international stude nt g u ide

Welcome
to Vestfold University College!

Your Very Own Guide:

a Buddy
The staff at the VUC wishes you a memorable and pleasant stay in Norway. In this guide you will find practical information about immigration procedures, the campus life and basic advice on living in Norway. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need help. We are here for you. We have a group of dedicated students ready to help our international students. They will meet you at the Orientation Day and get you registered. You can contact your buddy if you need practical information about VUC or just about living in Norway. Your buddy is only happy to help you. How to Find the Campus and Your Accomodation? Vestfold University College is located at Bakkenteigen in the municipality of Horten. It is approximately 15 km north of the town of Tnsberg and 6 km south of Horten. Below we are sketching out some of the options you have to get to where classes are and to where you will be living during your studies at Vestfold University College. Airports Oslo has three different airports. The largest one, Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), is located approximately 50 km north of Oslo. It is Norways largest airport and has the most international connections. To get to Bakkenteigen campus from Gardermoen, the easiest way is to take the train to Tnsberg from the bottom floor of the airport (approximately a two hour ride) and go on from there by bus. The train schedules (Oslo Gardermoen to Tnsberg) may be found here: http://www.nsb. no/?lang=en_US The second one, and the one nearest to Bakkenteigen, is Sandefjord Torp Airport (TRF). From Torp you can take the train to Tnsberg (17 minutes ride) and take the bus from Tnsberg to Bakkenteigen. Our third Oslo airport is located in Rygge in the county of stfold. You may take the local train or a shuttle bus from Rygge to Moss and go by ferry to Horten from there. From Horten, you may also take the bus V-01 or V-02 to Bakkenteigen.

www.hive.no/english for most current information.

From the Train Station to Campus After leaving the train at Tnsberg station, there is a 150 m walk to the central bus station (ask directions of any Norwegian, they speak English). You may either take the bus V-01 or V-02 towards Bakkenteigen. For the schedules, see: http://www.vkt.no/Rutetabeller/ Vestfold.aspx Student Accomodation The student housing society Studentsamskipnaden i Vestfold www.siv.hive.no administers the student housing. For further information, see this web page. You may also want to go directly to your student housing before coming to campus. From the Train Station to the Student Housing-office (NOTE: the Housing Office will be moving to Campus Bakkenteigen, Spring 2011). After leaving the train at Tnsberg station, there is a 150 m walk to the central bus station (ask directions of any Norwegian, they speak English). You will get there by taking bus V-01 or V-02 from Tnsberg and get off at the bus stop called Borre. You will find SIV housing in a building across the street called Herredshuset. Address: Gannestadveien 2, 3184 Borre. http://maps.google.no/ maps?hl=no&tab=wl

You will get there by taking bus V-01 or V-02 and get off at the bus stop called Borre Kirkebakken. From there, it is a couple of hundred meters walk to your left if you take the bus from Tnsberg or the equivalent to your right if you get off the bus from Hortenbefore you reach Klokkergrden. It is located approximately 2 km in walking distance from campus Bakkenteigen This complex is located just north of the town centre of Horten. You will get there by catching the V-01 or V-02 bus from Tnsberg and by ferry from Moss if you land in Oslo Rygge airport.

Horten Ollebakken

Tnsberg Kaldnes

These housing facilities are located in Tnsberg, approximately a fifteen minute walk from Tnsberg train station heading soutwards and across the bay area in Tnsberg. If You Arrive Late or on a Weekend (Student Housing Office closes at 3:30 pm on weekdays, weekends closed) If you by any chance come to Norway late at night, the buses may have stopped going and/or the student houses may have closed for the night. We would then recommend you to stay the night at reasonable prices in hostels or hotels in Oslo, Horten or Tnsberg. By using these links you can view different hotels and their prices:

