Are you going on sabbatical abroad? On this page, you will find information about financial support, administrative assistance, and guidance.

Academics can apply for a mobility grant (3-11 months) according to The Research Council of Norway's rates from their faculty/department.

The faculty/department shall facilitate longer stays abroad for academics who have been granted sabbatical.

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Topic page on sabbatical leave | Pages tagged with sabbatical

Mobility grant (3-11 months)

The academic has a duty to apply for funding for the stay abroad from external sources and to use available internal funds if available.
If the academic has been granted a sabbatical leave with a stay abroad, the academic can apply for a mobility grant. Mobility grants are intended to cover start-up and additional costs associated with travel abroad, and are not intended to fund the research project. The academic can apply for partial financing of or a full mobility grant for 3 to 11 months.

The faculty/department shall allocate resources to mobility grants abroad in accordance with academic strategies and human resource policy plans. The department and faculty must prioritise the allocation of support within the available financial framework. If it is not financially possible to grant the entire mobility grant applied for, the application may be revised in consultation between the applicant and the department.

NTNU's mobility grants follow the Research Council's rates per month (rates for 2025):

• The academic travels alone, one person, NOK 24 000 per month.
• The academic travels together with spouse/registered partner or 1 child, two persons (rate for one person + 37.5%), NOK 33 000 per month.
• The academic travels together with spouse/registered partner and children family rates, NOK. 41 000 per month.

*Spouse/registered cohabitant means a person with whom you have lived in a marriage-like relationship for the last 12 months before the start of your stay abroad.

*Children are children under the age of 18 or who are still in upper secondary school.

The accompanying family must be with you for at least 3 months abroad to receive support. Family visits are not covered.

NTNU also covers one return trip for the academic and accompanying family/registered cohabitant, as long as no other support has been granted (ref. NTNU's guidelines for travel).

If the stay abroad exceeds 6 months, tax advice is offered by an external tax advisor of up to NOK. 15 000.

Travel support for shorter stays abroad (less than 3 months)

If the granted research and development leave includes a stay abroad of less than 3 months, the employer can choose to grant travel support (stipendreise).

Administrative assistance and guidance (3-11 months)

Academic staff who have been granted sabbatical with longer stay abroad are offered information and guidance from the HR and HSE Division (NIRS) in the following main areas:

• Mobility grant
• Legal and administrative applications (Tax, NAV)
• Administrative, health and immigration-related areas
• Financial and tax related questions, including budget and economic settlement
• Housing, school and kindergarten
• Cultural and family-related questions
• Establishing contact between NTNU researchers who have been and those who are going abroad (primarily the same institution or country)

Academic staff who are to spend all or part of their sabbatical abroad, must sign an agreement on change of workplace before the stay starts.

Contact

• Anette Moen, International HR Adviser
• Kjell Bodvar Sætre, International HR Adviser
• Linda Bjørk Sigurdardottir, International HR Adviser