Entry Requirements

In the list below you can check if you fulfill the minimum requirements for entry into undergraduate programmes in Icelandic universities.  This will provide you with information about your opportunities before you prepare your application. Please note that further requirements may be made by the each university.

This list is not exhaustive of neither countries nor qualifications giving access to higher education in Iceland. If you have any questions regarding language requirements or specific admission requirements, please contact the university you intend to apply for.

Minimum requirements for admission to Icelandic universities

Afghanistan

Baccalauria + 1 year of higher education studies.

Albania

Dëftesë pjekurie ​

Algeria

Baccalauréat or Diplôme de Bachelier de l’enseignement secondaire général + 1 year of higher education studies.

Argentina

Titulo de Bachiller + 1 year of higher education studies.

Australia

High School Certificate + Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) or University Admission Index (UAI)

Austria

Reifeprüfung/Matura or Reife- und Diplomprüfung or Berufsreifeprüfung.

Azerbaijan

Orta Tahsil Haqquinda Attestat / Orta mekteb attestati / Svidetel'stvo/o Srednem Obrazovanii, completed after 1999 + 1 year of higher education studies.

Bangladesh

Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) + 1 years of higher education studies.

Belarus

From 1999: Atestat ab agul'naj sjarednjaj adukacii /Attestat o (Obschem) Srednem Obrazovanii or Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii  + 1 year of higher education studies. 
Before 1999: Atestat ab agul'naj sjarednjaj adukacii /Attestat o (Obschem) Srednem Obrazovanii or Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii + 2 years of higher education studies. ​

Belgium (Dutch)

​Diploma van secundair onderwijs.

Belgium (French)

Certificat d’enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (C.E.S.S.)

Belgium (German)a​

Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts.

Bolivia

Diploma/Grado/Titulo de Bachiller  + 1 year of higher education studies.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Diploma o zavrsenoj gimnaziji or Svjedozba o maturi or Diploma o polozenom zavrsnom ispituor  Diploma/technical.

Brazil

Certificado de Ensino Médio or Certificado de Conclusão de Ensino Médio Supletivo or Diploma de Técnico de Nivel Medio + 1 year of higher education studies.

Bulgaria

Diploma za (Zavarsheno) Sredno Obrazovanie / Diploma za Sredno Obrazovanie
Diploma za Sredno – Spetzialno Obrazovanie (11 years education) + 1 year of higher education studies.

​Burundi

After 1999: Diplôme des Humanités Générales + Diplôme d’Etat + 1 year of higher education studies
Before 1999: Certificat Homologué des Humanités Complètes + 1 year of higher education studies

Cambodia

Attestation de Fin d'Etudes Secondaire de l'Enseignement General/Diploma of Upper Secondary Education + 2 years of higher education studies.

​​Cameroon

Diplome de Bachelier de l’Enseignement du Second Degre / Baccalaureat de l’Enseignement Secondaire.
or
GCE Ordinary Level Examinations (at least 4 subjects passed) + Cameroon GCE Advanced Level Examinations (at least 3 subjects passed).
or
Brevet de Technicien / Diplome de Bachelier de Technicien (Admission only to same study field as in Cameroun)

​Canada

High School Diploma 
or 
Secondary School Diploma or Diplome d’Etudes Collegiales (DEC) / Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS) 
or 
Complete Grade 12 Standing/Division IV Standing  passed with at least 60%.

Chile

Licencia secundaria + 1 year of higher educational studies. (Applicants with exams taken in 2000 or later may be admitted without a year of higher educational studies if the GPA is at least 6)

China

Certificate of Graduation from Upper Middle School + Chinese National University Entrance Examination (CNUEE)/Gao Kao + 1 year of higher education studies (university), or + 2 years of higher education studies (college).
or
Certificate of Graduation from Upper Middle School + NAHEEE + 3 years of higher adult education studies.

Colombia

Bachillerato / Diploma de Bachiller + 1 year of higher education studies.

