Students at Risk (StAR)

«Students at Risk» is a programme established on basis of an initiative by the Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH) and the National Union of Students in Norway (NSO). Students at Risk has been running since 2013 and has awarded scholarships and study places to more than 100 students in total.

Candidates must be nominated by one of the designated institutions, embassies, universities and human rights organisations and cannot apply directly to the programme.

The candidates nominated to the programme must be actively involved in activism aimed at improving the conditions for one or more human rights in a country on the the DAC List of ODA Recipients, at a level deemed to entail personal risk (e.g. of physical violence, arrest, denial of civil rights, etc.). The candidates must have valid residency (temporary or permanent) in a country on the DAC List of ODA Recipients, at a level deemed to entail personal risk (e.g. of physical violence, arrest, denial of civil rights, etc.). The candidates must have valid residency (temporary or permanent) in a country on the DAC List of ODA Recipients.

Candidates must in addition qualify for admission to higher education in Norway to be considered eligible to receive the scholarship. HK-dir will assess the academic and linguistic qualification of the nominated candidates.

Candidates that are accepted under the programme will be enrolled in Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programmes at Norwegian Higher Education Institutions participating in the programme. The students will receive a scholarship from HK-dir during their stay in Norway. Upon completion of their studies, students will be expected to return to their home countries.

Information and news about StAR

Read about StAR on regjeringen.no (in Norwegian)

The programme is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the MFA) and is administrated by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir).

Universities and other higher education institutions are often seen to contribute to processes directed towards a just societal organization, and to prompt students to engage in political activism or other forms of advocacy for change. In many cases, however, such student activists are at considerable risk of various adverse reactions to their activism, such as denial of further education, arrests, harassment, and other attempts to silence their voices.

The overall objective of the Students at Risk-programme is to identify students who due to their human rights’ activism, are «at risk»of beingformally or de facto denied educational or other rights in their home country, and to provide these students with an opportunity to complete their education in Norway and strengthening them as change agents. This is part of the Norwegian government’s support for human rights as established in the white paper Meld. St. 10 (2014-15) «Opportunities for All: Human Rights in Norway’s Foreign Policy and Development Cooperation» and the white paper Meld. St. 24 (2016-17) «Common Responsibility for Common Future».

Candidates cannot apply for participation in the StAR programme or nominate themselves. All candidates must be nominated by one of the designated institutions, embassies, universities and human rights organisations.

Candidates must have valid residency (temporary or permanent) in a country on the DAC List of ODA Recipients.