Over thirty elite students awarded grants from the University of Iceland

Thirty-four new students at the University of Iceland were awarded grants from the Student Achievement and Incentive Fund in a ceremony in the Aula today. The recipients come from all over the country and are now starting on 24 different study programmes. 

The first grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund were awarded in 2008 – since then, over 400 new students have received a grant.  They grant recipients have achieved outstanding grades in their Icelandic matriculation examinations, and excelled in other areas, such as art, sport, or student organisations. Among the grant recipients are also students who had shown incredible tenacity and resilience, achieving excellent results in their studies despite adverse circumstances. 

The grants were advertised this spring, and received a total of 72 applications. Choosing the 34 who received the grants was thus a challenging task.  The recipients come from 13 different upper secondary schools and among them are 9 graduating summa cum laude or magna cum laude.  Each grant is ISK 375,000, with a total sum of almost ISK 14 million awarded. 

The grant recipients are: Aleksandar Kirilov Stamenkov, Alexander K. Bendtsen, Anita Yrr Taylor,  Anna Soffía Hauksdóttir, Ashali Ásrún  Gunnarsdóttir, Ásta Fanney Hreiðarsdóttir, Bjarni Hauksson,  Elísa Inger Jónsdóttir, Eva Mítra Derayat,  Guðbjörg Alma Sigurðardóttir, Guðrún Edda M. Harðardóttir, Hannes Hermann Mahong Magnússon, Helena Björk Arnarsdóttir, Hildigunnur Ingadóttir, Ísleifur Arnórsson, Jakobína Hjörvarsdóttir, Jovan Gajic, Jóhanna Hlynsdóttir, Jóhanna María Ægisdóttir, Karin Guttesen, Katla Ólafsdóttir, Kristín Ingibjörg Magnúsdóttir, Leifur Már Jónsson, María Hafdís Breiðfjörð, Matthías Andri Hrafnkelsson, Noor Muayad Khalid Al Zamil, Patryk Lukasz Edel, Pjetur Már Hjaltason, Ragnar Þórólfur Ómarsson, Rut Rebekka Hjartardóttir, Sigurður Ari Stefánsson, Teresa Ann Frigge, Thanawin Yodsurang og Ylfa Flosadóttir.

Grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund are awarded with support from the University of Iceland Centennial Fund and the University of Iceland Lottery. The board of the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund comprises: Steinunn Gestsdóttir, pro-rector for academic affairs and development and professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Ólafur Pétur Pálsson, professor at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, and Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir, professor at the Faculty of Political Science.

The accompanying document contains further information on the grant recipients.