What documents do I need to apply for university?

+ What are the requirements to access a bachelor’s programme?

• If you want to enroll in a Bachelor programme, you are usually asked to provide two certificates:
  
  
  • Certificate that proves you have completed upper secondary school (high school level).
    
  • Certificates that prove certain language levels – Icelandic or English (depending on the programme you wish to enroll in).
    
    
• Certain study programmes have additional admission requirements. This could include:
  
  
  • Subjects passed on a certain level or minimum grade.
    
  • The diploma passed with a certain minimum grade point average (GPA).
    
  • Admission test/interview.
    
    

+ What are the requirements to access a master’s degree?

• If you want to enroll in a Master’s programme at an Icelandic university, you must have a:
  
  
  • An internationally recognised Bachelor’s degree.
    
  • High language level – English or Icelandic.
    
    

+ What are the requirements to access a PhD?

• If you want to apply for PhD programmes in Icelandic universities, you must have a:
  
  
  • Master’s/Candidatus degree or equivalent.
  • In some four-year PhDs, you will be allowed to access the programme if you have completed a Bachelor’s qualification and one year of a Master’s degree.
    
    
• When applying for a Master’s or doctoral degree, you might be required to include a Motivation Letter, and a resumé of your academic, professional or volunteering experiences (curriculum vitae). Here you can find instructions for how to write your cover letter and set up your CV (curriculum vitae) on the website of the Union, VR.
  
  

+ What can I do if I do not have access to my certificates?

• ENIC/NARIC offers those who have gotten a refugee status in Iceland and do not have access to their study documents, the opportunity to draw up a study review of their previous studies. This is not a legal document and thus does not have the same significance as a diploma or a certificate. However it can assist the student during the application process.
  
  

+ Icelandic

• If the higher education programme that you want to access is taught in Icelandic, you must fulfil the level required by the particular education programme.
  
  
• The main obstacle for both refugees and asylum seekers in accessing Higher Education is the language, but we have a lot of language courses to choose from.
  
  
• Please note that some of these courses do not provide you with an official certificate of language proficiency, which the respective institution you wish to study at will most likely require. So please be careful to choose a course that provides you with an official certificate, if that is what you need.
  
  
• A course called "Icelandic as a second language" is taught at the University of Iceland.
  
  
  • Other icelandic courses:
    • Icelandic Online
    • Mímir
    • The Tin Can Factory
    • Euraxess
      
      

+ English

• If the programme is taught in English, you must submit proof of English proficiency.
  
  
• Most undergraduate courses are taught in Icelandic, but for those that are taught in English, you have to pass your TOEFL test to be able to sit the course.
  • All TOEFL tests in Iceland are organized by Promennt. You can sign up for the tests here.
    
    
• English language tests such as TOEFL are recognised. IELTS are usually recognised as an equivalent.
  
  
• Only a few undergraduate programmes are taught in English at the University of Iceland. The minimum score for these programmes is TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6,5.