Checklist for your first week in Bergen
Welcome to Bergen! And to the start of a new and exciting chapter in your life; studying abroad! To help get you settled in and make the most of your time here in Bergen, here are some essential tips for your first week.
1. Prioritise the Essentials
- Register as a student, pay semester fee and download the student-ID app.
Fix your accommodation and pick up your keys for your apartment. - Make sure you look into registering for classes, as some classes get filled up quickly.
- Get a Norwegian SIM-card for your phone. You can buy these in kiosks and grocery stores around the city.
- Download the Skyss app for public transport. Students get 40% off normal price.
- Register with the Norwegian Authorities (UDI). This will enable you to open a Norwegian bank account later if necessary. Remember to bring your passport.
- Familiarise yourself with the location of grocery stores where you live. If you arrive on a Sunday, grocery shops are normally closed, but you will find some that are open (Note: they do not sell alcohol on Sundays). The shops are a smaller version of the normal sized shops and has fewer items. But the prices are the same. Look for Joker, Kiwi or Bunnpris.
2. Join the introduction week
- Depending on your arrival time, you might arrive earlier or in time for the official introduction week that welcomes all students to Bergen.
- Look out for other activities, such as the Student Organisations day, where you’ll meet and learn more about all the student organisations in Bergen. If you miss this, check out studentbergen.com, that has a comprehensive list of all the student organisations and clubs in Bergen.
- If you’re a bit lost and need guidance, don’t be afraid to reach out for support from the higher education institutions and specific organisations that offer psychological, economical and legal help. If you’re not sure where to start, there are several organisations that you can reach for help, including International Students Union of Bergen (ISU Bergen), Erasmus Student Network Bergen (ESN Bergen) and Fantoft Union.
- You may also want to check out Bergen Municipalitys info about being new to the city.
3. Look into student discounts and student budget friendly offers
- Sammen offers a student deal where you buy a cup and get unlimited coffee and/or tea refill throughout the semester.
- If you are looking to keep up with your workout schedules, consider getting a Sammen semester card as well that gives you access to all of their gyms throughout the city.
- While grocery stores do not have student discounts, many students use the app Mattilbud (only in Norwegian) that shows what discounts are available.
- ESN Bergen also sells ESN card that has both international and local discounts when combined with a Student ID.
- Why not borrow instead of buying new. Check out BUA or BSI for free rental of outdoor gear, or the second hand shop Fretex for clothes and kitchen essentials.
- Check out our list of student discounts.
Top tip: Sammen will host a student recycling festival in the beginning of the semester at Fantoft.
Looking for student discounts in Bergen?
There are many stores and companies with student discounts and prices. Check out our list of discounts in Bergen.
4. Get involved in the student community
- Depending on the academic institution you will be studying at, there will be different online communities. Facebook groups such as UiB - International students and NHH - exchange students are a good place to start. On these sites, you’ll be updated on events and be part of the internal community.
- Get involved in a student organisation. There are more than 170 in Bergen, and most of them open for all students.
- If you like to be even more involved in international students’ rights and welfare in Norway, consider joining politically active groups like International Student Union and your school’s student parliament.
- If you just want to attend student events, take a look at the event calendar on StudentBergen.
5. Explore the city
- Start exploring your new city! This is going to be your home for at least the next six months, or maybe longer. So take a stroll around, or just sit on a bench and take in the Bergen atmosphere.
- As a student it’s a good idea to check out the places where students hang out, like the student house Kvarteret. On Study Bergen you can find lists of places to visit including student budget friendly places and activities.
- Additionally, the tourist information office VisitBergen also offers information for trips and activities in and outside of the Bergen region.
- As Bergen is known for its surrounding mountains, you can also consider exploring one or all the seven mountains, starting with the short and easy walk up to Fløyen. You can also consider other mountain trails and maybe even hike outside of Bergen.
6. Get to know Norwegian culture
- Try going outside the international student bubble. Use this opportunity to embrace a new culture and language.
- If you’d like to be involved outside of your academic institutions’ programs, then the international student organisation ESN Bergen has an open Buddy Bergen program that matches international students with local students according to study direction and interests, and organises fun and creative buddy events throughout the year for the buddy participants. If you’re staying for more than one semester, you can apply to become a local buddy yourself the semester afterward
- Sign up for buddy programs at your university to engage with local students and participate in exciting events throughout the year.
- Consider joining the Tandem language program at the University of Bergen, which is more focused on language exchange between students.
Most of all, have fun, enjoy and make the most of your time in Bergen and Norway!
