Frequently asked questions: Health

You can receive reimbursements for several different out of pocket health expenses. To see what services are included in the arrangement, read the Guidelines for health expense refunds. Here you can also find information about the amounts you can have refunded, as well as general information and information regarding appealing against decisions.

If you have paid your semester fee and are a student at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Fagskolen i Viken, Kongsberg, Fagskolen i Vestfold and Telemark or Stavern Police College, you may apply for health expense refunds.

These services are covered by HELFO's user fee:

Doctor, psychologist, outpatient treatment (hospital), medicines with reimbursable prescription, patient travel, X-ray examinations, physiotherapy with a contract/employed by the municipality, certain types of dental conditions, stays at a publicly approved rehabilitation institution that has an operating agreement with a regional health authority, treatment abroad organised by Oslo University Hospital (Rikshospitalet).

➡️ Log in to Helsenorge to find an overview of the deductibles paid. These must be attached to the application (your name must appear on the attachment).

The general answer is that you must be able to document all expenses for which you are seeking reimbursement with a receipt.

👉 If you have applied for reimbursement under HELFO's deductible ceiling, you can get an overview of the deductibles paid by logging in to Helsenorge. Here you must log in to "my health" where you will find all relevant information. The overview of paid deductibles must be attached to the application after a visit to your therapist. Remember that this overview must also show your name.

🧾 Are you applying for refund from treatment by a psychologist, chiropractor, physiotherapist, naprapath, osteopath or dentist? Attach an itemized receipt (what type of treatment you have received).

💉 Are you applying for a refund for a vaccine related to studies abroad? Upload confirmation from the educational institution + receipt for the vaccine.

🌎 Does the reimbursement apply to health expenses while studying abroad? Remember to attach confirmation from the educational institution.

🧑🏽‍🎓Upload a copy/picture of your student ID or receipt showing that you have paid the semester fee. You must be a registered student at the time of processing and application.

Find the guidelines for health expense refunds from SSN.

💵 We accept and process applications continuously and at least once per month. It may therefore take up to one month before your application is processed.

❌ Applications with incomplete or incorrect documentation will be rejected/returned.

📅 The application deadlines are February 1 for the fall semester and August 1 for the spring semester. If you have forgotten or attached incorrect documentation, the deadline for resubmission is one month after the deadline (March 1 / September 1).

Refunds paid on incorrect grounds can be claimed back.

Questions? [email protected]

🍆 Find information about STD-testing and free condoms on your campus here.

You can test yourself at the GP and at the youth health station in the municipality. It is FREE to get tested.
There are also a number of self-tests available, for example at the farmacy (these are not for free).
At helsenorge.no you can read more comprehensive information about free tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

No, it shouldn't hurt to get tested.

The testing method depends on what you are being tested for and your gender. Generally, it involves a thin cotton swab inserted into the vagina for women (like a COVID-19 test, just not in the nose) or a urine sample. For men, it's a urine sample for both chlamydia and gonorrhoea. If there is suspicion of transmission through oral sex or anal sex, samples are taken from the throat and rectum (using a cotton swab).

RFSU has good information on the different tests and what to expect during a potential examination with a doctor or nurse.

International students may use GP services in the host municipality. Read more about GP on Helsenorge.

How to get an appointment?

International students can get an appointment with the GP in one of three ways:

By contacting a GP in the city and asking for an appointment.
By contact the municipality, who will help you to find a GP who can offer a consultation.
If urgent medical attention is required: Contact the emergency care unit (116 117) or call 113 if it is critical.

Students from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland:

Students from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland are entitled to necessary medical attention at treatment locations associated with the public health service. Upon presentation of a European Health Insurance Card you will be charged the same amount as Norwegians pay for the same health service.

Students from countries outside the EU/EEA:

Students from countries outside the EU/EEA are not entitled to coverage for costs of medical treatment from the Norwegian National Insurance scheme and are not entitled to get their medical expences compensated. Students in this category must pay the excess/fee when using GP services in accordance with the standard tariff for patients not covered by the National Insurance scheme for each appointment/consultation.

