Universities in Iceland

Iceland has a small university sector. According to Study in Iceland, the official study portal run by the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís) and Business Iceland, there are seven nationally accredited higher-education institutions in the country: the University of Iceland, Reykjavik University, the University of Akureyri, Bifröst University, the Agricultural University of Iceland, Hólar University and the Iceland University of the Arts. The University of Iceland, in the centre of Reykjavík, is the oldest and largest of them.

Several institutions specialise: the Iceland University of the Arts teaches fine arts, theatre, dance, music, design and architecture, and the Agricultural University works in agriculture and environmental sciences. For international students, the choice of programmes taught entirely in English is limited, especially at bachelor's level.

How Icelandic universities work

Most institutions use ECTS credits: 60 credits are one year of full-time study and 30 credits one semester. The main qualifications are:

• Bachelor's degree (B.A., B.S., B.Ed.): three to four years, 180-240 ECTS credits
• Candidatus degree (kandidatsgráða): a professional degree that usually takes four to six years
• Master's degree (M.A., M.S., meistaragráða): two years of postgraduate study, usually with a substantial thesis or research project
• Doctorate (Ph.D., doktorsgráða): a doctoral programme ending with the defence of a thesis

Study in Iceland lists the University of Iceland, Reykjavik University and the Agricultural University of Iceland (together with the University of Iceland) as the institutions that award doctorates; the University of Akureyri also advertises funded PhD positions. Grades are given on a scale of 0 to 10, and 5 is the usual pass mark.

Universities are accredited by the state under the Higher Education Institution Act (no. 63 of 2006). Reykjavik University, for example, states that all its programmes are accredited by the Ministry of Education.

Admission for international students

For a bachelor's degree you need the Icelandic matriculation examination (stúdentspróf) or an equivalent secondary-school qualification. Some subjects, typically medicine and other health sciences, economics and law, have extra requirements or entrance exams. For a master's degree you need a good bachelor's degree in a closely related field.

There is no central admissions system: you apply directly to each university, and deadlines for international students usually fall in the spring. Applicants whose first language is not English usually need an English test; the University of Akureyri, for example, accepts TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, Cambridge English (CAE or CPE) and PTE Academic.

Students from outside the European Economic Area need a residence permit for study, issued by the Directorate of Immigration (Útlendingastofnun) to students registered for full-time studies. According to Study in Iceland, the complete application must reach the Directorate by 1 July for the autumn semester and by 1 November for the spring semester. Most student permits are granted for six months, or one semester, at a time and must be renewed. Students from outside the EEA also need a work permit to work in Iceland.

Costs and funding

Public universities in Iceland have so far charged an annual registration fee instead of tuition. At the University of Akureyri the registration fee is 100,000 ISK for the academic year, rising to 115,000 ISK if it is paid after 4 July. The university also reports that the government has authorised universities to introduce tuition fees for students from countries outside the EEA/EFTA and Switzerland from the autumn semester of 2027. Students who start in autumn 2026 and doctoral students are exempt, and the fee levels had not been set when this page was checked (October 2026).

Reykjavik University charges tuition fees per semester, and the amount depends on whether you are classified as an EU/EEA or a non-EU/EEA student. Applicants from outside the EU, EEA and EFTA pay a non-refundable processing fee of 16,000 ISK when they apply. Scholarships are mostly awarded by the universities themselves. The Icelandic government also awards a number of scholarships each year to foreign students of Icelandic language, literature and history at the University of Iceland.

Examples of universities

The University of Akureyri (UNAK), in Iceland's second city in the north, has offered higher education since 1987. It is organised in three schools: Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Business and Science. Icelandic is its main language of instruction and most bachelor's degrees are taught in Icelandic. Its master's programme in Polar Law is taught entirely in English.

Reykjavik University (RU), in the capital, has about 3,700 registered students according to Study in Iceland. It teaches in seven departments: Business, Computer Science, Sports Science, Psychology, Applied Engineering, Engineering, and Law, and runs the Iceland School of Energy. The university has 252 student apartments near its main campus.

How to choose

• Language: check whether the whole programme is taught in English, or only some courses for exchange students
• Fees: compare the registration fee at public universities with the per-semester tuition at Reykjavik University, and check how the 2027 tuition rules affect you
• Location: Reykjavík has the largest choice; Akureyri offers a smaller university town in the north
• Permit timing: leave enough time between the admission letter and the 1 July or 1 November permit deadline

Frequently asked questions

Is university free in Iceland?

Public universities have charged a registration fee rather than tuition; at the University of Akureyri it is 100,000 ISK a year. Tuition fees for students from outside the EEA/EFTA and Switzerland are planned from autumn 2027, and Reykjavik University already charges tuition per semester.

Can I study in English in Iceland?

Yes, mainly at master's level. Most bachelor's degrees are taught in Icelandic, while some master's programmes, such as Polar Law at the University of Akureyri, are taught entirely in English.

How do I apply to an Icelandic university?

There is no central system: you apply directly to each university, usually in the spring, with a secondary-school qualification equivalent to the stúdentspróf for bachelor's study or a related bachelor's degree for a master's.

When do I need to apply for a student residence permit?

The application and all documents must reach the Directorate of Immigration by 1 July for the autumn semester and by 1 November for the spring semester.