University of Iceland
Háskóli Íslands
Iceland's oldest and largest university: a registration fee instead of tuition, most degrees in Icelandic, and a campus in central Reykjavík.
- Students
- 13,830
- 8,524 undergraduates
- International
- 18%
- of students
- Tuition
- ISK 100K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1911
About UI
The University of Iceland was founded by the Althing, Iceland's parliament, on 17 June 1911. It merged the country's schools of theology, medicine and law, and in its first year had 45 students. Today it is Iceland's oldest and largest university, with 13,830 students registered in February 2026, about 2,500 of them from abroad. Teaching is organised into five schools: Education; Engineering and Natural Sciences; Health Sciences; Humanities; and Social Sciences. There are also interdisciplinary programmes such as Environment and Natural Resources and Viking and Medieval Norse Studies.
For international undergraduates the key fact is language. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Icelandic, and the university expects Icelandic at CEFR B2, often tested by an entrance exam. Only a few undergraduate programmes are taught in English, such as International Studies in Education and the English BA. The BA in Icelandic as a second language, a full degree built for newcomers, is the main route into Icelandic-medium study. Graduate study offers far more English-taught options.
There is no tuition for current students, only an annual registration fee of ISK 100,000. That is changing: the government has authorised tuition fees for students from outside the EEA/EFTA and Switzerland who start in autumn 2027 or later, at levels not yet set. UI suits students drawn to Icelandic language and culture, to earth and environmental sciences in a volcanic landscape, or to a small capital where the university is at the centre of national life.
Why students choose UI
There is no tuition for EEA/EFTA and Swiss students, only an annual registration fee of ISK 100,000.
The BA in Icelandic as a second language is a full degree designed for international students who want to master Icelandic.
The English-taught BA in International Studies in Education takes 60 students a year, half of them admitted in the international application round.
The main campus sits in central Reykjavík, close to the National and University Library of Iceland.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (autumn 2027)
Selectivity
No overall admit rate is published. Most undergraduate programmes admit everyone who meets the requirements, but numbers are restricted in some. Medicine and Physical Therapy use entrance exams in June (in Icelandic only). Nursing, Odontology and Dental Technology hold competitive exams in December of the first year, and International Studies in Education is capped at 60 students.
Typical entry requirements
| Icelandic matriculation exam (stúdentspróf) or equivalent | The minimum requirement for undergraduate admission; foreign secondary qualifications are assessed country by country, and some programmes require set credits in subjects such as mathematics and science |
|---|---|
| Icelandic-taught programmes | Icelandic at CEFR B2 or above, since lectures, exams and assignments are in Icelandic; faculties may set a special B2 entrance exam for applicants with foreign qualifications |
| English-taught undergraduate programmes | A few programmes only (for example International Studies in Education BA and English BA), with English test scores as below |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 For UI's international (English-taught) undergraduate programmes: TOEFL iBT 79 (new scale 4), IELTS Academic 6.5 or PTE Academic 58. The English BA requires TOEFL 93, IELTS 7.0 or PTE 65. Scores must be verifiable online and no more than two years old; medium of instruction is not accepted unless you studied in a majority English-speaking country. |
Deadlines
- Icelandic and Nordic citizens, spring semester start Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November 2026
For undergraduate study starting in spring 2027; applications open 15 September.
- International applicants, undergraduate (autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~4 months1 February 2027
Application period for 2027-28 opens around mid-December 2026. Certified transcripts and diplomas must also reach the university by 1 February.
- Icelandic and Nordic citizens, undergraduate (autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~8 months5 June 2027
Opens on the University Open Day (Háskóladagurinn) at the end of February or early March.
Deadlines are those UI publishes as standing annual dates. Its application-deadline page confirms the 2027-28 application period opens around mid-December 2026. Admitted students must pay the registration fee by 4 July, and international students must be in Iceland by the late-August date UI sets (27 August in 2026) or lose their place.
How to apply
Apply online through the UI Application Portal and choose one undergraduate programme only. Upload supporting documents (certified transcripts, diplomas and English test results) by the deadline; non-EEA/EFTA citizens pay a ISK 20,000 processing fee when they submit. Decisions appear only in the portal. Admitted students confirm their place by paying the registration fee by 4 July.
What admissions looks for
- A completed upper-secondary qualification equivalent to the Icelandic stúdentspróf, including any subject credits your programme specifies.
- Icelandic at B2 level for Icelandic-taught programmes, or verifiable English test scores for English-taught ones.
- Complete, certified supporting documents by the deadline; without them your application will not be processed.
Tips for applying to UI
- 1 Check the language of instruction before anything else: most bachelor's programmes are in Icelandic, and UI's Medicine and Physical Therapy entrance exams are held only in Icelandic.
- 2 If you are from outside the EEA/EFTA or Switzerland and start in autumn 2027, budget for tuition fees on top of the registration fee; the amounts were not yet set when this page was checked.
- 3 Book an English test early. UI must be able to verify the score online, scores older than two years are rejected, and medium-of-instruction letters are not accepted.
