Kindergarten assistant cover letter in Norway: short, honest, no police certificate attached
An application for a kindergarten assistant job in Norway can be short: which position you want, what experience you have with children, how well you speak Norwegian, and when you can work. The *styrer* — the head of the kindergarten — reads for trust and stability, not big words. Five to eight sentences is enough for most assistant and substitute posts.
One thing you should not do: attach a police certificate. It is handed in only when the kindergarten wants to hire you.
Police certificate: required, but not with the application
Anyone hired permanently or temporarily in a Norwegian kindergarten must present a police certificate, a *politiattest* (Kindergarten Act § 30, Lovdata, in Norwegian). The Directorate for Education and Training (Udir) adds that the certificate must not be enclosed with the application, but presented before you start, and that the rule applies however short the employment — including brief substitute work (Udir, police certificate in kindergartens, in Norwegian).
In the letter, one sentence is enough: "I can provide a police certificate." It removes a question from the manager's list.
The substitute route: the short application that matters most
Many kindergartens advertise for a *ringevikar* or *tilkallingsvikar* — an on-call substitute. It is a common way in: you get to know the kindergarten and it gets to know you. An application to a substitute list can be even shorter than one for a permanent post. What counts is when you can work and how quickly you can get there.
Some postings on arbeidsplassen.no, NAV's public job board, also use "Superrask søknad" (superfast application). You send no CV; you tick your qualifications and write a short text on why you fit (NAV, applying for a job).
What the manager looks for in the letter
- Experience with children — including unpaid: your own children, babysitting, coaching, Sunday school. Give the children's ages.
- Norwegian — the kindergarten runs in Norwegian all day. State your level honestly, with an example.
- Availability — early mornings, full days, short notice.
- Teamwork — that you ask the pedagogical leader when unsure.
How to present these on the CV itself is in the kindergarten assistant CV guide. The letter should not repeat the CV; it picks out what matters most.
Constructed example: application to be an on-call substitute
The letter below is invented for illustration. Copy the shape, not the content. It is in Norwegian, because that is the language of the job.
> Søknad som ringevikar > > Jeg søker som ringevikar hos dere. Jeg kan jobbe alle hverdager fra kl. 07.00 og kan møte på kort varsel, fordi jeg bor ti minutter unna. > > Jeg har to barn på 3 og 6 år, og jeg har vært trener for en fotballgruppe med 7-åringer i to sesonger. Norsken min er på B1-nivå. Jeg snakker norsk med barna på trening og forstår beskjeder fra andre voksne. > > Jeg kan levere politiattest. Jeg forteller gjerne mer i en samtale. > > Med vennlig hilsen > Olena Kovalenko
In English: she applies as an on-call substitute; available every weekday from 07:00 and lives ten minutes away; has two children aged 3 and 6 and has coached a football group of 7-year-olds for two seasons; Norwegian at B1, used with the children at training; can provide a police certificate. About 90 words — everything the manager needs to pick up the phone.
Common mistakes
- Attaching the police certificate. It is presented before hiring, not with the application.
- "I love children" as the only reason. It is in almost every letter. Write what you have done with children instead.
- Leaving out your own children. Parenting is relevant experience — write it as experience.
- Overstating your Norwegian. The manager hears your level in the first conversation.
- No times. Kindergartens open early. Say when you can work.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a cover letter to become a kindergarten substitute? It depends on the kindergarten. Some ask for a short letter and CV; some use a form or the superfast application. Read the posting. Calling to ask is normal in kindergartens.
When do I hand in the police certificate? When the kindergarten wants to hire you. It must not be sent with the application (Udir).
How long should the letter be? For assistant and substitute posts, 80–200 words. One page at most.
Can I apply in English? The kindergarten speaks Norwegian with the children, so apply in Norwegian, even with mistakes. See job application in English for when English is fine.
Next step
Read the kindergarten assistant CV guide for the layout, and kindergarten assistant interview questions before the interview. Check your CV for free against the posting before you send.