Borre Klokkergrden

Oslo: hotels.com Tnsberg: Tnsberg Vandrerhjem Address: Dronning Blancasgate 22, 3111 Tnsberg Phone: +47 33 31 21 75, email: tonsberg@hihostels.no. Public transportation: both bus 01 and 02 go to Campus Bakkenteigen (and student housing in Klokkergrden) from Tnsberg Bus station. Information Folder You will receive an information package from us when you arrive to the university college. Pay special attention to immigration procedures and the housing information. Orientation Day If you are arriving before the official date for semester start, you will be able to attend our Orientation Day and participate in the fun of the Welcoming Week (Welcoming Week is held in the beginning of Fall semester). We hold a more informal orientation with each group arriving for the Spring term as well. The Student Service Center The staff at each local faculty administration or the Student Service Center (Hgskoletorget) will be glad to assist you in matters concerning registration, student identity card, e-mail addresses, registration for examinations, issuing of academic transcripts, and any other general academic or practical information. Student ID Card All students should have a student ID card. Student ID cards are issued on the Orientation Day. You must

pay the semester fee and register for the semester before you may receive the card.. Note: all exchange students are exempted from paying the semester fee, but they must be registered. For degree-seeking international students: when the fee is paid you bring your receipt and a valid identification with a photo (passport, bank card or drivers licence) to the Student Service Center (Hgskoletorget) and you will get a sticker on your student ID card. You will find the invoice for the fees on Student Web (accessible after you have registered). Student Housing You have been instructed to reserve a room at the Student Housing on the Student Welfare Organisation in Vestfold (SIV)s web pages: http://siv.hive.no/?lang=en_GB Monthly Rent There are a few things that you should be aware of about the payment: The rent must be paid the 15th of every month. You must pay for half of the month in advance. Invoices are sent to every tenant. You can either pay the invoices by transferring money from your bank account, or pay with your credit/debit card, or in cash at the Housing Office. The first rent has to be paid before arrival or in cash when you collect the key.

Moving Out Earlier than Agreed? Remember, there is two months notice. Coping with Housemates It is always a challenge trying to adapt to new housemates, but it might even be harder when you are from different cultures, so here are a few things to think about: Do your dishes every day, clean the cooker after you have used it. Make sure that the toilet is clean. Clean the apartment once a week (using hot water and soap). Whether it is cleaning supplies, toilet paper, food, kitchenware etc, always ask if you may borrow other students property. Residence Permit - Registration at the Police Ofice All international students, with the exception of students from EU/EEA countries staying in Norway for less than three months, and students from the Nordic countries, must report to the at the local police station within 7 days of arrival in Norway. All ERASMUS students or students from EEA must have a valid passport for the duration of their stay. EEA/EU nationals no longer need to apply for residence permits in Norway. It is sufficient that they register on the web site: udi.no and register at the local police station at least within a week after arrival.

Street addresses of police stations in Horten and Tnsberg are: Police station in Horten: Langgate 7 Police station in Tnsberg: Baglergaten 2 The maps matching the addresses can be generated here: http://kart. gulesider.no/ Norwegian Social Security Number After registration at the police station, students residing in Norway for six months or more must apply for a Norwegian social security number. This is issued by the National Population Register. You have to have this number in order to get a bank account in Norway. Erasmus/ ISEP exchange students staying less than 6 months in Norway do not have to apply for social security number at the National Population Register. The street addresses of the population offices in Horten and Tnsberg are: Tnsberg: Anton Jensensvei 12 Horten: the Town Hall (Rdhuset). Working in Norway As a student you are normally granted a part-time work permit with the first time-residence permit. This permit allows you to work up to 20 hours per week, and fulltime employment during ordinary holidays. When applying for a renewal of the student permit you need to enclose a statement from your educational provider that the work is not considered to interfere with your studies.

All other students must bring their

passport (visa is already granted) and report your address in Norway. In this pamphlet your will find maps of both Horten and Tnsberg indicating where the police stations and the population offices/ registrars are located.

