Accommodation

Content

• Housing arranged through UiO
  • Researcher housing available at UiO
  • Student housing available to international PhD candidates
• Private housing
• Short-term accommodation
• Buying property
• Housing loan agreements

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Housing arranged through UiO

The University of Oslo has a limited number of housing units for international researchers at it's disposal. However, there is a great influx of researchers in need of housing and the demand by far outstrips available resources. Therefore, researchers are advised to contact their host department at UiO for assistance with housing at the earliest opportunity. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that private housing options are pursued parallel to applying for researcher housing.

Note: Applications for researcher housing must be made by the host department on behalf of the interested researcher. For legal reasons, direct inquires from researchers cannot be processed.
 

Researcher housing available at UiO

• Information for applicants
  There are 12 bedsits for short-term stays (1-8 weeks) and 50 apartments for long-term stays (2 months - 1 year) available.
  Detailed information on researcher housing at UiO
• Information for tenants
  Researchers who have been offered researcher housing at UiO, please contact the Researcher Housing Office about how to pick up the housing contract and keys or to report any faults or deficiencies in the accommodation.
   

Student housing available to international PhD candidates

• Information for applicants
  If you are an international PhD candidate, your host department may also apply for student housing for you (2 months - 1 year). These are single rooms of simple standard with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities and are given to young, single researchers. The rooms are furnished, but duvets, pillows, bedlinen, curtains and kitchen utensils are not provided for and can not be rented. For PhD candidates and researchers, 20 % is added to the student rent, but they do not pay any deposit.
• Information for tenants
  • Researchers who have been offered student housing at Kringsjå or Sogn Student Village, pick up the keys at  SiO's Customer Service Centre Kringsjå or SiO Centre  at Blindern, depending on whether they got a contract at Kringsjå or Sogn.
  • Call the caretaker at 22 18 83 35 to report any faults or deficiencies in the accommodation, e-mail studentboligene@sio.no, or send a message through My Page.

Private housing

Since the demand for reseacher housing at UiO usually by far exceeds existing facilities, private housing options should be considered and investigated from the very beginning. This is what we recommend:

1. Check these bulletin boards
   • UiO's online bulletin board for private accommodation - Postings by owners/letters who wish to rent out private accommodation to international researchers affiliated with UiO
   • www.finn.no (Norwegian) - The most popular Norwegian website for housing announcements (and many other topics, e.g. jobs, items for sale).
   • www.zett.no (Norwegian) - An other popular Norwegian website for housing announcements (and other topics).
   • www.hybel.no - A website presenting smaller and cheaper housing units for rent, often with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities.
   • www.sabbaticalhomes.com - A resource for home exchanges and rentals for academics while on sabbatical leaves.
   • www.casaswap.com - A free international network for renting, subletting and swaping inexpensive accommodation among students and young academics.
2. Publish an announcement
   Foreign researchers are generally considered to be pleasant and reliable renters and therefore are popular with Norwegian landlords. Try your luck by publishing an announcement specifying your particular needs and research available housing on one or several websites listed above (not possible on UiO's bulletin board).
3. Familiarize yourself with renting conditions in Norway
   Customs and conditions for renting private housing often vary from country to country. Read our tips when renting private accommodation before signing any housing contract!

Your host department may be able to offer assistance in finding private housing.

Employees hired for a minimum of one year may apply for a welfare loan to cover the deposit for house rental.

Short-term accommodation

For hotels and other possibilities concerning short term accommodation, please see:

• VisitOslo.com - Oslo's main tourist information website
• use-it Oslo - tourist information for young people and budget travellers

Short-term rent of apartments in Oslo is e.g. offered by:

• www.frognerhouseapartment.no
• www.osloapartments.no
• www.osloleilighet.no (Norwegian)

Buying property

Useful information on buying property and a list of state approved private estate agents, may be found on the website of the Norwegian Association of Real Estate Agents (nef.no).

The Norwegian Association of Lawyers (juristforbundet.no) may be contacted for help in finding a lawyer specialising in property law.

A property sale or purchase must be registered with an official registration authority Statens Kartverk (statkart.no) (Norwegian).

Housing loan agreements

All members and pensioners of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (spk.no) can apply for a housing loan with advantageous conditions (spk.no).