Frequently Asked Questions

We work continuously with allocation. Our main allocation period is between April and the start of the semester. But we send out housing offers based on terminations that come in, so in practice, we send out contract offers all year round. There are many who will find out more about their study offer at the end of July, and there will probably be some changes in the application lists based on this. Therefore, keep your application up to date, and if you do not need student housing this year after all, please delete your application so that someone else gets your place in the queue.

Our advice is: apply early, preferably in several areas and housing types. Feel free to apply for moving in as early as possible, then you have the best possible chance of getting a housing offer.

If you have signed a housing contract with us and it turns out that you did not get accepted to the UiT program you applied to, you can withdraw the contract you have signed by 24 July. You must then document this with the refusal from Admissions. When we receive this from you, we will cancel your contract. If you have already moved in, the home must be moved out by 31.07. The documentation is sent to the email bolig@samskipnaden.no.

We allocate based on our priority regulations. Priorities include the application date, but also the move-in date. Based on the fact that it is difficult to estimate whether our issued contracts will be accepted or rejected, we do not state where you are on the application list.

Our advice is: apply early, preferably in several areas and housing types. Feel free to apply for moving in as early as possible, then you have the best possible chance of getting a housing offer.

You can pick up your keys at a later date as long as you let us know when you arrive and no later than 2 weeks after the start of the contract. Even if you move in later, rent must be paid from the start of the contract.

If you refuse an offer from us, you lose your spot in the applicant queue. Also if you did not get your first choice of housing. We advise you to accept, and if you're not happy there, we recommend that you during the semester apply to change housing.

If you have been a resident with us for a long period, you may have used our old housing portal when you applied for housing for the first time. To use My page, a new account must be created, and you have to log into your old account to link these two together. This is done step by step on My page. Contact us if you have any questions about this.

We follow our allocation regulations. When we do not have more applicants with priority on one type of housing, we may look for other applicants. Feel free to write a comment in the comments field on the application if there is something we should know about.

If the home you have been allocated is vacant, then you can come on display. Keys can be borrowed from your housing office. Contact your housing office and ask!

We always follow our allocation regulations, which state that the application date and move-in date must be given priority. Whether your friend has applied before you, they may have applied to another housing area, applied for another move-in date, or have priority for some other reason.

You can edit your application until you receive a contract offer. If you edit the application, you will still keep the date of submission of the application. You can have up to 12 housing requests in your application, and we recommend entering as many as possible to have a greater chance of a housing offer.

The rent must be paid by the due date, usually the 15th of each month. Invoices are sent electronically each month. You can find the invoices on My page and you will also receive notification by e-mail when the invoice is accessible on My page. It is your responsibility to find the invoice and pay it on time. In the event of late payment, you will incur a fee in accordance with the current regulations. If you wish to pay your rent via AvtaleGiro/eFaktura, you can register this in your Internet bank.

You can also pay your invoice manually by transfer from your account abroad or from your Norwegian bank account by using KID (See information in your invoice).

Make sure you are on the right page. If you have been a resident with us for a long period, you may have used our old housing portal when you applied for housing for the first time. To use My page, a new account must be created, and then you have to log into your old account to link these two together. This is done step by step on My page. If you have forgotten your password, you can request a new one.

If you still have problems logging in, contact us and we will help you.

To be a resident of Samskipnaden, it is required that studies are the main occupation at UiT or "fagskole".

Maximum length of residence is 5 years, with the possibility of up to 1 year extension in the event of a delayed course of study.

The rental agreement has a duration of up to 1 year, and normally follow the academic year, from 01.08 - 31.07. If the resident fulfills our contract terms, it is possible to keep the same housing throughout the course of study, provided that the application is approved.

Our ordinary contracts expire at the end of the semester. Either 31. July or 31. December.

It is possible to keep the same home throughout the studies, provided that the application for extension is approved. We will notify you when the contract is about to expire.

It is normally possible to extend the contract in the same residence. We send out a notice about your contract.

It is allowed to sublet if you are away due to your studies, such as an exchange. The new tenant must be a student and have a valid student ID. The contract holder is responsible for the home, furniture, and property during the subletting period. It must be applied for in advance for subletting in a separate document that is delivered to the Housing Office. It is not possible to post the student housing on Airbnb, or similar websites.

Clause 10 of the lease - Subletting and admission to the household, states that:
«Tenant is not allowed to sublet or otherwise transfer their right of use to others or have persons in their household without prior written permission from the Landlord, cf. the Rent Act § 11-2 second and third paragraphs. The same applies to short-term rent during holidays etc. The total sublease may not exceed 6 - six months during the total period of residence. The sub-tenant must also be a student at UiT Norway's Arctic University or Unis and have paid the semester fee for the entire rental period. The right to rent lapses upon termination or termination of studies. Furthermore, the sub-tenant is obligated to agree to inform the Landlord about interrupted or completed studies."

This means that it is not possible to rent through Airbnb or sublet without Samskipnaden having given its written permission. In addition, the sub-tenant must be a student. Violation is considered a breach of contract and may lead to termination of the lease.

The sublease application can be found at the bottom of the page.

