Instructions for admission to an Icelandic university. We tell you how to choose the right university, why you need preparatory courses, and what the requirements are for undergraduate and graduate programs.
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Enrollment at a university in Iceland is not possible after the 11th grade. Icelanders study in middle school for 10 years, and then another 4 in high school. Therefore, foreign applicants will either have to study at a university in their home country for a year, or go through a preparatory program. Universities also require students to pass the IELTS exam, write a convincing motivation letter, and provide several recommendations from teachers — even for bachelor's programs.
In this article, you will learn about the admission requirements in Iceland, tuition fees, scholarship programs, and visa application process.
We also have a separate article dedicated entirely to higher education in Iceland.
| Program | Age | Duration | Min. cost per year | Avg. cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 18+ | 3-4 years | 583 USD | 11,928 USD |
| Master's | 20+ | 2 years | 583 USD | 15,194 USD |
| MBA | 20+ | 2 years | 24,043 USD | 32,269 USD |
| PhD | 24+ | 3-5 years | 583 USD | 14,307 USD |
| Expense | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Exams | 1,431 USD |
| Student fee | 583 USD/year |
| Processing fee | 62 USD |
| Confirmation payment | 467 USD |
| Visa fee | 117 USD |
| Rent | 1,594 USD/month |
| Groceries | 93 USD/month |
| Internet | 73 USD/month |
| Transportation | 62 USD/month |
| Utilities | 117 USD/month |
There are only seven universities in Iceland, so making a choice is not too difficult. It is best to focus on:
In regards to Iceland, it is not worth focusing on QS and THE rankings. The quality of education at Icelandic universities is not inferior to that of mainland Europe. However, they still lose ranking positions due to the low number of foreign students and teachers, who are often stopped by the need to learn Icelandic. Moreover, some of the country's universities are quite young and have not yet managed to earn a name for themselves to compete with the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities.
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Advanced searchIcelanders enter university only at the age of 20 — they study in middle school for 10 years, and then another 4 in high school. Therefore, foreigners cannot enroll at an Icelandic university after the 11th grade. There are several options to circumvent this:
Iceland does not have a uniform system for university admissions. Applicants send applications and necessary documents directly to the selected university.
Education at universities takes place in Icelandic. You can confirm your language proficiency by passing an exam or interview at the chosen university. You can improve your knowledge of Icelandic in parallel with your studies. University language centers offer courses in language and culture to existing students. The University of Iceland also offers free online classes where you can learn Icelandic before starting the admission process.
Also, many universities in Iceland require IELTS — 6.5 or TOEFL — 75 points results from foreigners, regardless of the language of the study program[2].
Documents for admission:
Before applying to Icelandic universities, you need to put an apostille on your diploma and grade transcript. Moreover, they must be translated into English or Icelandic and notarized.
In addition, the documents need to be legalized directly at the university or through the Naric / Enic Iceland service. To do so, you must provide your diploma, grade transcript, and their notarized translation. The procedure is free and takes from several weeks to 2-3 months.
Foreigners cannot enroll at an Icelandic university after the 11th grade. Prospective students must study for a year at a domestic university or complete A-Level programs beforehand.
Iceland does not have a unified system for university admission, so the application must be submitted directly to the university. To do so, you need to register on the official university website, create an application, and attach scans of the necessary documents. After receiving a preliminary invitation (conditional offer), you need to send the original copies and translations of documents by mail to the university.
As a rule, enrollment at Icelandic universities takes place during the following academic year. Each university sets its own deadlines. They should be specified in advance on the official website of the selected program.
Admission periods of Iceland’s leading universities:
| University | Period |
|---|---|
| University of Iceland | from December to February 1 |
| University of Akureyri | from March to April 1 |
| Reykjavík University | from October to January 31 |
| Bifröst University | until June 15 |
Core entrance exams are held at universities from early June to mid-August. Some universities, such as Reykjavík University, also conduct oral interviews via Skype or by phone.
Universities reveal their decision 2-3 months after the application is submitted. Along with an invitation letter, the student receives an invoice for tuition fees and a list of required documents for a student visa.
There are two types of master programs:
To enroll in a taught master's program, you need to:
Upon admission to research programs, the student must submit a research project. To do so, he must independently contact his future supervisor. If the evaluation committee approves the project, the student will be enrolled in the program.
The application for a master’s program, along with the necessary documents, can be sent online through the university website.
Many more English-language programs are offered to master’s students. But the proficiency requirements are higher — as a rule, C1.
Admission deadlines for graduate programs usually coincide with the deadlines for bachelor's programs.
| University | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| University of Iceland | Feb 15 |
| University of Akureyri | April 1 |
| Reykjavík University | Feb 1 |
All documents must be translated into English and notarized. Some programs have a minimum GPA requirement of 6.5 out of 10.
Some universities only accept original diplomas and transcripts sent by mail, and may require recommendation letters from teachers to be sent by mail in a sealed envelope.
The exact list of documents and requirements should be specified on the websites of universities.
Doctorate studies lead to an academic career. Therefore, applicants should contact their future supervisor and agree on the learning objectives and research topics prior to the admission process.
The main requirement for PhD applicants is a master's degree in a similar field. Some universities accept applications from students in their last year of graduate school.
Universities set their own application deadlines for PhD programs, though applications are usually accepted all year round. That being said, sometimes there are fixed deadlines for PhD applicants — for example, the University of Akureyri accepts applications for the fall semester until April 30, and until November 5 for the spring semester.
The exact list of documents and requirements should be specified on the websites of universities.
Universities and private foundations in Iceland offer scholarships to students. They are more often available to bachelor’s and PhD students. At Reykjavík University, bachelor’s students can get on the Dean’s List and receive a tuition discount for excellent academic performance[3]. For master’s students enrolled in energy programs, there is a Sustainable Future Scholarship. The scholarship amount varies from 3,227 USD to 9,720 USD.
For language course students at the University of Iceland, a scholarship is available from the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. The scholarship is paid monthly from September to April and covers registration fees and living expenses[4]. Quota — 15-17 students. To participate in the scholarship competition, you must study humanities for at least a year at the university. You must also have basic knowledge of the Icelandic language in accordance with the program requirements. Applications must be submitted by December 1st to the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, and the winners are announced in January. A complete list of scholarship programs at the University of Iceland can be found on their official website.
In addition, the Icelandic Research Foundation provides grants for PhD students. Financing is issued for no more than 3 years with a total amount of up to 124,412 USD. Typically, the application deadline ends in July and the funding decision is announced in January[5]. The grant covers up to 100% of research costs. More information about the scholarship can be found on the foundation's website.
Apply for a visa immediately after enrollment. A short stay visa is issued for a maximum period of 90 days, which is suitable for short study programs and summer schools.
| Visa type | Application period | Validity period | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short stay visa | 10-45 days | 90 days | 95 USD |
| Residence permit | 90-180 days | up to a year | 117 USD |
Applicants entering bachelor's, master's or PhD programs must obtain a student visa. To do so, you need to:
To obtain a residence permit by the autumn semester, you need to submit visa documents before July 1. If you are beginning your studies in the spring semester — before November 1. A residence permit for bachelor’s and master’s students is issued for one semester, for doctoral students — for one year. The student may extend the permit only if he scored at least 44 out of 60 credits for the academic year. The visa fee for obtaining or extending a residence permit is 117 USD[6].
After obtaining a residence permit, a category D visa is issued. In Iceland, a student must undergo a medical examination within two weeks. The results, as well as a passport, rental agreement, and flight tickets are sent to the migration service. The student will then be sent a resident card to their address in Iceland.
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