The country

Iceland is the westernmost and least densely populated country (3.3/km2) in Europe. It has just over 350,000 inhabitants, approximately one third of whom live in the capital, Reykjavik. It is a parliamentary republic based on the Scandinavian model, with an emphasis on the highest possible level of labour market participation, gender equality and good social services. The current president is Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, and the prime minister is Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Left-Green).

Education

Education is compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16. The language of instruction is Icelandic (Old Norse, a North Germanic language). Education is provided in four sectors: pre-primary education, compulsory education, upper secondary education and higher education. The Icelandic parliament bears the legal and political responsibility for the school system. The municipalities are responsible for the functioning of pre-primary and compulsory education.

A fundamental principle of the Icelandic education system is that everyone should have equal opportunities to receive education, regardless of gender, economic status, place of residence, religion, possible disability, or cultural or social background. The academic year runs from September to the end of May.

Pre-primary education

Kindergartens (playschools or ‘nurseries’) can be attended from the age of 12 months to 6 years. They are the first level of the education system. The majority of Icelandic children attend kindergarten, and fees are subsidised by the municipalities. Discounts are available for single parents and students. The law stipulates that children with disabilities must be able to attend kindergarten, with the necessary support or in specialised departments.

Compulsory education and upper secondary education

Iceland has ten years of compulsory education. This is comparable to Dutch primary education and the lower years of secondary education. This is followed by upper secondary education, which lasts four years. There is also an accelerated three-year option for outstanding students who wish to complete the full upper secondary curriculum in three years.

Upper secondary education is offered at four levels:

  • general education,
  • a combination of general and vocational education,
  • vocational education with theoretical and practical subjects,
  • specialised vocational education.

This is followed by higher education, which lasts three years.

Higher education

Higher education is provided by seven higher education institutions: three universities and four institutions offering specialised education in fields such as engineering, education, agriculture, the arts and business. The largest higher education institution is the University of Iceland in Reykjavik.

Quality of education in Iceland

Iceland performs well in terms of equality, but at the same time educational achievement is declining (around the OECD average in mathematics, below average in science and reading). Early school leaving in upper secondary education is also an issue in Iceland. Making vocational education more attractive in order to encourage students to complete their education is another challenge.

In 2014, the Ministry of Education published the ‘White paper on Education Reform’, containing proposals to improve education. During the study trip, participants will see a number of examples of these proposals in practice.

In addition, the ageing teaching workforce, and therefore making the teaching profession more attractive, is receiving considerable attention.

More information

  • NUFFIC, the Dutch organisation for the internationalisation of education, described the Icelandic education system and compared it with the Dutch system. Click here to read their findings.
  • The OECD also devoted a publication to Iceland.

Still interested?

With 45 registrations, there are still five places available on this trip. For more information and registration, visit the special study trip page.

Photo: University of Reykjavik.