Croatia

Maturalna svjedodzba 
or 
Svjedodzba o zavrsenom srednjem obrazovanju 
or 
Svjedodzba o zavrsnom ispitu-maturior Svejdozba o maturi 
or 
Svjedodzba o zavrönom ispitu 
or 
Svjedodzba o zavrsenom srednjem obrazovanju 
or
Svjedodzba o zavrsnom ispitu-maturi.

Cuba

Diploma de Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras/Título de Bachiller + 1 year of higher education studies
Técnico Medio/Maestro Primario (documented with a "Certificación de Estudios Terminados + title of the education) + 1 year of higher education studies

Cyprus

Apolytirio (απολυτήριο) from Enaiou Lykeio (Γενικό Λύκειο)

​Czech Republic

Vysvedceni o Maturitní Zkousce 
or 
Maturitní zkouška 
or  
Maturita from gymnazium.

Denmark

Studenterexamen 
or 
Höjere Forberedelses Eksamen (HF) 
or 
Höjere Teknisk Eksamen (HTX) 
or 
Höjere Handels Eksamen (HHX).

Dominican Republic

Certificación/Pruebas Nacionales de Conclusion de la Educación Media + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Diploma de Conclusión de la Educación Media + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Diploma/Título de Bachiller en ... + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Certificado Oficial de Suficiencia en los Estudios Secondarios + 1 year of higher education studies 
​or
Diploma /Título de Bachiller General + 1 year of higher education studies

Ecuador

Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller en Arte/Ciencias (before: Titulo de Bachiller en Humanidades Modernas)
or
Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller Unico Integral
or
Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller Técnico ​

Egypt

Thanaweya A’ama (General Secondary School Certificate) + 1 year of higher education studies.

El Salvador

Título de Bachiller (academic) + 1 year of higher education studies

Eritrea

Eritrean Secondary Education Certificate Examination

​Estonia

Keskkooli Loputunnistus 
or 
Gümnaasiumi Lıputunnistus 
or 
Lõputunnistus põhihariduse basil kutsekeskhariduse omandamise Kohta 
or 
Lõputunnistus keskhariduse baasil kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta + Riigieksamenitunnistus

Ethiopia

From 2011: University Entrance Examination Certificate (UEEC) + 1 year of higher education studies
Before 2010: Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEEE) + 1 year of higher education studies

European Baccalaureate

European Baccalaureate (EB)

Faroe Islands

​After 2013: Gymnasieuddannelser 
Before 2013: Studentereksamen, Højere forberedelseseksamen (HF), Højere handelseksamen (hhx), Højere teknisk eksamen (htx) or Højere eksamen inden for fiskeri​

Finland

Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/studentexamensbetyg 
or 
Tutkintotodistus/Ammatillinen perustutkinto

France

Baccalauréat général 
or 
Baccalauréat technologique 
or 
Baccalauréat professionnel.

Georgia

Sashualo Skolis Atestati/Attestat + 1 year of higher education studies.

​Germany

Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur) 
or 
Zeugnis der Reife
or 
Reifezeugnis 
or 
Zeugnis der Fachgebundene Hochschulreife 
or 
Zeugnis der Fachhochschulreife.

Ghana

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
West African School Certificate (WASC/O level) + West African Higher School Certificate Examination (WAHSC/A level) with a minimum of 3 A-levels and 5 O-levels

Greece

From 2007: Apolytirion Geniko Lykeiou (ΑΠΟΛΥΤΗΡΙΟ ΓΕΝΙΚΟΥ ΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ) or Apolitirio Epangelmatiko Lykio
Before 2007: Apolitírio Enaíou Lykeíou (ΑΠΟΛΥΤΗΡΙΟ ΕΝΙΑΙΟΥ ΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ) or Pthychíon Techniká kai epagelmatiká ekpedeftíria (TEE)​

Guatemala​

Diploma de/Título de Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras + 1 year of higher education studies (university) 
or 
Diploma de/Título de Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras con Orientación Técnica (Agroforestal, Computación, Diseño Gráfico, Electricidad, Mecánica Automotriz, Textiles og Turismo) + 1 year of higher education studies (university)

