdal Hovdenak. Leader of the Norwegian student organization. Photo: Ola Hana / news Vetle previously studied journalism in Volda. There he paid NOK 4,200 to live there. When asked whether students should choose to study outside the big cities, Hovdenak replies that everyone should have the same opportunity to take the degree they want. – There should not be a social difference between who can afford to live in big cities, or who has to move somewhere else. In addition, some studios are only in certain cities, says Hovdenak. Student budget for NSO Every four years, the Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) prepares a student budget based on figures from SiFo and Statistics Norway. The budget has taken as its starting point a full-time student between 20-30 years of age. The student in question has no children, is not pregnant and does not have a car. The figure for house rent is taken from Statistics Norway’s rental market survey. Figures on food prices and other things are taken from the reference budget of SiFo. Alcohol and tobacco expenses or unexpected bills are not taken into account. Source: NSO – Good to have a job next to the State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Ivar B. Prestbakmo (Sp), says that the government has increased student support. He says that the support in the academic year 2024/2025 will be NOK 25,000 more than in 2021. – For us, it has been important to strengthen the student economy, and we are busy continuing that. He says that students have to be prepared to have less to worry about than those with a fixed income. Prestbakmo, State Secretary for Research and Higher Education Minister Oddmund Hoel. Photo: Fathia Mahmoud Farah / news – Being a student, as it used to be, and as it will be, means a sober lifestyle. – Is the government investing in the full-time student? – The full-time student has always meant working on the side. It is not harmful, on the contrary. It’s good to have worked on the side. You get income and experience which is important. Until further notice, Vange will live at home. Photo: Ola Hana / news In Volda, Vange only worked in the summer. In Oslo, he is prepared to work alongside his studies as well. He has agreed with NSO to increase the support. The Student Union in Oslo tells news that it is understandable that Vange thinks the rental price is stiff, but emphasizes that they have more affordable apartments. Vange is still house hunting, but until further notice he will live at home with his parents. Published 19.07.2024, at 20.49
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The students struggle to make ends meet: Here, 20 m² costs close to NOK 11,000