- 4 Start looking for housing as soon as you apply: UI does not provide or guarantee housing, and on-campus places through the Student Housing Office are limited.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in ISK
UI charges no tuition to current students, only the annual registration fee, which is non-refundable; students with a certified disability pay a reduced fee of ISK 75,000. The university states that it offers no funding or scholarships to prospective students. From autumn 2027, new students from outside the EEA/EFTA and Switzerland will pay tuition fees; PhD students and permanent residents are exempt.
- ISK 100,000, paid by 4 July for new autumn students
- Annual registration fee
- ISK 20,000 (approx. €135), non-refundable
- Non-EEA/EFTA application processing fee
- At least ISK 120,000 a month (approx. €800)
- Typical rent in Reykjavík
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn and spring); annual course registration in March
Icelandic as a second language (BA)
A three-year, 180-ECTS degree designed to take international students to a high standard of Icelandic, with an admission exam; it is also offered as a distance-learning programme.
International Studies in Education (BA)
Taught in English and capped at 60 students, 30 of them admitted in the international application round.
Geophysics and Geology (BS)
Earth-science degrees in one of the most volcanically active countries in Europe, run by UI's Faculty of Earth Sciences; taught mainly in Icelandic.
English (BA)
Requires C1-level English (TOEFL 93, IELTS 7.0) and covers English-language literature, linguistics and culture.
Medicine (BS)
Iceland's medical degree, with a June entrance exam held only in Icelandic.
Research
- UI staff and affiliated institutions published about 1,500 articles in Scopus-listed journals in 2025.
- PhD enrolment reached 712 students in 2026, and UI awarded 86 doctorates in 2025.
- Interdisciplinary graduate programmes in Environment and Natural Resources and in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies draw on Iceland's landscape and manuscript heritage.
Schools & faculties
- School of Education
- School of Engineering and Natural Sciences
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Humanities
- School of Social Sciences
- Interdisciplinary studies (Environment and Natural Resources; Viking and Medieval Norse Studies; Public Health Sciences)
Student life
UI's campus is a cluster of buildings in the west of central Reykjavík, around the main building and the University Centre (Háskólatorg), with the National and University Library nearby. Around the campus are student services including kindergartens, low-rent apartments, cafeterias and a large bookstore. With about 2,500 foreign students and exchange partners across Europe, the international community is sizeable for a small country, and a Facebook group for international students helps newcomers find housing and friends. Expect long dark winters, light summer nights and high prices.
- The University Centre (Háskólatorg) hosts student registration, counselling and services in one building.
- Exchange students come in growing numbers: 449 in 2021-22 and 478 in 2022-23, the latest years UI reports.
- Student Housing Office (Stúdentagarðar) apartments on and around campus can be applied for all year.
- Supermarkets, second-hand shops and flea markets such as Kolaportið keep daily costs manageable, and UI publishes tips on where to shop.
Housing. UI does not provide or guarantee housing. On-campus housing through the Student Housing Office is limited, and private rent in Reykjavík typically starts at about ISK 120,000 a month.
Location
Reykjavík is the world's northernmost capital and home to most of Iceland's population. The campus is close to the city centre, and neighbouring towns such as Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður are about 30 minutes away by bus. Iceland is expensive: UI's own budget guidance says to plan carefully, with rent typically from ISK 120,000 a month.
Nearest airport: Keflavík International Airport (KEF)
Notable alumni
- VF Vigdís FinnbogadóttirPresident of Iceland 1980–1996, the world's first democratically elected female president
- KJ Katrín JakobsdóttirFormer Prime Minister of Iceland and writer
- ÁÁ Ásgeir ÁsgeirssonSecond President of Iceland
- DO Davíð OddssonPrime Minister of Iceland 1991-2004 and later central bank governor
- KS Kári StefánssonPhysician and geneticist, founder of deCODE genetics
- AI Arnaldur IndriðasonCrime novelist
- MS Magnús SchevingActor and creator of the children's series LazyTown
- SS Sigurjón SighvatssonFilm producer
Frequently asked questions
Is the University of Iceland free for international students?
There is no tuition for current students, only an annual registration fee of ISK 100,000. Students from outside the EEA/EFTA and Switzerland starting in autumn 2027 or later will also pay tuition fees, which had not yet been set.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at the University of Iceland?
Only a few undergraduate programmes are taught in English, such as International Studies in Education and English. Most bachelor's degrees require Icelandic at B2 level.
What is the University of Iceland application deadline for 2027?
1 February 2027 for international undergraduate applicants, with the portal opening around mid-December 2026. Icelandic and Nordic citizens have until 5 June 2027.
What English score does the University of Iceland require?
For English-taught undergraduate programmes, TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS Academic 6.5 or PTE Academic 58; the English BA requires IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 93.
Does the University of Iceland guarantee housing?
No. On-campus housing through the Student Housing Office is limited, and private rent in Reykjavík typically starts at about ISK 120,000 a month, so start looking early.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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