Honduras

Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras + 2 years of higher education studies
or
Titulo de Bachiller en ... / Titulo de Maestro en ... / Titulo de Perito ... / Título de Técnico Medio en ..... + 2 years of higher education studies​

​​Hong Kong

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)
or
Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) + Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)
or
Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) + Hong Kong Advanced Supplementary Certificate (HKASC)

Hungary

Gimnazium erettsegi bizonyitvany 
or 
Szakközepiskola erettsegi bizonyitvany

India

All India Senior School Certificate (AISSC) from Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
Indian School Certificate (ISC) from Council for the Indian School Certificate (CISCE) + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) + 1 year of higher education studies.

Indonesia

IJAZAH Sekolah Menengah Atas or Madrasah Aliyah (SMA / MA) + 2 years of higher education studies.
or
Surat Tanda Tamat Belajar Sekolah Menengah Umum (SMU) + 2 years of higher education studies.

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Iran

3 years High School Diploma and Pre-University diploma+ 1 year of higher education studies 
or  
4 years High School Diploma + 1 year of higher education studies.

Iraq

Al-Edadiyah + 1 year of higher education studies
or 
Al-Idadiyah (Sixth form baccalaureat) + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Certificate of Preparatory Studies + 1 year of higher education studies

Ireland 

Leaving Certificate (Established), showing at least 6 subjects of which at least 2 Higher Level subjects 
or
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme. (LCVP)

Israel

Te'udat Bagrut - תעודת בגרות

Italy

Liceo Classico or Liceo Scientifico or Liceo Linguistico or Liceo – Indirizzo science sociali

Japan

Kotogakko Sotsugyo Shomeisho + 1 year of higher education studies.

Jordan

General Secondary Education Certificate/ Tawjihi (GSEC) + 1 year of higher education studies
General Vocational Secondary Education Certificate (GVSEC) + 1 year of higher education studies

​​Kenya

​Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) + 1 year of higher education studies.

Kosovo

Diplome per kryerjen e shkolles se mesme te pergjithshme – gjimnazin 
or
Diplome per kryerjen e shkolles se mesme te larte - gjimnazit ​

Kazakhstan

Orta bilim turaly attestat /Attestat o (obschem) Srednem Obrazovanii + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii + 1 year of higher education studies

Kenya

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) + 1 year of higher education studies.

Kosovo

Diplome per kryerjen e shkolles se mesme te pergjithshme – gjimnazin 
or
Diplome per kryerjen e shkolles se mesme te larte - gjimnazit

Kuwait

Shahadat-al-thanawia-al-a’ama (General Secondary School Certificate) + 1 year of higher education studies

Latvia

Atestäts par visparejo vidëjo izglïtïbu or Atestäts par vidíjo izglïtïbu.

Lebanon

Baccalauréat + 1 year of higher education studies.

Libya

Secondary Education Certificate + 1 year of higher education studies.

Liechtenstein

Maturazeugnis (Type B or E)

​Lithuania

Brandos Atestatas

​Luxembourg

Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires/Diplôme de fin d'Etudes Secondaire Classiques
Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires Techniques/Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Générales ​

​Makedonia

Diploma za polozen zavrsen ispit
or
Diplome per dhenien e provimit te pjekurise
or
Svidetelstvo za zavrseno sredno obrazovanie
or
Diploma za polozen zavrsen ispit (strucna)
or
Diplome per dhenien e provimit te pjekurise (profesionale)
or
Svidetelstvo za polozen zavrsen ispit vo uciliste za sredno obrazovanie
or
Svidetelstvo za stepen na strucna podgotovka/ Dëftëse per fazen e pergatitjes profesionale

Malaysia

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM/Certificate of Education) + Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM/Malaysia Higher School Certificate)
or
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM/Certificate of Education) + Matriculation Certificate (Matrikulasi)

Malta​

Matriculation Certificate

Mexico

Certificado de Bachillerato + 1 year of higher education studies

Moldova, Republic of

After 2002: Diploma de bacalaureat
Before 2002: Diploma de bacalaureat + 1 year of higher education studies.

