Become a welcoming association!
Welcome associations are student organizations in Bergen that are especially good at recruiting and including new members. These associations receive extra benefits from Sammen.
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From autumn 2026, Sammen Associations will launch a new project: Welcome Associations. Here you can read more about what it means to be a welcome association, and how your association can qualify.
What is a Welcome Association?
Welcome Associations are student associations in Bergen that excel at recruitment, inclusion, and creating a low threshold for participation. They play an important role in student wellbeing and, in return, receive additional support from Sammen. A Welcome Association actively works to include new members, both at the start of the semester and throughout the academic year. The association is open, visible, and clear about what it offers, making it easy for new students to find their place.
What benefits do Welcome Associations receive?
As a Welcome Association, you gain access to several benefits that help you create even more inclusive activities and make association work easier and more visible:
Increased visibility: Receive extra promotion at student fairs and through Sammen’s channels.
Support and guidance: Gain access to resources, courses, and networks through Sammen Studentliv and Sammen Psykisk Helse.
Financial support: In the long term, it will be possible to apply for additional funding for social activities for welcome associations.
Who can become a Welcome Association?
To receive Welcome Association status, your association must:
- Be an active student association
- Be registered with Sammen Foreninger
- Work actively with inclusion and recruitment
- Be open and inclusive towards students from diverse backgrounds
- Have the capacity to welcome and integrate new members
- Recruit new members throughout the year, not only at the start of the semester
- Create open meeting places
- Organise at least one open event per month
- Publish events in Sammen’s event calendar
- Be visible and clear
- Clearly communicate what the association does
- Have a website or digital platform with up-to-date information
- Participate in training
- Participate in mandatory training for association mentors when starting up or changing mentors
How to become a Welcome Association
If your association would like to become a Welcome Association, contact us at foreninger@sammen.no, or book a meeting with us directly. You are also welcome to get in touch even if your association does not yet meet all the requirements. We are happy to help you create a plan for the next steps.
