The corona pandemic is developing rapidly and we are in a serious and increasingly unpredictable situation. Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD) has therefore advised all Norwegian citizens travelling abroad to consider returning home as soon as possible (only available in Norwegian) in consultation with their travel agency or airline.

Recommend that you travel home to Norway

In line with the advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs NTNU strongly recommend that all NTNU students who are outside Norway return home.

This applies regardless of country.

Please reply urgently to tell us what you are thinking of doing, to one of the addresses listed under the section "Reply to NTNU". This is especially important if you have changed your mind during the past few days.

We will help you as best we can in this demanding situation, both with organizing your home journey and with other practical challenges.

If you need consular assistance, for example if you are facing challenges in travelling home or with travel documents and visas, contact the Norwegian foreign service mission where you are.

NTNU also has an agreement with Sjømannskirken, the Norwegian Church Abroad, which allows you to get help from them. Sjømannskirken has a useful app with an overview of all local emergency numbers, wherever you are in the world. The app is free and you can find it by searching for "sjømannskirken" or "nødnummer" (emergency number) in your app store.

Note that everyone who arrives in Norway from abroad will be quarantined for 14 days.

When is it best to stay where you are?

If you are ill, you should stay where you are. If you are an international master’s student and you are in your home country (for example, doing fieldwork), you should stay where you are.

If you choose to stay, you will still receive close follow-up from NTNU in Norway. As far as we can, we will help you so that you can safely stay where you are. Contact your insurance company to make sure that your insurance policy covers you under these exceptional circumstances.

Avoid getting stuck on the way home

When you plan your return journey, it is important to keep in mind that many countries have now closed their borders. On the way home to Norway, some of you may also need to connect from one flight to another in places with a higher risk of infection than where you are now, and there may be a real danger of being stuck at an airport.

Coverage of return journey

Because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged all Norwegian citizens who are travelling abroad to consider returning home as soon as possible, extra costs for your return journey can be covered either by the travel company, or by your travel insurance. Check the rights included with your travel insurance policy.

NTNU has also guaranteed that the university will cover other additional costs. This applies to work-related travel, research visits and study abroad organized through NTNU. The university does not cover the costs of return journeys after personal travel.

Students on exchange who don't have the funds to pay for their journey home can book the trip via Berg Hansen and the invoice will be sent to NTNU.

Loans and grants will not stop

The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) will continue paying loan and grant funding to students who must return home because of the coronavirus situation. The Ministry of Education and Research will change the regulations on funding for education so that those who, due to the coronavirus, cannot be physically present at the educational institution abroad will still have the right to loans and grants. Follow the Loan Fund's website lanekassen.no for updated information.

Recognition of exchange visits

Many of you have concerns about how you can complete your semester and get recognition for it when you cancel your exchange visit. NTNU will make arrangements for specific recognition of studies in a flexible way.

In addition, the university where you are studying abroad may offer digital education that you can follow. We will also make arrangements for students to be granted delayed registration for courses at NTNU.

Reply to NTNU

We ask everyone who receives this email to reply to your faculty (see contact addresses below) about the status of your stay and what plans you have for returning home, or for staying where you are. We also ask you to reply if you are staying in Norway when you receive this email.

Contact us via the faculty you belong to at the following addresses:

Note: Calls must be made during NTNU working hours 08:00–15:45 (Norwegian time)

Faculty of Architecture and Design (AD): studier@ad.ntnu.no

Faculty of Humanities (HF): studieseksjonen@hf.ntnu.no

Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (IE): beredskap@ie.ntnu.no

Faculty of Engineering (IV): gunnhild.hatlen@ntnu.no and lars.e.bjorgum@ntnu.no

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MH): smittevern@mh.ntnu.no

Faculty of Natural Sciences (NV): studier@nv.ntnu.no

Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences (SU): beredskap@su.ntnu.no

Faculty of Economics and Management (ØK): mona.vanvikmyr@ntnu.no

NTNU University Museum (VM): christen.torvik@ntnu.no

If you are not sure which faculty you belong to, you can first ask the NTNU Office of International Relations: anja.valberg@ntnu.no.

Please note that NTNU's physical campuses in Norway are closed until further notice. Keep up to date on the practical implications of this at www.ntnu.edu/corona.