Housing

Due to the high demand for student housing in Reykjavík, finding a room or apartment on your own can take up some time and effort. It is important to take this into consideration and start your search early. Students should ALWAYS have a signed lease and NEVER pay rent or a deposit to the landlord before having signed a lease. This does not apply when renting housing through The Student Housing Office.

A few tips:

• Start looking for housing early
• Get in touch with other students looking for accommodation by joining our Facebook group for international students at the UI or Facebook group for incoming exchange students
• Consider booking a hostel or Airbnb for a few days after you arrive in Iceland where you can continue your search for a permanent accommodation
• Increase your chances of finding housing by extending your search to suburban areas or to surrounding towns, such as Seltjarnarnes, Kópavogur, Garðabær and Hafnarfjörður. These places may be more affordable, and the university campus can be reached within 30 minutes by bus.
• Always have a signed lease
• Never pay rent or deposit to the landlord before having received a signed contract unless you are renting housing through The Student Housing Office

The Student Housing Office offers a limited supply of on-campus housing for students at the University of Iceland. You can apply all year round and it is recommended to do so once you have submitted your study application. 

To book your rentals in Reykjavik before your arrival, University of Iceland recommends HousingAnywhere, the rental platform for international students. Through HousingAnywhere you can safely book your new room, offered by verified private and professional landlords. 
 
To receive a 20% discount on the booking fee, a VIP profile and priority access to the listings in Reykjavik, first sign up here: Sign up - University of Iceland | HousingAnywhere, then before paying add this promo code: UOIC20

Please note: First you will have to pay the entire price and then receive the discount back on the card you used to book.
 
You can find information about finding your new place on the how it works page. Do you need more information or have a specific question? Send an email to vip@housinganywhere.com.

Byggingafélag námsmanna (The Student Housing Association) offers apartments and rooms in Reykjavík.

101 House offers accommodation, both apartments and rooms in the centre of Reykjavík.

In Iceland it is normal to pay a deposit when renting accommodation. Students should never pay rent or deposit to the landlord before having signed a lease unless renting housing through The Student Housing Office. 

The lease defines some of the rights and obligations of the tenant and the landlord. It includes the amount the tenant must pay and the conditions for moving-in and moving-out. Check if utilities (heating, electricity, internet, etc.) are included in the monthly rent. 

More information and leasing contract in English
The Rent Act, No. 36/1994

Students looking for accommodation on the private market should be aware of potential fraudulent housing offers. It is important to never transfer money before having a signed lease. 

Before signing a lease:

• View the property before signing the lease or transferring money to the landlord 
• Use common sense; if the rent seems too good to be true, it may a scam. Make certain that the rental agreement and the property are in sync 
• Inspect the property at the start of the rental period and document any potential flaws. Take photographs and share them with your landlord to limit your liability at the end of the lease

Do not:

• Do not pay in cash, and make sure that the funds are transferred to an Icelandic bank account. This ensures that you will always have proof of what has been paid and when it was paid. Only do this after you have viewed the property and are completely satisfied with everything 
• Do not pay through an online payment service or international wire transfer services that cannot be traced
• If the landlord is pressuring you to sign the lease or transfer funds before you are confident that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision, take this as a red flag
• Finally, paying under the table is illegal. Hold onto receipts or proof of payment in case something goes wrong

We remind students of the on-campus student housing options, and of the Housing Anywhere platform.