Arrival and living in Longyearbyen

Once you have accepted admission to a course at UNIS, you should plan to arrive on, or a few days before the course start date.

There are two airline carriers that fly to Svalbard: Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian. Both offers discounts for travellers under 26 years of age. You can search for youth tickets when booking with both airline carriers. Travel time is approximately 1.5 hours from Tromsø and 3 hours from Oslo (for direct flights).

Important: Identity control of travelers to and from Svalbard

All travellers to and from Svalbard are subjected to identity checks upon both enrty and daperture. This applies to both Norwegian citizens and foreign nationals. A passport, or national identity card that meets Schengen requirements is required for verification.

No visa is required for staying in Svalbard. However, If you are an international student from outside the European Union and travelling to Svalbard via mainland Norway, you must obtain a transit visa if citizens of your country require a visa to enter Norway.

• Please see the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration’s webpage for more information about visa regulations.
• More important public information about coming to Norway can be found here: Norway.no
• More important public information about coming to Svalbard can be found at the webpage of The Governor of Svalbard:
  • Entry and residence in Svalbard
  • Visas and immigration

The student housing facilities in Longyearbyen are owned and managed by the The Arctic Student Welfare Organisation (Norges Arktiske Studentsamskipnad). You must apply for housing directly through Samskipnaden’s webpage.

Read more about student housing here.

Longyearbyen is a small town, and the airport is located just a few minutes from the city centre. To reach the student housing at Elvesletta, you can take the airport shuttle bus or a taxi. Payment can be made by cash (NOK), or card.

Please ensure you bring your housing information with you upon arrival. This includes your house number, floor number, and room number. The door to your room will be unlocked, and your key will be placed inside.

If you have any questions regarding your accommondation, feel free to contact the housing staff at Svalbard@samskipnaden.no.

Students attending full semester bachelor courses in the spring semester, as well as master’s and PhD students enrolled in block 1 courses, and those taking AGF-301/801 and AGF-304/804, are required to complete the AS-101 Arctic Survival and Safety course.

All other students will participate in a mandatory safety course during the first days of their UNIS course period.

All students must complete safety training during the initial phase of their stay at UNIS. This training introduces key safety guidelines relevant to life and fieldwork in Svalbard. These guidelines serve as a foundation that studenys are expected to build upon throughout their stay.

Please note that UNIS is not responsible for activities undertaken during leisure time. Students must take personal responsibility for planning and safety precautions when participating in private trips.

UNIS is the core institution of the Svalbard Science Centre, an international Arctic centre of expertise in research and education, inaugurated in April 2006. Other professional and scientific institutions in Svalbard, such as The Norwegian Polar Institute and Svalbard Science Forum, are also located within the building.

Campus Facilities – UNIS building
UNIS offers modern lab facilities, PC labs, a wireless network (Eduroam) throughout the building, study rooms and a modern library.

A limited number of study rooms are avilable with individual computer network connections at each desk. Subject to availability, students may connect their personal computers to the UNIS computer network and internet in these rooms.

Students also have access to computers in the PC labs, which are intended for educational use only. Each student receives a personal quota for copying and printing. Additional cipies and print credits can be purchased at the reception desk. Please note that students are responsible for obtaining any other required study study material.

Campus facilities Elvesletta

The student housing at Elvesletta has a nice working space on the ground floor, for individual or group work (area A). As a student you can access the learning area at Elvesletta with your student housing key. If you are renting accommodation privately you can get access to the learning area by borrowing a key from the UNIS reception.

The learning area is open from 06:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Access to internet (WiFi) goes through Samskipnaden. Some of the working stations have screens that can be connected to personal computers.

Read more about the regulations for Elvesletta Learning Area here.

To be allowed to rent a rifle from UNIS you must have passed the UNIS Polar Bear Safety course and have a:

1. A valid firearm license for a similar weapon (rifle, shotgun, or handgun)
   Or
2. An approval from the Norwegian police allowing you to rent a rifle

​​​​​​​How to get this approval:

• Norwegian citizens without registered residence on Svalbard (such as short-term students or guest lecturers) must apply to the police in their hometown in mainland Norway.
• Foreign citizens must apply directly to the Governor on Svalbard. You may be asked to provide a police certificate of good conduct from your home country.

Important for all applicants:

You must document sufficient skills in rifle handling as part of your application. The following are accepted as valid proof:

• The UNIS Polar Bear Safety / Rifle Course
• The Norwegian Hunter’s License (“Jegerprøven”)
• Completed military service
• Participation in an approved shooting organization

It is your responsibility to include this documentation when applying to rent a rifle.

More info: https://www.sysselmesteren.no/en/weapon/

Time schedule and safety training
Below is a link to the time schedule in TimeEdit, where you’ll find details about when and where your lectures and safety training sessions begin. Please check TimeEdit regulary, as changes may occur.

Click here to see your schedule in TimeEdit.

Opening hours of Svalbardbutikken (the one and only supermarket):

Monday-Friday: 10–19
Saturday: 10–18
Sunday: 15–18

Semester fee information for UNIS students can be found here.

Some courses also include a specific fee for board and lodging during field work. This cost is outlined in the course description and must be paid at the UNIS reception desk.