Animal health staff: Authorization and licence

Veterinarian

If you have completed your veterinary education at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), you will generally be granted authorization. This is regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act.

If you have obtained your veterinary education in an EEA country, you may also be eligible for authorization. One of the requirements is that you are a citizen of an EEA country. Please note that a request may be sent to IMI (European Commission Internal Market Information System) for verification. This is regulated by the Regulation on Animal Health Personnel.

If you have obtained your veterinary education in a country outside the EEA, you may be granted authorization if your education is assessed to be of the same academic standard as the education from NMBU. This is regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act.

Applicants with veterinary education from countries outside the EEA are often required to complete additional education at NMBU before they can be granted authorization in Norway.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of veterinarian

Attachments to the Application:

• Diploma and transcript from the educational institution clearly showing that sufficient education has been completed. If applicable, also include a certificate of qualification or authorization document issued by a competent public authority.
• Documentation showing date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and citizenship.
• If more than one year has passed since you completed your education, you must include a "Certificate of Current Professional Status" from the competent authority in your home country. This certificate must not be older than three months.
• If you have obtained your qualification in countries outside the EU/EEA, you must also include:
• A description of the various subjects in your training, the scope of these subjects and any relevant work experience, translated into English or Norwegian.
• A statement from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills | HK-dir: Recognition of foreign higher education (hkdir.no).

Aqua medicine biologist

To work as a fish health biologist in Norway, you must be authorized by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet). The requirements for authorization depend on where you obtained your education.

If you have completed your education as a fish health biologist at the University of Bergen or The Arctic University of Norway, you will generally be granted authorization. This is regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act.

If you have obtained your education in fish health biology in an EEA country, you may be eligible for authorization. One of the requirements is that you are a citizen of an EEA country. This is regulated by the Regulation on Animal Health Personnel.

If you have obtained your education in fish health biology outside the EEA, you may be granted authorization if your education is assessed to be of the same academic standard as the Norwegian education. This is regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act.

You apply via  Altinn - Authorisation of aqua medicine biologist

Attachments to the application:

• Diploma and transcript from your educational institution, clearly showing that sufficient education has been completed. If applicable, also include a certificate of qualification or authorization document issued by a competent public authority.
• Proof of identity, including documentation showing your date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and your citizenship.
• If more than one year has passed since you completed your education, you must include a Certificate of Current Professional Status from the competent authority in your home country. This certificate must not be older than three months.
• You can apply for authorization by submitting your application and required documentation through our digital application portal. If you have questions about the process or need assistance, please contact us.

Veterinary nurse

If you have completed your education as an animal nurse at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) or Nord University, you will generally be granted authorization. This is regulated by the Regulation on Animal Nurses.

If you have obtained your education as an animal nurse in an EEA country, you may be eligible for authorization. One of the requirements is that you are a citizen of an EEA country. If your qualification does not meet the requirements set out in the regulation, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) may decide that you must complete an aptitude test or adaptation period in order to be granted authorization. This is regulated by the Regulation on Animal Health Personnel.

If you have obtained your education as an animal nurse in a country outside the EEA, you may be granted authorization if your education is assessed to be of the same academic standard as the Norwegian education. This is regulated by both the Regulation on Animal Nurses and the Regulation on Animal Health Personnel.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of veterinary nurses.

Attachements to The Application:

• Diploma and transcript from the educational institution clearly showing that sufficient education has been completed. If applicable, also include a certificate of qualification or authorization document issued by a competent public authority.
• Documentation showing date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and citizenship

If you completed your education outside of Norway (excluding Denmark), you must also include:

• A description of the various subjects and the scope of the subjects in your education, and any relevant work experience, translated into English or Norwegian.
• A statement from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills | HK-dir: Recognition of foreign higher education (hkdir.no).

Students at Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)

If you are studying at NMBU, you must have passed all exams before applying for a license. The exception is the clinical exams. You must document that both internal and external clinical training has been passed.

The remaining parts of the study program at NMBU when applying for a license may include the elective part of the program, a 1–2-week course in leadership, infection control, thesis writing, and the exam in public veterinary medicine.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) will always request confirmation from NMBU that the applicant has progressed sufficiently in their education to be eligible for a license.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of veterinarian

Attachments to the application:

• Declaration from the responsible veterinarian for the veterinary assistant license.
• Documentation showing date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and citizenship.
• Declaration by the Responsible Veterinarian in Support of the License for Veterinary Assistant Services

Students studying abroad

You must document, with passed exams, that you have sufficient academic breadth and depth in the theoretical parts of the following subjects: Food safety, animal welfare, pathology, internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, reproduction, and preventive health work. If you intend to work with aquatic medicine, you must also have passed an exam in that subject.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority requires that you have academic breadth and depth in active clinical training equivalent to the requirements described in the curriculum at NMBU. This means you must have passed all mandatory clinical practice, both internal and external, at your veterinary school.

By 'active clinical training', we mean that you have taken on a 'veterinarian role' under the supervision of a veterinarian. This requirement applies to clinical practice with production animals, horses, and small animals at the university's clinics, ambulatory services under the supervision of the university's veterinarians, and mandatory external practice. You must have completed such practice with all animal species to ensure comparative learning. The practice must be as continuous as possible.

You must also have passed meat inspection in order to work with production animals and equine medicine.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of veterinarian

Attachments to the application:

• Declaration from the responsible veterinarian for the veterinary assistant license.
• Documentation showing date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and citizenship.
• Proof of completion of the online course 'Correct Use of Antibiotics in Animals'. This is an online course with registration. The course certificate will be made available in the Diploma Portal, usually within 14 days after completion and passing.
• Declaration by the Responsible Veterinarian in Support of the License for Veterinary Assistant Services
• Online course: Correct Use of Antibiotics in Animals (Antimikrobiell resistens (AMR) (nmbu.no)

Documents to be sent directly by the University to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority:

• Transcript of records documenting whether the subject has been passed, if it is to be included in the assessment.
• Confirmation describing the active clinical training with the number of hours for each animal species.
• Confirmation of which mandatory subjects have not been passed, and which subjects and exams remain before you receive your diploma, including the expected date of graduation.
• Curriculum with subject descriptions that correspond with the transcript of records (required if you are applying from a university where no Norwegian students have previously studied).

The Animal Health Personnel Act allows for the issuance of licenses that are limited in time, to a specific position, for the performance of practical services, for certain types of examinations or treatments, or subject to other conditions and restrictions.

It is possible for fish health biology students near the end of their studies to apply for a license.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of aqua medicine biologist

Attachments to the application:

• Declaration from the responsible veterinarian/fish health biologist for the license as a fish health biologist assistant. The responsible veterinarian/fish health biologist must be authorized. 
• Declaration from the responsible veterinarian/fish health biologist for the license as a fish health biologist assistant.
• Documentation showing date of birth and national identity number, any name changes, and citizenship.
• The application must specify the tasks the applicant will perform.
• The application must include a transcript of grades and a description of what remains of the education.
• The university must send confirmation that you have progressed far enough in your education to work under a license as a fish health biologist assistant. The applicant must have completed all coursework except for the master's thesis.
• Fish health biology students working under a license do not have prescribing rights.
• Declaration by the Responsible Veterinarian-Aquatic Animal Health Biologist in Support of the Application for a License as an Aquatic Animal Health Biologist Assistant.

Another option is to work as an assistant, which does not require permission from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

The license may be limited to specific areas of work and can be granted for two or three years at a time. This is regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act.

You apply via Altinn - Authorisation of veterinarian.

Attachments to the application:

Health certificate confirming that you are still medically fit to practice responsibly. This certificate must not be older than three months.