Lånekassen collects and manages large volumes of personal data. The regulations allow us to share personal data for the purposes of research. The legal basis for such processing is Article 6 no. 1 e of the GDPR and Sections 8 and 9 of the Norwegian Personal Data Act (if such disclosure relates to special categories of personal data).
Data that is subject to confidentiality
If the research will make use of confidential information, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research will decide whether Lånekassen can disclose the data to the researchers, cf. Section 13 d of the Norwegian Public Administration Act. In cases in which Lånekassen may disclose confidential information for research purposes, the researchers will be subject to a duty of confidentiality. The data may be used only as part of the research work and in accordance with any terms and conditions set down by the Ministry. If the results of the research work will be published or otherwise used, consent is required from those the data relates to, or the data must be provided in statistical form, or by otherwise omitting any identifying characteristics.
Privacy guarantees
When Lånekassen discloses personal data for research purposes, we have a duty to obtain the necessary guarantees to safeguard the privacy of the data subjects, please see Article 89 of the GDPR.
This means that Lånekassen will ensure that
- information disclosed for research purposes is limited to the data that is necessary for the research and is disclosed securely
- information is de-identified or anonymised where possible
- researchers are subject to a duty of confidentiality and do not use the data in ways other than required for the research
- the disclosure is subject to an assessment of the impact on privacy pursuant to Article 35 of the GDPR in cases in which disclosure carries a high risk to the rights and freedoms of data subjects
Research projects
Information disclosed for research projects in 2023:
The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir.) received data from Lånekassen in order to conduct a new user survey among exchange students. Lånekassen discloses information for use in such user surveys.
The purpose of the survey: The purpose of the survey is to make it possible for HK-dir. to carry out its social mission of developing quality of education and training and strengthening international cooperation. Entitlement to educational loans and grants for exchange programmes in upper secondary education requires that the exchange is via an exchange organization or exchange agreement, which must be approved by HK-dir.
HK-dir. approves such exchange programmes in accordance with the regulations on approval for educational support of exchange organizations and exchange cooperation between Norwegian upper secondary schools and foreign schools, which are issued on the basis of the Student Financial Aid Act.
Who is affected by the disclosure of data: Students who received educational support from Lånekassen for exchange programmes vg2 during the academic year 2022-2023.
What personal data is disclosed: The personal data provided from Lånekassen is information regarding name, contact details, age, sex, county, educational institution, country of the exchange programme, if the educational support was for both autumn and spring in 2022-2023 (but not information regarding which type loans and grants were awarded) and if the exchange was via an exchange organization or exchange agreement,
Information disclosed for research projects 2020-2022:
The interaction between the introductory program of the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) and the financial support schemes from the State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen)
Oslo Economics has conducted a study on the interaction between the introductory program by IMDi and the financial support schemes from Lånekassen, on behalf of the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.
The purpose of the project is to obtain more knowledge about the interaction/coordination between the financial support allocated through the introductory program and the financial support allocated through Lånekassen, and to evaluate how these arrangements contribute to more adult immigrants getting formal qualifications.
As a part of this study, Lånekassen provides personal data to Oslo Economics, but the information does not directly identify any person. The disclosing of data concerns persons with a residence permit in Norway due to protection (asylum) who received educational support from Lånekassen during the academic years 2010-2011 up to and including 2020-2021. The personal data provided is information about amounts of financial support allocated to the above-mentioned persons, categorized in various loans and scholarships per semester, including special categories of information, such as illness grants and additional grants due to reduced functional ability. Furthermore, information about educational programs is disclosed, and also information about the terms and conditions for the awarding of the loans and grants, as well as information about deferrals of repayments, interest and loan defaults. The information was disclosed in November 2021.
It is assumed that there is no legal right for the above-mentioned persons to access, rectify and restrict the processing of personal data, i.e. this is an exception from the right to object against the processing, cf. the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) art. 89, cf. art. 21 no. 6 and the The Personal Data Act § 17.
Student Health and Well-being Survey (SHoT)
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) regularly conducts ShoT-surveys.
Shot 2022
The last survey was issued in March 2022.
The purpose is to survey students’ health and well-being over the course of the last year. The project makes use of the national identity number that Lånekassen has received via the ID portal in order to link data from this survey round to the previous surveys. NIPH says that the compilation of data is one of the key objectives of the survey, in order to look at developments in student health over time. The surveys will help contribute to a better knowledge base for further developing educational support schemes so that these are adapted to students’ needs.
Who is affected by the disclosure of data: Full-time Norwegian students in Norway and abroad.
What personal data is disclosed: National identity number and place of study.
SHoT 2021
The survey was conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and issued in March 2021.
The purpose of the project: The purpose is to survey students’ health and well-being over the course of the last year. The project makes use of the national identity number that Lånekassen has received via the ID portal in order to link data from this survey round to the previous survey in 2018. NIPH says that the compilation of data is one of the key objectives of the survey, in order to look at developments in student health over time. The surveys will help contribute to a better knowledge base for further developing educational support schemes so that these are adapted to students’ needs.
Who is affected by the disclosure of data: Full-time Norwegian students in Norway and abroad.
What personal data is disclosed: National identity number.User survey in connection with project of awarding financial support for skilled workers in 2021 and in 2022
Purpose: Disclosing personal data to Statistics Norway for use in Fafo’s survey among people who were offered to apply for financial support for skilled workers. The background for the study was a pilot project offering financial support for skilled workers in further education (vocational upper secondary education, vocational college education or university and university college education). The regulation on such allocation of educational support to this group entered into force from 25 February 2021 and applies until 15 August 2023.
Personal data disclosed to Statistics Norway in 2021: name, phone number, e-mail address and National identity number
Personal data disclosed in 2022: Statistics Norway received National identity numbers for applicants who received financial support for skilled workers as of November 2022.
User survey in connection with project of awarding financial support for skilled workers in 2021 and in 2022
Purpose: Disclosing personal data to Statistics Norway for use in Fafo’s survey among people who were offered to apply for financial support for skilled workers. The background for the study was a pilot project offering financial support for skilled workers in further education (vocational upper secondary education, vocational college education or university and university college education). The regulation on such allocation of educational support to this group entered into force from 25 February 2021 and applies until 15 August 2023.
Personal data disclosed to Statistics Norway in 2021: name, phone number, e-mail address and National identity number
Personal data disclosed in 2022: Statistics Norway received National identity numbers for applicants who received financial support for skilled workers as of November 2022.
User survey for the Lycée scheme (2020)
The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research has commissioned the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (DIKU) to collect data from Lånekassen in order to conduct a user survey for the purpose of evaluating the Lycée scheme. The Lycée scheme is aimed at former and current pupils who are taking upper secondary education in France under the international agreement between Norway and France. The user survey was conducted during the autumn of 2020.
Who is affected by the disclosure of data: The survey will cover all pupils who started a 3-year programme at the Norwegian units in Lyon, Rouen or Bayeux during the period from 1989 to 2017.
What personal data is disclosed: Name, contact details, age, local authority and any subsequent exchange visits supported by Lånekassen for students covered by the survey.