Mongolia​

Before 1992 students need to have completed the Dund bolovsrolyn ünemlech gerchilgee + 2 years of higher education studies or equivalent supplementary studies.
After 1992 students need to have completed Buren dund bolovsrolyn ünemlech gerchilgee + 2 years of higher education studies or equivalent supplementary studies.​

​Montenegro

Diploma o Završenoj Srednjoj Školi 
or
Svjedocanstvo o stecenom stepenu strucne spreme
or
Svjedocanstvo o stecenom stepenu strucne spreme ​

Morocco

Baccalauréat  + 1 year of higher education studies.

Mozambique

Certificado de Habilitações Literarias + 1 year of higher education studies.

Nambia

​​Higher Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC higher + ordinary level) with at least 6 subjects where at least 5 are at higher level and passed with the grade 3 or higher + 1 subject at ordinary level and a total of at least 46 points.

​Nepal

Higher Secondary Certificate + 1 year of higher education studies
Proficiency Certificate + 1 year of higher education studies

​Netherlands

Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
or
Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs (HAVO) + Propaedeutische Diplom/Verklaring

New Zealand

National Certificate Educational Achievement

Nicaragua

Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras (Bachillerato) + 1 year of higher education studies.

​Nigeria

Senior School Certificate + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
West African Examinations Council School Certificate (GCE O-level) and West African Examinations Council Higher School Certificate (A-level) (showing 5 subjects passed at O-level and 3 subjects passed at A-level).
or
Ordinary National Diploma + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Nigerian Certificate of Education combined with University Board Matriculation Examination (UME)

North Macedonia

Diploma za polozen zavrsen ispit (gimnazia)
or
Diplome per dhenien e provimit te pjekurise
​or
Svidetelstvo za zavrseno sredno obrazovanie

​Norway

Vitnemål

Pakistan

Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) 
or 
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) 
or 
Intermediate Examination  
or 
Intermediate Certificate 
or 
Diploma of Faculty of Arts or Science (FA/FSc) 
or 
Certificate/Diploma/Intermediate in Commerce

PLUS:

Before 2005: + 2 years of higher education studies

From 2005: + 1 year of higher education studies

Palestine

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) + 1 year of higher education studies

Peru

Certificado Oficial de Estudios + 1 year of higher education studies. 
or 
Certificado de Educación Secundaria Común Completa (quinto) + 1 year of higher education studies. 
or 
Bachillerato + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
Titulo de Bachiller  + 1 year of higher education studies.

Philippines

High School Diploma (kurso sa sekundarya) + 2 years of higher education studies.

Poland

Swiadectwo Dojrzalosci

Portugal

From 2007: 
Certificado/Diploma de Fim de Estudos Secundários (from Cursos científico-humanísticos) 
Certificado/Diploma de Fim de Estudos Secundários from Cursos técnologicos 
Diploma de Ensino Secundário / Certidão de Habilitacões from Cursos tecnológicos 
Diploma de estudos secundários from Cursos profissionais / Certificado de Fim de Estudos Secundários from Cursos profissionais
Before 2007: Certificado/Diploma de Ensino Secundário (from Cursos gerais de ensino superior)

Romania

​Diploma de Bacalaureat / Liceu teoretic

Russian Federation

From 1999: Attestat o Srednem + 1 year of higher education studies
Before 1999: Attestat o Srednem + 2 years of higher education studies

Rwanda

Advanced General Certificate of Secondary Education + 1 year of higher education studies
or 
Diplôme/Certificat d’Humanités Techniques - Diplôme d'Etudes Secondaires Professionelles A2/ Professional Certificate of Secondary Education Level A2 - National Advanced Certificate of Technical Education A2 + 1 year of higher education studies.