You can apply for a change of residence on My page. You can find the option under your current contract. When the start of the semester approaches, we prioritize allocation to new housing applicants, and thus change applications are not handled during that period. But when the semester is under way, we will be able to offer this as long as we have available accommodation.

Facts about changing student housing:

You continue living in your student housing while you are on the waiting list. Due to high demand, priority is not given to changing of student housing during the summer months. As soon as you have accepted the offer of new student housing, your original tenancy agreement will be terminated automatically. Moreover, your old student housing will be reallocated to another student. An offer of change of student housing can come at short notice. When you are allocated new student housing, you will pay rent for both flats/rooms for a few days during the overlap. A maximum of two days is permitted for moving out/in. You can collect the key for the new student housing after 12 noon on the day the new tenancy agreement starts.

Well before the contract expires, you will receive an offer to renew the contract, provided that you meet our contract conditions. You notified via e-mail and SMS. If you do not sign within the deadline, the contract will automatically end when the contract expires, and the housing will be allocated to others on the waiting list.

If you are unsure whether you will continue your studies, we recommend that you sign the new contract and rather terminate later if you change your mind.

Some share 2 and 2, while others share a kitchen with 15. Some prefer to share with a few, while others would like to share with more. Feel free to read carefully about the different housing types so that you can search for the type of housing that suits you best.

You may terminate your tenancy agreement before it expires by giving written notice via the My page. The period of notice is two months, reckoned from the 1st of the month after notice was given. Please note that you must pay the rent for the entire period of notice, even if you move out earlier. The student housing must be returned cleaned and tidied, and the cleaning service will conduct an inspection to confirm this. If the student housing is deemed not to be adequately cleaned, the cleaning service will rectify this, and the tenant will be charged for the costs incurred. Furthermore, costs incurred to fix any damages/defects will also be charged.

Remember to empty the storage room before you move.

Our termination period is the same for all students; one has a termination period for the following two months. You can move out during the termination period, but the rent goes as usual until the end of the contract.

During the periods when many students move out, we arrange large containers so residents can dispose of their rubbish. You can also borrow a waste disposal card at our service centre. This card enables you to dispose of larger items, such as damaged furniture, free of charge at the Remiks recycling centre. NB: Remember to sort the waste in advance.

Please see the pricelist for Samskipnadens additional services if you are looking for prices when you loose your keys, insufficient cleaning, want to rent a trailer or similar. The pricelist for Samskipnadens additional services is for all campuses.

Others can pick up the keys for you, but we must receive written notice in advance via e-mail, and mark the e-mail "pick-up of keys". The rental agreement must be signed before you receive the key.

In Narvik and Alta, it can be agreed with the housing office to have the keys delivered in a key box if the key must be picked up outside opening hours.

Keys must be returned to the student housing office no later than the date of expiry of the tenancy agreement.

Tromsø

Drop the key in the box at the entrance to the MIX kiosk by the Service center.

Alta

Drop your key through the hatch at the entrance to the Housing Office

Harstad

Arrange to drop the key in the caretaker’s letterbox at your student housing

Narvik

Drop your key in the white key post box outside the university.

Hammerfest

Drop your key in the letterbox marked “Vaktmester” (caretaker) in the corridor at the student housing no later than the date of expiry of your tenancy agreement.

You will receive a checklist when you move in and out. This is designed to help us perform any repairs/improvements and to prevent extra fees when moving out. You must notify of any faults/defects in your room/flat within 2 weeks of moving in.

The removal of furniture from the student housing is not permitted. However, if there is space, you may bring your own furniture in addition. Please note the use of gas ovens in the student housing is not permitted (for either heating or cooking).

You may hang up pictures if you use Blu-Tack or similar, or plastic hooks with fastening tape. You can also hang up lighter objects providing you do not make holes or marks on the wall. Refer to Section 7.1 of the tenancy agreement.

The washing and drying of clothes must take place at the laundry the tenant has at his/her disposal. Drying clothes in your room/flat creates a lot of dampness, which in turn leads to a poor indoor climate. Consequently, we encourage you to dry your clothes in the clothes dryer at the laundry. Tenants are not permitted to install washing machines/clothes dryers in their flat. However, the exceptions to this rule are the student flats where outlets have been installed for this purpose.

One’s own student housing
Tenants are responsible for cleaning and tidying their own room/flat. Tenants are also obliged to cooperate with the other users to keep any common areas (bathrooms, corridors, etc.) clean. In cases where several tenants share a bathroom, those concerned should follow the schedule of who has responsibility for the cleaning each week.

Communal kitchen, lounge and corridor
Each tenant shall clean and tidy the communal kitchen and other common areas after use. All kitchen utensils, cutlery, etc. shall be placed in the respective cupboards and drawers. Tenants shall also keep their kitchen cupboard/drawer and space in the fridge/freezer, clean and tidy. Everyone is responsible for ensuring that rubbish is properly sorted in accordance with the current recycling guidelines, and that the rubbish is emptied daily and placed in the rubbish container.

