Student accommodation
Whether you want to secure cheap or affordable student accommodation in Bergen near your campus (like UiB, HVL, or NHH) or need to navigate the local private rental market, this guide covers average monthly prices, housing options, and the legal steps to protect your tenant rights in Norway.
Many students in Bergen choose to live in the city centre, where both the university campus, shops, bars and leisure activities are within walking distance. Excellent housing options also exist just outside the city centre, close to the campuses of the other educational institutions across the city.
For most students, the two primary options are renting a room in a shared private apartment or living in dedicated student accommodation provided by Sammen (the student welfare organisation in Bergen). Rent varies depending on location and type of accommodation. If you are willing to live outside the city centre, 15–20 min by bus or light rail (Bybanen), rental prices are usually lower.
Sammen student housing in Bergen
Most international students live in student accommodation owned by Sammen. Sammen offer several housing alternatives scattered in and around the city centre, making it easy to live close to your specific campus.
Sammen manages 4000 accommodation units, mainly single or double rooms with private or shared bathroom and shared kitchen. They also provide studio apartments and larger apartments for families.
- Average rent: The normal price range for a single room in Sammen is NOK 3600–6000 per month.
- Fantoft Student Village: Many international students live at Fantoft, partly because this is the largest residence with 1100 units, and partly because the rent is low. Fantoft is located approx. 5 km south of Bergen city centre, and the light rail train (Bybanen) takes you there in 18 minutes.
Sammen's Housing Department has decades of experience in lodging students from all over the world. Renting through Sammen provides a secure tenancy, well-regulated contracts, and a community focused on creating a positive environment for its tenants.
Who qualifies for guaranteed housing?
The following students are guaranteed a room in a Sammen student home, provided that you apply before the deadline:
- Exchange students
- Self-financed Master’s degree students
- Students in other collaboration programmes with a minimum duration of 1 semester, MiB and ENE.
Navigating the private housing rental market in Bergen
If you prefer a private flat, or if you don’t qualify for guaranteed student housing, you can find accommodation on the private market. Keep in mind that the private rental market in Bergen is generally more expensive than student housing. For example a room in a shared apartment is around NOK 7100 per month (as of June 2026), and a private apartment in the city centre normally starts at 9000 NOK. If you are planning on studying in Norway for less than a year, subleasing a room in a shared apartment is a very common option.
Essential Norwegian rental terms for house hunting
When browsing local listings for rental properties, here are som common phrases:
- Annonse – advertisement / Listing
- Bolig til leie – Accommodation / property for rent
- Visning – Viewing/open house
- Rom i bofellsskap/kollektiv – A room in a shared house/apartment
- Langtidsleie – Long term rentals
- Korttidsleie – Short term rentals
- Leilighet – Apartment
- 3-roms – A flat with 2 bedrooms
- 2-roms – A flat with 1 bedroom
- Hybel – A room or small studio apartment (can have a private or shared bathroom and kitchen)
- Kollektiv – Shared house/apartment
- Jentekollektiv – All-female flatshare
- Guttekollektiv – All-male flatshare
- Møblert – Furnished
- Delvis møblert – Partly furnished
- Umøblert – Unfurnished
- Strøm inkludert – Electricity/heating included in rent
- Internett inkludert – Internet included in rent
Best websites to find private rentals in Norway
If you are looking for accommodation on the private market, there are several online platforms where listings are posted daily.
- Finn.no is the largest marketplace in Norway for property listings. Navigate to the “Bolig til leie” section.
- Hybel.no is platform that’s specialised for accommodation. They list rooms, flatshares, small studios and apartments.
Finding short-term rental of student housing in Bergen
Are you taking a summer course or going on a short exchange programme? Finding a short-term lease can be tricky, but here are some of your best options for short-term rentals in Norway:
- Sammen offers short-term rental for students – check their website for available spots
- HI Bergen Hostel Montana – offers student discounts and both short and longer housing agreements
- finn.no and hybel.no – look specifically for listings tagged with “Korttidsleie”, though keep in mind most private listings prefer long-term lease.
- Airbnb – flexible and easy to book, but generally more expensive
Pro tip: Post your own “Bolig ønskes led” (housing wanted) listing
If you can’t find any listings that match your housing criteria, you can place your own listing explaining what you’re looking for. Many landlords and flatshares use this to find tenants directly, instead of making a listing themselves.
- Use the tab “Leietakere” (tenants) on Hybel.no
- Use “Bolig ønskes leid” (housing wanted) on Finn.no.
What to include: A friendly photo and a short bio about yourself, including for example what you are studying and where (e.g at UiB, HVL, NHH, etc).
Legal checklist for property rentals. Things to know before you move in to rental accommodation in Norway
The Norwegian Tenancy Act (Husleieloven) protects the rights of tenants, but it’s important that you take precautions when you rent on the private market.
- Never sign a lease without a viewing
You should always have a viewing of the room or apartment before you sign a contract. If you are not able to go yourself, ask a local contact to check the property for you. - Make sure you have a written contract
Never rely on a verbal agreement, always ask for a standard written tenancy contract. The contract should specify details like deposit, amount of rent, duration of the lease, housing rules, etc.
Rental resource: You can download a free standard tenancy agreement from the Norwegian Consumer Council here. If you’re in a shared apartment with others, and you don’t have individual contracts, it’s recommended that you draw up an internal contract among roommates. - Document pre-exisiting damage or problems
On move-in day make sure you take clear timestamped photos of any damages or issues you see in the property, or with the appliances and furniture within the property. Make sure you notify the landlord straight away by e-mail, and keep the files on record. Keeping this record prevents the landlord from claiming pre-existing damages from your security deposit when you move out. - Always use a legal deposit account (Depositumskonto)
Never transfer money to landlord’s personal bank account, or pay the deposit in cash. A standard deposit is usually 2-3 months rent. By Norwegian Law this money must be held in a locked, official deposit account (depositumskonto) opened at a Norwegian bank. This account is in your name, and neither you nor the landlord can withdraw money from it without mutual agreement.
Useful resources
- Tenancy agreement in English from the Consumer Council. You will find more information in English about housing and Norwegian law on these pages.
- Jussformidlingen
- Husleietvistutvalget/Rent Disputes Tribunal
