Leave of absence, break, or part-time studies

Students in one-year programs, bachelor’s, and master’s programs can apply for leave of absence based on important welfare reasons. Leave from studies requires a justified application and documentation. Students on leave can choose to register for exams and pay the semester fee.

There is no application deadline for leave, but if possible, we prefer students to apply by September 1st for the fall semester and February 1st for the spring semester, or as soon as possible.

Read more about leave of absence and how to apply.

You can after completing the first semester, take a break from studies if you are a bachelor’s student or a student in the first three years of an integrated 5-year master’s program. During a break, you cannot register for exams or pay the semester fee, this means that you cannot use the welfare services of the student welfare organization Sammen. It is not possible to apply for a break or leave for less than one semester.

Students in 2-year master’s programs, last fout semesters of an integrated 5-year master’s program, one-year studies, students taking individual courses, and students from external educational institutions cannot apply for a break from studies.

Part-time study can be granted based on the conditions in the Study Regulations §5-2 on leave of absence. This requires a justified application and documentation. The department decides whether the application can be granted. Specific rules apply to master’ studies.

We recommend that you plan a part-time study path with your study advisor.

There is no deadline to apply for part-time study in bachelor programs. Be aware that study plans are regularly revised. This means that the composition of courses in the program may change, and you must adhere to new requirements to obtain a degree. The semester fee is the same for part-time and full-time students.

For 2-year master students and the master's part of 5-year studies, specific rules apply for leave of absence and part-time. See §5 in the link to the Supplementary Rules for Degree Studies at the Faculty for details.

Leave of absence

When leave is granted after submitting the master’s agreement, the agreement must be adjusted accordingly. For leave longer than one year for 60-credit assignments and longer than six months for 30-credit assignments, the program board may consider giving a new project assignment.

Part-time study

Part-time study with a minimum of 50% study progression can be granted based on work outside of studies or conditions in the Study Regulations §5-2.

Part-time study for the entire master’s program can only be granted if a 60-credit master’s project is chosen. For a 30-credit master’s project, part-time study can normally only be granted for before starting the master’s thesis.

A student who is pregnant has the right to postpone exams if the exam period is between three weeks before the due date and six weeks after birth. The father/co-mother has the right to postpone exams if the exam date is within two weeks after birth. If you have been granted maternity leave at UiB, you have the opportunity to register for the semester, attend courses, and take exams as usual if you wish.

When you apply for parental leave, you must familiarize yourself with the State Education Loan Fund's regulations on maternity/paternity leave.

Examples of documentation

For more information, see Forskrift om studium ved Universitetet i Bergen (English translation of the regulations) and the faculty’s supplementary rules. The translation is not official. In the event of any inconsistency, the Norwegian version shall prevail.