You are required to have a tax card when working in Norway. You can obtain this card from the tax assessment office in your town. In Horten: Skatt Sr Horten: Apotekergata 3187 Horten In Tnsberg: Skatt Sr Tnsberg Anton Jenssensgt. 8, 3125 Tnsberg Career Services at VUC The Career Services at VUC helps students to find a job during and after their studies at VUC. This office assists students throughout the job search process. The Career Services office is located on the bottom floor on Campus Bakkenteigen together with the International Relations Office. Please note that it is quite difficult to find a part-time job in Norway unless you can speak Norwegian. Health, Medical aid and Insurance It is the students own responsibility to make insurance arrangements for any accident, illness, injury, loss or damage to persons or property resulting from, or in any way connected with, the study period in Norway. General travel, luggage and accident insurance is recommended during your stay in Norway. Health Insurance and Health Care Students from EU/EEA countries must have social security coverage from their home country. They must obtain the European Health Insurance Card entitling them to

medical treatment in accordance with the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme. For further information about the card please contact the nearest insurance office in your home country. Voluntary Enrolment in the Norwegian Health Scheme International students from other parts of the world may apply for voluntary enrolment in the Norwegian National Health Scheme after arrival. Fill out and send in the forms you will find at www.nav.no. If you intend to study in Norway more than 12 months, you may enrol at the beginning of your stay. Note: Services such as dental care are not covered in the insurance scheme so we recommend you buy an accident coverage in your insurance. The students who are eligible for this will find the application form for The Norwegian National Insurance scheme in hive.no/english. The Personal Doctor System (Fastlegeordningen) gives all residents of Norway the right to have one specific doctor as their personal doctor. If you are staying for more than 6 months, it is important that the International Relations Office receives your social security number in order to register you in the personal doctor system. You will then be assigned one. For students who are spending less than six months in Norway, the easiest way to see a doctor will be to call the Emergency clinic between the hours of

2 pm and 8 am Monday-Friday, or Sat-Sun all day/night. There is no special health centre for students at Vestfold University College. The European Health Insurance Card and/or the student card should be presented at each consultation. You should note that the insurance is limited to the cost within the public insurance scheme and will not cover additional expenses for the private doctors/clinics that are not attached to this scheme. For all categories of students the insurance covers regular medical consultations, except for a nominal fee to be paid by the patient. It also covers hospitalization in Norway. Note that the Norwegian National Health Scheme will not be valid when travelling outside Norway, so you need to buy a regular travel insurance when travelling outside Norway. ISEP exchange students: the coverage provided by ISEPs Health Insurance Scheme covers the medical insurance needs while in Norway. Tuberculosis All persons from a country with a high risk of tuberculosis who will be residing in Norway for more than 3 months are required to take a tuberculosis control at the local health centre immediately upon arrival in Norway. No charge is made for these tests. This also applies to persons returning from a stay of more than 3 months in a country with a high risk of tuberculosis. The control consists of a tuberculin (skin) test (Mantoux Test) by the local health office and an X-ray of the lungs by a national hospital. After the registration at the aliens office the police will notify the municipal

doctor and you will receive a letter with the time and date for your tuberculosis test. Note: The timing of the two parts of the Mantoux Test is crucial - first the test and 72 hours later the results must be measured. Persons from Western Europe and certain other countries with declared tuberculosis status do not normally need to take a tuberculosis test. Documentation required by students: Travel document with valid resident permit Post address and student e-mail address in Norway Personal medical documentation if deemed relevant by the student Dental Care Contact the Information desk at SIV for a list of available dentists. MRSA Test - for Students at the Faculty of Health Sciences All students doing clinical practice must take an MRSA test. You can have it taken prior to leaving your home country, but then you must not enter a hospital again after being tested. Results must be faxed to the Faculty of Health here at the college. You can otherwise take the test immediately upon arrival in Norway (between Monday - Friday). As it takes two days to receive the results, you will not be allowed to begin your clinical work before receiving a negative result. Health Services at VUC VUC offers a wide variety of health services for all our students which includes student priest, nurse, midwife, mental health professional. All these services are offered, of course, free of charge.