​Saudi-Arabia

Secondary Education Certificate (Shahadat al-Thanawiyyah al-'Ama or Shahadat al-Marhalat al-Thanawiyyah) + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
Secondary Vocational School Dioploma (Diplom al-Madaaris al-Thanawiyyah al-Mihaniyyah/Tijaaryyah) + 1 year of higher education studies.

​Serbia

Diploma o polozenom zavrsnom ispitu or Diploma o Završenoj Srednjoj Školi 
or Diploma o polozenom maturskom ispitu or Diploma o stečenom srednjem obrazovanju (Диплома о стеченом средњем образовању)
or
Diploma o stepenu strucne spreme

Singapore

Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level exam

Slovakia

Vysvédcenie o maturitnej skúske ​

Slovenia

​Maturitetno spriéevalo
or
Spricevalo o Poklicna matura

Somalia

Shahaadada Dugsiga Dare/Secondary School Leaving Certificate + 2 years of higher education studies

South-Africa​

National Senior Certificate (NSC)

South-Korea

​Ilbankye Kodung Hakkyo (Academic High School Diploma)

​Spain

Título de Bachiller or Bachillerato (Baccalaureate).

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (O level) with at least 6 subjects passed and Sri Lanka General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (A level) with at least 3 subjects passed on one and the same occasion with a minimum points of 135 and a mark of not less than 30% for the Common General Paper. Mathematics and English are compulsory.

Sweden

Slutbetyg

​Switzerland

Maturitatszeugnis (MAR) 
or
Certificat de Matruité (RRM)
or
Attestato di Matruitá
or
Fachmaturitätszeugnis

Syria

Al Shahada Al Thanawiya or Baccalauréat + 1 year of higher education studies.

Taiwan

Senior High School Leaving Certificate (高級中學畢業證書) meets the general entry requirements.

Tanzania​

National Form IV Examination Certificate/General Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) (O level) and National Form VI Examination Certificate/the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (ACSE) (A level) + 1 year of higher education studies.​

​Thailand

Matayom VI (M6) / Maw 6 + 1 year of higher education studies.

Tunisia

Baccalauréat de l'enseignement secondaire 
Baccalauréat de l'enseignement professionnel

Turkey

From 2009: Lise Diplomasi
Before 2009: Lise Diplomasi + 1 year of higher education studies

Uganda

6 subjects on Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) + 3 subjects (principal subjects) + General Paper on Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) 
1 subject on the principal subject level can be replaced with 2 subjects on the subsidiary subject level

UK

General Certificate of Education (GCE) with examination in at least 5 GCSE subjects and 3 GCE subjects at A-level. The demand of 3 subjects at A-level can be met by either 3 A-levels, 2 A-levels and 2 AS-levels or 1 A-level and 4 AS-levels. At least 1 A-level is required.
or
International IGCSE/GCE O-level and GCE A-level offered internationally by Edexcel and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) need to meet the same requirements as above.
or
Cambridge Pre-U with 3 Principle Subjects + 5 subjects at GCSE level
or
BTEC  National Certificate and National Diploma (Admission can be limited to the same study field) BTEC National Award does not meet the entry requirements.
or
Scottish Qualifications Certificate or Scottish Certificate of Secondary Education + Certificate of Sixth Year Studies or at least 5 Scottish Higher Level subjects.

Ukraine

​After 1999: Atestat pro povnu zagal’nu srednju osvitu + 1 year of higher education studies.
Before 1999: Atestat pro povnu zagal’nu srednju osvitu + 2 years of higher education studies.

USA

High School Graduation Diploma + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
High School Equivalence Diploma (General Education Development) +  1 year of higher education studies

Venezuela

Título de Educación Media General/Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Bachillerato/Titulo de Bachiller agropecuario/comercial/industrial/mercantil/salud) + 1 year of higher education studies
or
Titulo de Técnico Medio en .... + 1 year of higher education studies

Vietnam

Bang Tu Tai Hai (baccalaureat II) or Bang Tot Nghiep Pho Thong Trung Hoc  + 1 year of higher education studies.
or
Giay Chung Nhan Pho Thong Trung Hoc  + 1 year of higher education studies.