Iceland Scholarships 2023-2024: Application Window Open!
Iceland Scholarships for Students List
If you haven’t considered Iceland as a destination for further studies, then you might be missing out on some quality education opportunities. Iceland welcomes foreign students every year for studies in different fields including Icelandic studies, Natural Sciences, Electronics, and Energy. The country does this to promote ethnic and cultural diversity. Although it is a small country with a small population, Iceland is home to 7 universities. The education is top-notch in these universities.
One of the good things in Iceland is that there is no tuition fee in public universities. Students only have to pay non-refundable registration fees. The cost of education in private universities of Iceland, which charge tuition fees, is also low compared to European countries. Even with the affordable cost of education, there are a handful of scholarships in Iceland for local and foreign students.
2023 Iceland Scholarships
Out of these, we have listed the top 5 scholarships in Iceland. They cover specific programs at particular universities in Iceland.
- Government of Iceland Scholarships:
Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Iceland gives out scholarships to students to study the Icelandic language. The number of scholarships is 17 and it will be given to those students who have completed at least one year of studies in the subject of humanities. The students should have prior familiarity with the Icelandic language and the preference will be given to those who are less than 33 years old.
The study of the Icelandic language includes both understanding the language (reading, writing, and speaking) and getting familiar with Icelandic literature and history. Students from a number of countries are eligible to apply for this course including countries of Europe, the UK, and the USA. The amount of the scholarship covers the registration fee of the course and a monthly stipend that enables the students to cover their living expenses. The international students are expected to arrive in Iceland before the term officially starts as they are supposed to attend an introductory session where they will be briefed on the program requirements and curriculum.
The University of Iceland has a number of scholarship programs in place for both staff and the students associated with the university. The Assistantship fund enables the teachers to hire currently enrolled students to help them with research and teaching. This fund helps the students develop professional skills and also allows them to earn some money on the side.
The Doctoral Grants and the Research Grants enable the senior teaching staff to fund their research activities. The candidates for the doctoral studies also benefit from these grants as they facilitate in increasing the research base of the university.
The Travel Fund lets the students attend research and study conferences at the expense of the university. The Scholarship Fund is meant to support students’ projects and other academic activities. Those who qualify for the grant get sponsorship for their studies.
- United Nations University, Iceland Scholarships:
United Nations University via its GEST program is holding a fellowship competition for international researchers. This fellowship is available for the Gender Equality Studies and Training program (GEST) and students from all the nationalities are welcome to apply. The researchers will research the subject areas related to Gender Equality such as sustainability, societal transactions, and human security. This scholarship is only for researchers, that is, only those candidates can apply who either possess a doctoral degree or have at least 4 years of research experience. The candidates must not have stayed in Iceland for a period of more than a year in the last three years. The applicants have to submit a research proposal at the time of application as well as scores of English language proficiency test. The aim is to foster gender equality and social justice through research on its key areas.
Reykjavik University offers scholarships to its students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The undergraduate students who have the highest grades in an examination period will be exempted from paying the tuition for the next semester. This scholarship is awarded to 2% of the undergraduate students every year and only applies to first attempts. That means if a student performs well but is attempting the same exam for the second time will not be considered for the scholarship.
The Sustainable Future Scholarship Program is for graduate students and is awarded at the Iceland School of Energy. There are multiple scholarships in this program. Some are sponsored by the university and some are funded from outside sources like Aga Khan Foundation and IPCC.
There is another scholarship called Future Arctic Energy Network Scholarship (FAE) that is also open for the students enrolled at the Iceland School of Energy. It is highly competitive and is awarded purely on merit.
- Erasmus+ and Nordplus Programs:
A number of scholarships at Icelandic universities are sponsored by Erasmus+ and Nordplus. The aim of these programs is to promote the inter Europe exchange of students. These exchange programs are usually fully funded and the time spent at some other university is assessed under the degree program the students are currently enrolled in. This way the students are able to complete their degree in dynamic environments and can get partial funding for their education as well.