Students with Special Needs VUC has a well-defined policy and written and practiced routines regarding students with special needs such as dyslexia or hearing impairment. If there are special needs students coming to VUC they will be identified at the application stage and VUC has an ample time to prepare for the arrival of such students. The students will be referred to the appropriate specialist support staff who will ensure that the required facilities are put in place to fully cater for the students needs. Emergency Telephone Numbers Ambulance 113 Police 112 Fire 110 Emergency clinic in Horten: 33 08 70 00 Emergency clinic in Tnsberg: 33 31 63 50 Libraries and Reading rooms Vestfold University College has a library situated on the campus. The library is networked, with CD ROM services and on-line search facilities. There are reading rooms and rooms for study with user-friendly opening hours. Bookstore There is a bookstore on campus. Here you will find the books you need for your courses and much more. Campus Opening Hours Mondays Thursdays: 7 am 9 pm Fridays: 7 am 8 pm Saturdays: 10 am 2 pm Sundays: Closed

The activated student card (Please see section: Electronic Services) gives you access to the working stations between 6 am and 11 pm seven days a week. Credit System and Grading Scale Courses are measured in studiepoeng corresponding to the ECTS standard. Grades for undergraduate and postgraduate examinations are awarded according to a graded scale from A (highest) to F (fail), with E as the minimum pass grade. A pass/ fail mark is given for some examinations. Teaching and Examination Teaching is carried out in various forms, such as lectures, seminars, group work, laboratory work and independent studies. The teaching emphasizes the students responsibility and individual performance, and the grades obtained generally reflect the entire participation in the course, not only the final examination. See the rules and regulations governing examinations at www.hive.no. Academic Culture Norwegian students enjoy a great deal of freedom in their studies. The emphasis on independent study and individual planning does, however, place a considerable responsibility on the individual to organise and plan his/her time. The relation between students and teachers can be described as informal. Students do not use their teachers titles, and they are also encouraged to ask questions both in and out of the classroom, as well as comment on things they disagree with. The dress code is informal.

Norwegian Language Course Vestfold University College offers a Norwegian course each semester, free of tuition fee, depending on the demand. We strongly recommend you to attend this course. You may also do self-study courses on tape, video and Norwegian programmes on Television. A Linguaphone course Bridges to Norway is available at our library. Registration Your student account consists of a password and a user ID. When you have activated the account with your S-number and your student number, you will have access to all the electronic services at the University College including your own e-mail, web page, your own space on the server to save your documents safely etc. Once your student account is activated, you may register for the term under Registrations on Studentweb. If you have any questions about the electronic services or access to campus and its facilities, please take contact with Student Help: 3303 12 44. Computer Guide For more information on how to log in etc. kindly check the Computer Guide at www.hive.no/english Whats On? The International Relations Office provides you with information about activities planned for the whole student body, and about those especially designed for our foreign guests. We have called our information on our web pages Whats On?. Try to keep your eye

on the web page under Currents Students so you wont miss out on the fun. Your buddies will arrange pizza evenings, sightseeing trips, weekends at the cabin and other gettogethers for all the international students. This is a great meeting place for both you and your Norwegian friends. Please, let your buddy know if you have special wishes. The Student Welfare Organisation The Student Welfare Organisation (SIV) runs campus services, such as cafeterias that serve warm and cold meals, book stores, accommodation services, two day-care centres and the social counselling service. The organisation also rents out two cabins in the mountains at very modest rates. All students with a valid student identity card are members of the Student Welfare Organisation.

Contact information:

The Student Welfare Organisation (SIV) Phone: + 47 33 03 12 30 Fax: + 47 33 07 08 64 Email: siv@hive.no Homepage: http://siv.hive.no Feeling LowNeed to Talk to Someone? SIV provides free counselling service for students. The counsellor is professional and experienced in listening and counselling about difficulties regarding your situation as a student, or other problems you might have.

The service is free of charge, and professional confidentiality is, of course, guaranteed. To book an appointment: Phone: 33 03 12 30 Refund of Health Care Expenses You may get some of your health care expenses from dentists, doctors, psychologist, physiotherapists or chiropractors refunded by SIV. Contact SIV to get application forms and terms. The Student Society (Studentsamfunnet) organizes most of the sports and social activities for students. There is a wide variety of activities and organisations at the college where students can meet. The sports activities vary from soccer, volleyball, handball, mountain climbing to swimming and so on. Since the students organize these activities, there are variations from year to year. The student society also organizes a student disco (Student Kro) every other Thursday at a disco in Tnsberg. These gatherings are very popular among the Norwegian students and it is a great opportunity to meet fellow students. International students are, of course, welcome to take part in the many social or sports activities. A membership costs NOK 300, - a year or NOK 150, - for a semester. The membership gives discounts to concerts and student discos as well as good deals in different shops in Horten and Tnsberg. You can also become a member of one of the groups that helps organize the different social activities. You can buy you membership card at the

Student Society located on Campus Bakkenteigen, bottom floor, next to the Copy center.