In cases where there are multiple users, a schedule shall be set up showing who has responsibility for cleaning each week. If a tenant will away when he/she is responsible for cleaning, it’s his/her responsibility to swap internally. Keep the rubbish cupboard clean and tidy, wash the floor, clean the ventilator, wash the fronts of the kitchen fittings, refrigerator and freezer and wash the stove/oven. The Student Welfare Organisation will conduct regular inspections of common areas. In cases of inadequate cleaning, the tenants concerned will be given an opportunity to clean properly. If on the next inspection the cleaning is still found to be inadequate, the Student Welfare Organisation will arrange professional cleaning of the common areas at the tenants’ expense.

Most of our student housing areas has a parking area. Please read more about separate rules at different areas.

For Tromso only:
Tromso kommune has a fee of 100 NOK per month for parking. To make an agreement about parking please contact Tromso kommune (Tromsø parkering - Drift av avgiftsbelagt parkering i Tromsø (tromso-parkering.no)
Guest must pay with the parking app Easy Park. Read more on signs at the parking areas.

Dramsvegen studenthousing is a car free area.

After moving in, you can send a message on My page to apply for a storage room. We will contact you as soon as there is a vacant storage room in the area where you live. Do not start using a storage room without it having been clarified with the Housing Office in advance. In the worst case, the storage could get emptied if this is not registered.

We have some areas that offer charging stations for electric cars. This is under development, and more information will come. Contact your housing office if you have any questions.

You can notify us by a message on My page. Here you can describe the problem and upload pictures if desired. To ensure the shortest possible processing time, it is important that you use the correct category for the message.

UiT provides internet access to all our student housing, which means you require an activated UiT user account to connect to the internet. Please contact UiT’s IT support, Orakelet, to arrange a user account.

If you experience problems with the interest or require user support, please contact Orakelet for assistance.

Most of our housing has electricity included in the rental price.

There are a few exceptions in Rådyrveien in Harstad.

It is your own responsibility to insure your property against loss or damage, including theft, vandalism and fore or water damage.

The content insurance generally covers damage to your property

• Water damage caused by pipe ruptures
• Failure in gaskets/washers and associated equipment, e.g. washing machine and dishwasher
• Your property in your student housing
• Property stored in private storage rooms (i.e. storage rooms that may be locked)

The content insurance does not cover

Property stored in common areas (where you bear liability for any damage/Theft)

The Student Welfare Organisation is not liable for replacing damaged/lost property owing to

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Fire and water damage, which can be covered through content insurance

If you are still registered in the National Population Register as living at your parents’ address, you may be covered by their insurance so it may pay to check this.

All student housing units are equipped with a smoke detector and fire extinguisher. Familiarise yourself with the fire safety instructions and fire extinguishing equipment at your student housing. Removing or covering the smoke detector is strictly forbidden.

If suspicion arises that something is wrong with the fire protection equipment in the building, the Student Welfare Organisation has the right to unlock and enter the student housing without prior notice. The removal/covering of fire detectors will incur a fee. Refer to the Price list for supplementary services. You are responsible for familiarising yourself with the fire safety instructions as well as the evacuation plan for the building in which you live.

It’s important that you notify the Student Welfare Organisation if you discover any faults concerning the fire safety, e.g. if you notice that a fire extinguisher has been removed, etc.

Emergency exits and escape routes should always be kept clear. Storing personal belongings in stairwells, entrances and corridors is not permitted. Any personal belongings found in such places will be removed and disposed of by the Student Welfare Organisation

The Student Welfare Organisation changes the batteries in smoke detectors on an annual basis. Fire extinguishers must not be removed from the designated place.

In the event of fire:

1. Rescue
Ensure that everyone who is in the student housing gets out safety, Close doors and windows.

2. Alert
Call the fire brigade on the emergency number 110. Give the exact address of the building that is on fire.

3. Extinguish
If the fire has not become too large, try to extinguish it using the fire hose or fire extinguisher, but do not put yourself in danger.

Avoid inhaling smoke. Some inhalation is one of the most common fire-related causes of death, so get out of the building as quickly as possible. As smoke rises, you should crawl along the ground as there is more oxygen there. If it’s dark, use the wall to guide you to the nearest exit.

Advice to avoid undesired alarm

Cooking fumes, using toasters and candles can trigger the smoke detectors. Never place toasters or candles below smoke detectors. Ensure adequate ventilation and always use the kitchen fan when cooking. Close the kitchen door when fumes occur in the kitchen. Steam does not affect all types of smoke detectors.

Lit candles or hotplates that are turned on must never be left unattended. Make it a habit to blow out candles/turn off hotplates as soon as you have finished using them.

A resident who triggers a fire alarm leading to a call-out by the security company affiliated with the campus will be charged for the costs incurred and may be evicted.

If you have locked yourself out, please contact the security company at your campus. You must pay the fee incurred to the security guard (in cash or by VIPPS).

Please contact the Housing Office. You will be invoiced for the new key/key card/chip.

If the key/chip stops working, the amount paid will be reimbursed to the student (unless it is a case of wilful damage of the keys). If you do not return the keys on the date you move out, you will be charged for new keys.

If you have seen pests at your student housing, please contact the housing office or notify the janitor (Via My page).