Additional services such as taking blood samples or other medical procedures/tests are not included in this example. Students from outside the EU/EEA must pay the full cost of GP visits and seek a refund from their private travel insurance policy.

No, psychologists/counsellors at SSN cannot issue sick leave certificates, even if the need for sick leave may be due to health challenges related to their expertise.

For sick leave, you must contact your GP. If you do not have a GP, you must contact the emergency room (116 117).

You book the first appointment yourself in our online booking system.

NB. You need a D-number for online booking! Don't have a D-number? Call our Healthline at +47 31 00 84 44 to get help with booking.

Choose the campus you study at. If you are a student in Kongsberg, book your first appointment here (only digital appointments).
Then choose whether you want a digital or physical initial conversation.
Feel free to select "First available time" to see this. Click on the desired date and then time.
You will now be asked the question: "Do you want to book this appointment?" Select YES.
You will now be asked to enter your social security number. Once this has been registered, you will receive an SMS from SSN Helse, with a code to authenticate you. Enter the code and log in.
Your appointment will now be confirmed.
Later, you may change or cancel your appointment in the same booking system.

Cancel appointment?

Yes, you can. The main rule is that you should book an appointment for the counselling service at the campus you belong to, but if there is a long waiting list, you can schedule a digital appointment at one of the other campuses.

Go to booking.

N.B. If you are already a user of the counselling service, you can call the health helpline to get a new appointment. Read more about booking a new appointment.

If you already use the counselling service and need a new appointment, you can call our Healthline between 8.30 am and 2 pm: +47 31 00 84 44.

Are you a new user of the counselling service? Read more about how to book the first appointment here.

📍Student in Kongsberg? Read more about booking a new appointment at Braive here.

You cancel your appointment where you booked your first appointment - in Physica Timebestilling. You can also call our Healthline if you need help with cancelling.

Student in Kongsberg? Cancel with Braive.

Psychologist and/or counsellor is available for PHS students in Stavern. The service is either digital or physical.

Available appointments can easily be seen when you book your first appointment.

If you are already using SSN's counselling service, you can call the Health phone to book an appointment.

No, you do not have to pay to go to a psychologist / therapist at SSN Health. The service is free and an important part of SSN's welfare services for you who are a student in Southeast Norway.

The offer applies to students who have paid the semester fee to SSN and can present a valid student ID.

NB! If you cancel an appointment with SSN Health too late (you must cancel no later than 24 hours before), you will receive a fee.

If you arrive at a closed door with the therapist / psychologist, you can leave your telephone number with the service consultant in the SSN service office and you will receive a phonecall from us.

Find your service office and see the opening hours here.

No, there is no dental health service in SSN. BUT - remember that you can apply for reimbursement for health expenses if you have spent money on a dentist (or other practitioners). Read more about health reimbursement here.

NB! You may be entitled to a discount on dental care! This information is taken from HelseNorge:

When you are between 19 and 24 years old in the year of treatment, you should contact the public dental service. You may be entitled to cheaper dental treatment, regardless of when you were born.
If you turn 19 or 20 in the year of treatment and go to the public dental health service, you must pay 25 per cent of the costs yourself. The public sector covers the remaining 75 per cent according to tariffs set by the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
Young adults are entitled to an extended county dental health programme from the year they turn 21 up to and including the year they turn 24. This offer means that they pay 25 per cent according to tariffs set by the Ministry of Health and Care Services.

No, there is no physical psychologist present at the Hallingdal campus. But as a student at USN campus Hallingdal, who has paid the semester fee, you can take advantage of SSN's free counselling service. You can schedule the first session yourself by choosing a digital session and booking a time slot at one of the other campuses where there is availability.

If you are already in counselling at SSN Health and need a new appointment, you can call our Healthline for assistance.

Frequently asked questions: Health