Contact information:

post@studentsamfunnet.no Tel: 3303 1238 You may purchase your membership card in the Student Society on the Orientation Day. Transportation

Buses

Route 01 and 02 from Horten , sgrdstrand and Tnsberg to Campus Bakkenteigen.

Bus Card

There is a small fee for the electronic card. This card can be bought at Narvesen kiosk at Sjsiden Shopping Center in Horten or at Farmandstredet Shopping Center in Tnsberg. The card is valid on all local busses in Vestfold. You can buy a refill on the bus every month. Check bus schedules and fees here: www.vkt.no

Bicycles

You can rent a nice bicycle at the VUC library for NOK 125 a month. It is expected that you return the bicycle in the same condition that you got it. Banking Exchange students staying longer than 6 months: in order to get a bank account in Norway, you need a social security number. After you have received your social security number from the authorities, you can go to a bank of your choice to open an account.

Students staying in Norway less than 6 months are not eligible for a social security number. If you need a bank account, ask the bank to apply for a "D - number" on your behalf, a simplified version of the social security number. It takes up to four weeks to receive this D number. For students staying for 3 to 6 months it might be just as well to use your Visa/Credit card from your bank at home. There is an ATM machine for cash withdrawal on Campus Bakkenteigen. Mobile Phones If you bring your own mobile phone with you, it is cheaper to get a Norwegian SIM card and buy prepaid cards. However, if your phone is locked to a mobile phone company in your home country, you must contact them to unlock your phone before you buy a Norwegian SIM card. You can buy prepaid cards at gas stations, in most grocery shops, kiosks and in shops selling mobile phones and other electronic equipment. At the latter you can also buy a SIM card. Travel Discounts In most cases students are entitled to reduced fairs at domestic flights with airlines, boats, ferries and the Norwegian State Railway (NSB), provided they have a valid Student Identity Card. For discounts on international flights, special discount cards should be obtained from Kilroy Travels.

KILROY Travels Nedre Slottsgate 23, 1057 Oslo Phone: +47 815 59633 (Mon-Fri 08-18) Students get discounts to most concerts, theatres and museums and galleries in Norway. Remember you must show your student card to get your discounts. Useful Links

www.norway.com www.visitnorway.com www.visiteastnorway.no

Official link to Norway:

Traveling in Vestfold:

www.visittonsberg.com www.visithorten.com www.visitsandefjord.com www.visitlarvik.com

Trains: Busses:

www.nsb.no www.vkt.no

Airport Sandefjord Torp:

www.torp.no Airport Oslo Gardermoen: http://www.osl.no/

Norwegian Educational Fund:

www.lanekassen.no Directorate of Immigration: www.udi.no

New in Norway?

www.nyinorge.no The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration: www.nav.no

Useful Contacts International Relations Office international@hive.no Phone: + 47 3303 7640

Faculty International Coordinators Faculty of Education and the Humanities Vibeke Bredahl Email: vibeke.bredahl@hive.no Phone: + 47 33 03 14 54 Faculty of Technology and Maritime Sciences Ingrid Aubell Email: Ingrid.Aubell@hive.no Phone: + 47 33 03 11 55 Sanda Knutson E-mail: Sanda.Knutson@hive.no Phone: + 47 33 03 1170 Faculty of Health Science Karol Svane Phone: 3303 1251 E-mail: Karol.Svanoe@hive.no

Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences Lasse Berntzen Email: lasse.berntzen@hive.no Phone: + 47 33 03 12 25 Dorothee Witte Phone: 3303 1198 E-mail: Dorothee.Witte@hive.no Housing Phone: + 47 3303 1371 Email: bolig.siv@hive.no Immigration - Residence Permits and Visas Norwegian Directorate of Immigration Web. www.udi.no Email: udi@udi.no Phone: 00 47 23351500

Your buddys phone number: ................................................................... Notes: