Exemption, exception and accommodation are three different routes. The municipality decides on exemption from a training or test obligation that still applies to you. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) assesses exceptions to the test requirements for permanent residence. The test centre decides how a test can be accommodated.
Who decides on exemptions, exceptions and accommodations?
First find out which requirement you need help with. The three arrangements have different rules and documents. The rules below were checked on 1 October 2026.
| What you need | Who decides? | What is the result? |
|---|---|---|
| Exemption from the duty to attend training or take a final test under the Integration Act or former Introduction Act | The municipality where you are registered as resident | A municipal decision exempting you from the relevant obligation |
| Exception from the requirement to pass an oral Norwegian test or social studies test for permanent residence | The police or UDI handling your residence case | An assessment of the test requirement in your permanent residence application |
| Accommodation when you are taking a test | The test centre | An adjusted test; the test requirement remains |
From 1 September 2025, UDI no longer requires completed Norwegian or social studies training as a condition for permanent residence. The main rule for applicants aged 18 to 67 is still to pass an oral Norwegian test at least at A2 level and pass the social studies test in a language they understand. A separate duty to attend training under the Integration Act may still apply to you. See the overview of permanent residence requirements.
When should you ask the municipality for an exemption from training?
Municipal exemption applies to your duty under the Integration Act or Introduction Act. Check your decision letter and ask adult education which law, obligation and deadline apply to you. An exemption from training and an exemption from the duty to take a test are not necessarily the same decision. Ask for the decision to state exactly what you are exempt from.
You can ask the municipality to assess documented knowledge, special health reasons or other weighty grounds. The documentation requirements depend on which obligation applies to you. For example, Oslo Adult Education states that the municipality only considers exemptions while the obligation is still in force. For social studies, Oslo describes a one-year deadline and asks people whose deadline has expired to contact UDI. This explains Oslo's process; it does not promise that all municipalities use the same application form.
Practical step: Find your municipality's adult education page. Ask in writing whether you have a duty to attend training, a duty to take a final test, or both. Attach previous decisions and ask which certificates, test results or health information the municipality needs. A municipal exemption decision may be relevant when UDI assesses the test requirement for permanent residence. It does not mean that all other permanent residence requirements cease to apply.
Can UDI grant exceptions from tests for permanent residence?
Yes. UDI and the police can assess an exception from the test requirement as part of the permanent residence application itself. This applies to both oral Norwegian and social studies. The older claim that UDI exceptions apply only to citizenship is incorrect.
For social studies, UDI mentions, among other things, a social studies grade from Norwegian lower secondary school, a social studies grade from upper secondary education, a relevant assessment of prior learning, and at least 10 credits in subjects that provide knowledge about Norway. Completed studies in Norwegian or Sami at a university or university college in Norway may also be relevant. UDI also grants an exception if you have a valid municipal decision exempting you from the duty to attend training or take the final social studies test.
If your health or personal circumstances prevent you, you must explain why you cannot pass the test, even with accommodation. UDI says that a recent attempt at the test matters to its assessment. You should therefore not assume that a diagnosis, little schooling or dyslexia automatically gives you an exception.
Use UDI's main form for exceptions from tests for permanent residence. Attach the supplementary form from a health professional for health reasons, or from a school, teacher, speech therapist or educational-psychological service for learning circumstances, when relevant. Submit the documents with your permanent residence application. The municipality's exemption form and UDI's exception form cannot be used interchangeably.
What can the test centre accommodate?
Accommodation helps you demonstrate what you know in a fair way. It does not exempt you from passing. Contact the test centre when you register and describe what makes the ordinary test difficult. The guide to accommodated tests explains more practical options.
The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) distinguishes between local adjustments and special accommodation. The test centre can make local adjustments, such as changing the font size or using recorded audio, without an application. You must apply to the test centre for special accommodation. This may include extra time or a separate room. Contact the test centre as soon as possible, no later than three days after you registered. Attach a statement from a doctor, psychologist, educational-psychological service or speech therapist. Documentation must be in Norwegian or English, or translated by an authorised translator.
An oral test may be appropriate in special cases, for example if reading skills are weak. The person responsible for the test makes the decision. HK-dir explicitly says that an oral test by itself does not require a medical statement; the documentation requirement applies to special accommodation. Do not confuse this with an application for an exception from UDI.
Which route should you choose first?
Start with the requirement that is actually blocking you. Use this list before sending documents:
- Read your residence decision and UDI's requirements for your application. Check whether you have a municipal training obligation and whether you are missing a test result.
- Do you already have school documentation or an exemption decision? Compare it with UDI's list of exceptions. Ask the municipality only about an obligation it can still decide on.
- Can you take the test with help? Contact the test centre early. Ask for a local adjustment or apply for special accommodation before the deadline.
- Could you still not pass an accommodated test? Read UDI's exception rules and gather the right documentation before your appointment with the police.
To understand the test format, use SamfunnPrep's guide to the social studies test. SamfunnPrep can help you practise if taking the test is the right route for you. If you need an exemption or exception, the municipality and UDI are the right places to have your case assessed.
SamfunnPrep is an independent practice resource and is not affiliated with HK-dir.
