Alliance of Norwegian Students Abroad

Association of Norwegian Students Abroad (ANSA, Norwegian "Organisasjonen for norske studenter i utlandet", German "Allianz Norwegischer Studenten im Ausland", French "Union des Étudiants Norvégiens à l'Étranger") is a non-profit and independent organisation voicing the interests of Norwegian students who study abroad. Our aim is to maintain and promote the educational, cultural, political and economic interests of our members.

Currently 22 000 Norwegian students are studying abroad in over 60 countries at over 1200 educational institutions worldwide. Norway has a long tradition of funding higher education for Norwegian students abroad. The Norwegian government established the loan and grant agency, The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen), for students in 1946. For over 60 years Lånekassen has provided students with both loans and grants to pursue higher education abroad. ANSA was founded by Norwegian students in 1956 due to difficulties students had encountered with Lånekassen.

Through the years ANSA has worked to improve and change the countless rules and regulations governing student grants and loans. ANSAs believes that all students should have the right to study any subject in any country they wish.

ANSAs office in Oslo
ANSA is manned by 12 full-time employees. The General Secretary heads the Oslo office in Storgata 19. Providing information for future students
ANSAs Information centre for higher education abroad is funded by the Ministry of Education and Research and gives unbiased advice on higher education abroad. The Centre is manned by a staff of five full-time Educational Advisers. Membership Department
The Membership Department deals with enquiries from potential and current members. We recommend our members to take advantage of our membership benefits, such as agreements with travel agencies, insurance companies and banks. Student Adviser
If a student encounters problems during their studies abroad for example with their university, their insurance, Lånekassen etc. they can turn to ANSA's Student Adviser for help and advice. Our student adviser’s main responsibility it is to help students through various difficult situations. ANSA’s president
Each year our members elect a President. The President's main responsibility is lobbying for ANSA’s political priorities towards the Norwegian authorities. The President is also chairman of ANSA’s Board and main Spokesman for ANSA.

ANSA’s Board of Members
ANSA’s Board of Members consists of seven students abroad, three students who previously have studied abroad, ANSA’s president and a representative for the Employees at ANSA. The Board is responsible for ANSA’s political priorities and the main goals of the organization.

ANSA’s Volunteers
ANSA has over 500 volunteers who are students abroad. The volunteers arrange various events and represent ANSA where they study. Members and volunteers can apply for funds from ANSA to help organise various social and cultural events while studying abroad

External links

* [http://www.ansa.no/ Official site] (Norwegian, English, German, French)