Here is what you are entitled to as a pregnant student

Funds from Lånekassen for the study year 2021/2022

If you have a child while you are working on your education, you can receive an entire basic support as a parent stipend when the following criteria are met:

• The main rule is that you must be accepted as a student in an approved education.
• If you have a child less than 46 weeks before your education is over, or within 7 months of completing a degree (primarily bachelor and master), you can still get a parent stipend.
• You must have had the right to a loan/stipend the last four months before the birth. If you were in school in the spring, the summer counts towards this.
• You must live with the child.
• Your partner cannot be receiving parental benefits from NAV. In the event of a gradual withdrawa of parent funding, you can still receive a full parental stipend if your partner takes out less than 50% of the parental benefits. If your partner takes 50-99% of the parental benefits, you can receive a half parental stipend.

If both the mother and father have the right to a parental stipend, the stipend period can be divided, but both parents cannot receive a parental stipend at the same time. You can apply for a student loan normally.After the child is born, an application for a parental stipend is sent with a copy of the birth certificate to Lånekassen.  The parental stipend can be given for up to 49 weeks (3 weeks before and 6 weeks after the birth are reserved for the mother of the child).A parental stipend can also be given in the period June 15th to August 14th. In the event of a multiple birth, the number of weeks of collection of 49 is increased by five weeks for each child more than one. If leave is taken more than 3 weeks before the birth, the reason for this must be documented.For further information about this, see www.lanekassen.no.

Parental stipend in the case of adoption

In the case of adoption, the rules for the parental stipend are almost the same as in the case of birth, but with a few differences. You can receive a parental stipend for 46 weeks after adoption

Needs-based child stipend

A child stipend is given for up to 1,790 NOK per month for each of the two first-born children (born in 2006 or later), and up to 1,165 NOK for each child over two. Both parents can receive a child stipend at the same time. Child stipends are only given for children who live with the applicant at least 40% of the time. A child stipend given based on both yours and your partner’s income and wealth. Use the support calculator at lanekassen.no to calculate the child stipend.

Apply for an interest exemption from Lånekassen

Even though you are finished with your studies, or don’t have the right to more support from Lånekassen, you can get an interest exemption for a period when caring for a child. Interest exemption for the entire period or parts of the period are calculated from an income table.More information and an application form can be found at www.lanekassen.no.

Apply for additional loans

As a student with a child, you can receive an additional loan of up to 15,150 NOK per year, limited to 102,300 NOK for the years you receive a loan from Lånekassen. Students over 30 can borrow up to 102,300 NOK per year and up to 204,600 NOK in total during their time studying.Note! It is not possible to combine these two different additional loans.

Support from NAV

Parental benefits

You can receive parental benefits if you have had an income with pension for at least six of the last 10 months before the benefit period begins. Your yearly income must amount to at least half of the Folketrygdens basic amount. As of 01.05.2021, the basic amount is 106,399 NOK. Half of this amount would be 53.200 NOK.All days you have been working are included. Non-working days also count if you have been working for 4 consecutive weeks, and the time between each working day does not surpass 14 days.If you have a work contract with a set schedule, the days you are not working also count. This is the case even if you work less frequently than every 14th day.If both parents have the right to parental benefits, the total period with financial aid is 49 weeks with 100% of the amount, or 59 weeks with 80% of the full amount.

Parental benefits period

The parental benefit period is divided in three parts: mother’s quota, father’s quota, and a shared period. A co-mother has the same rights as a father.

If both have the right to parental benefits:

• Three weeks before the due date is reserved for the mother. In addition:
  • 15 / 19 (100% / 80%) weeks are reserved for the father (father’s quota)
  • 15 / 19 (100% / 80%) weeks are reserved for the mother (mother’s quota). Six of these must be taken right after the birth
  • 16 / 18 (100% / 80%) weeks are shared between the parents.

 There are conditions on what the mother can do if the father takes advantage of the shared period (see nav.no)

If only the father has the right to parental benefits:

• The aid period is 40 weeks with 100% of the amount and 50 weeks with 80% of the amount
• The aid period can begin seven weeks after the birth at the earliest

As the father, you do not have the right to the father’s quota if the mother doesn’t qualify for parental benefits. To take advantage of all of the weeks (40/50) the withdraw must start at seven weeks after the birth. If the father starts later, he will receive fewer weeks of parental benefits if he doesn’t apply for a deferment.

If only the mother qualifies for parental benefits:

• If the father doesn’t qualify for parental benefits, the father’s quota is transferred to the mother
• There are no conditions on what the father can do (work or studies) during the withdraw period
• The father can earn the right to parental benefits while the mother is receiving parental benefits

It is possible to choose different flexible withdraws of parental benefits. It is important to apply in time in order to not lose your rights.

For more detailed information, go to www.nav.no, or check out NAV parental benefits on Facebook. You can also use the chat or call the information phone line at 55 55 33 33.

Tax-free lump sum benefits

If the mother does not qualify for parental benefits, she can receive a lump sum of 90,300 NOK, as of 1.1.2021. The sum is tax-free, and you can apply to have it paid out after the 22nd week of pregnancy. If the father is the only caregiver of the child, he can qualify for lump sum benefits.

Children’s benefits for all children until 18

Children’s benefits are for all children under 18. Children’s benefits are paid out after the child is born, up to and including the calendar month before the child turns 18 years old. As of July 1st 2021, children’s benefits pays 1,676 NOK per month per child under 6 years, and 1,054 NOK per child over 6 years. A separate application is not necessary.If the child is born in Norway, a notification is given automatically from the person registry to NAV.

Right to childcare benefits

To qualify for childcare benefits, your child must be between one and two years old, and not go to a full-time childcare with public funding. If you have a part-time place in childcare, partial benefits can be given based on the number of hours the child is in daycare. At 33 hours per week or more, childcare benefits are not given.The full amount is 7,500 NOK for children aged 13 to 23 months, as of July 1st, 2020.The maximum period receiving benefits is 11 months. As a rule, you must have had at least 5 years membership in the public pension trust in order to receive childcare benefits, and both you and the child must live in Norway.Childcare benefits are given per child, and is the same whether the child lives with one or both parents.

Other public benefits

Housing aid is a governmental economic support scheme administered by Husbanken and the municipalities. You can apply for housing aid if your household has low incomes and high housing costs. Contact your borough/municipality for more information. You can also find information at husbanken.

Student and a single parent

A transitional grant is a grant for costs of living that can be given for a limited period if you are not able to provide for yourself because of the care of the child. When the youngest child has turned one year old, you must be doing a work-related activity to qualify for a transitional grant.This means that you must be either registered in NAV as a serious work applicant, or be studying or working that adds up to at least half of full-time.As a rule, a transitional grants can be received for up to three years, until the child turns 8 years old. In addition, benefits can be given for up to two months before the birth. If you are in a necessary study program, you can receive the grant for an extra two years.Contact your local NAV for information about programs and amounts if this could be applicable to you.

Child support

The parent who doesn’t have the child living with them must pay child support to the other parent. If the child support-paying parent does not pay, the one who cares for the child can request an advance on the money from their local NAV.In cases where the paternity case is being processed, or the paternity is not given, the right to right to child support advance still applies. The child support is dependent on the receiver’s income and the child’s age.In addition, single parents have expanded rights to children’s benefits, small children additions, additional grants, and tuition. For more information about these programs, you can see this guide or contact your local NAV or by phone at 55 55 33 33.

Other municipal programs

As a single caregiver, you can also qualify for additional municipal programs. Contact your municipality for more information about these.