If you are ill on the day of the social studies test, contact the test centre as soon as possible. Send a medical certificate or sick note there within seven days after the test date. If your absence is valid and documented, you may get a new free test at the same centre or ask for a refund.
What should you do if you are ill on the social studies test day?
Contact the test centre where you are registered. The test centre handles cancellations, documentation and a new date. The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) says this on its page about registering for the test. The rules below were checked on 1 October 2026.
Follow these steps in order:
- Find your invitation and the test centre's contact details. Call or write on the same day if you can.
- Say that you are ill and cannot attend the scheduled test. Ask how to send documentation securely.
- Obtain a medical certificate or sick note documenting your absence on the test day.
- Send the documentation within seven days after the test date, under chapter 7.3 of HK-dir's 2026 test regulations.
- Ask the test centre to confirm whether you can have a new free date at the same location or get the test fee refunded.
This means more than simply deleting an appointment from your calendar. The test centre must know that you will not attend and register the absence as valid. Keep a record of when you sent the message and documentation. Share health information only through the channel recommended by the test centre.
Do you have to pay for a new date?
With documented valid absence due to illness, you can take a new test without paying again at the same test centre. For the social studies test, the test centre may offer a later date of its choice. HK-dir's regulations also say that candidates with documented valid absence must have the test fee returned if they request a refund. Clarify with the centre which option you want and how it will be arranged.
HK-dir's candidate page gives a shorter explanation: registration is binding, but with a sick note you can take the test later without paying again. The detailed test regulations specify the seven-day deadline, that a new free test must be at the same test centre, and the option to request a refund. It is therefore important to send the documentation in time, even if you have already reported your illness by phone.
Example: The test is on 10 October. You become ill that morning and notify the test centre. Send a medical certificate or sick note to the centre within seven days after the test date, that is, no later than 17 October, and ask for a written reply about a new date or refund. If the documentation does not say that illness prevented you from attending that day, ask the test centre what it needs.
What if you are late or have another reason you cannot attend?
You must arrive on time. HK-dir's candidate rules say you cannot take the test if you arrive after it has started. The invitation gives the time and location. Read it carefully, plan your journey and arrive well in advance. The page about the test format and test day has a practical overview.
If the bus is delayed, your child suddenly needs help, or for another reason you cannot attend, call the test centre immediately. Do not assume that all such situations entitle you to a free new test or refund. Ask the centre to explain what documentation and rules apply to your absence. Ordinary lateness is not the same as documented illness.
| Situation | First action | Payment and new date |
|---|---|---|
| Illness with a medical certificate/sick note | Notify the centre and send proof within seven days | A new free test at the same centre or a refund on request under the regulations. |
| Late after the test has started | Contact the test centre immediately | You cannot take the test already in progress; ask the centre what applies next. |
| Another reason you cannot attend | Contact the test centre as soon as possible | Ask for a specific assessment of documentation, registration and fee. |
A short message you can send
Include your name and test date, but do not send your full national identity number in an unsecured email.
Subject: Absence from the social studies test [date]
Hello. I am registered for the social studies test with you on [date and time]. I am ill and cannot attend. How do I cancel, and how can I securely send a medical certificate or sick note? Can you confirm the deadline and whether I can get a new free date at the same test centre or request a refund of the test fee? Kind regards, [name and phone number].
If the test date has already passed, state the actual date and explain when you became ill. Send the documentation before the deadline and ask for confirmation that it has been received. If the matter is about another reason than illness, adapt the message and ask about local procedures.
When you receive a new test date
Check that the date, location, language choice and identity details are correct. If the test is part of an application for permanent residence, also check when the result may arrive and whether your temporary residence permit needs renewal. A new test date does not extend your residence permit.
You can use SamfunnPrep to review the material while you wait. SamfunnPrep cannot change your test date or fee; the test centre does that. Once you are feeling better and the new date is confirmed, you can try SamfunnPrep for free if you want more practice.
