Lånekassen assesses academic delay by comparing the education you received support for with what you passed. If you are more than 60 credits behind, you normally cannot receive further loans and grants. You can catch up or ask for a documented exception to be assessed.

What does academic delay mean at Lånekassen?

Academic delay means you have passed less education than you received support for. This can happen when you fail, miss an examination or interrupt your studies.

Lånekassen is the state scheme for education loans and grants. It considers previous support and results, including when you start another study programme. A new admission letter therefore does not remove an earlier delay. These rules concern education eligible for basislån, the ordinary student loan.

As of 7 October 2026, the threshold is more than 60 credits. Exactly 60 credits does not lead to rejection under this threshold alone. You must still meet other support conditions. Lånekassen explains this in its academic delay guidance⁠.

An ordinary full-time year in higher education is 60 credits. However, delay is not simply the number of calendar years you have studied. For background on choosing studies and funding, see SamfunnPrep's guide to higher education and Lånekassen.

How do you calculate your delay?

Start by finding how much education you received support for and how many credits you passed. Ask Lånekassen to check the calculation if your study history is complicated.

Sign in to Dine sider at Lånekassen. Find the decision letters for previous semesters. They show the education and period covered by support. Also check which results are registered under examinations and degrees.

Make a simple overview:

  • semesters and institutions you received support for
  • credits covered by the support
  • credits passed and examination dates
  • courses missing from the record
  • periods of illness or other possible exceptions.

A simplified example: You received support for 120 credits but have passed 50. The difference is 70 credits. You are then 10 credits above the threshold of 60.

The example shows the calculation, not a decision on your support. Older education, part-time studies and different course types can complicate the overview. Ask Lånekassen which support periods and results it used. Do not count only from the start of your new programme. Lånekassen has separate exceptions for upper secondary grants under the youth education entitlement and for certain pupils under 21. Ask for a check if your history includes such support.

When can you receive loans and grants again?

You can normally receive support again after catching up on enough education without Lånekassen support. Under current guidance, support can start in the semester after your delay falls to 60 credits or less.

You do not always need to take precisely the old courses you failed. Lånekassen states that passing enough credits is what matters. Your institution must also clarify which courses you can take and how they fit your degree.

In the example with a 70-credit delay, you must pass at least 10 credits to reach 60. If you catch up in autumn, spring is normally the first possible semester with support again. You must still meet the other conditions.

Plan both examinations and finances. Find the examination date, when results arrive and when you need money for the next semester. A course finishing later than you expect can change funding for that period.

Ask for written clarification before planning on a new payment. Paying the semester fee does not itself confirm an entitlement to student support.

Can illness or other circumstances allow an exception?

Yes, documented circumstances can allow an exception to the delay threshold. Lånekassen considers circumstances including illness, childbirth and disability where missing adjustments caused the delay.

Other special reasons may also be relevant. This does not mean every difficult period automatically allows an exception. Lånekassen must assess the cause, documentation and connection with your studies.

Explain which semesters and courses were affected. Ask what documents your case requires. Documentation should show the period and why you could not complete your studies as planned.

For missing adjustments, correspondence with your institution can be useful. Collect requests, replies and dates. Send sensitive health information through the channel Lånekassen specifies, and only relevant documentation.

If you have repaid the old student loan, Lånekassen states that you can receive new loans and grants even with a delay exceeding 60 credits. The ordinary rules apply if you later become too far behind again.

If your application is rejected, read the reasons and appeal information. Oral advice from another student does not replace Lånekassen's assessment. You can ask for a specific error or missing information to be checked.

What happens to grants for courses you did not pass?

Loans for education you have not passed are not converted into grants based on those courses. If you catch up within four years, conversion may still be possible under Lånekassen's rules as of 7 October 2026.

This is separate from your entitlement to new payments. Previous conversion can be an issue even if you are not applying for support for another semester. Income, assets and other conditions can also affect conversion.

Find which academic year the conversion letter concerns. Check whether results from your new examination are registered. Then ask whether those results can be used for the earlier support period.

Do not treat the entire amount paid as a gift. A loan remains debt until Lånekassen has actually converted it into a grant. The current standard terms⁠ explain the loan and grant agreement.

What if the calculation looks wrong?

Ask for a specific breakdown of the calculation and send evidence of missing results. Distinguish a recording error from an application for an exception.

For example, you can write: “I would like to check my academic delay. Which support periods and passed credits have you used? I have attached my June examination result. Please also tell me which documents you need to assess my period of illness.”

Keep decisions, the results overview and the reply in one folder. This makes planning your next examination and showing what has already been clarified easier. SamfunnPrep's tools for life in Norway can help with other practical tasks while you arrange your study plan.