Requirements for Exchange Studies

• Undergraduate students must have finished at least one year (a minimum of 60 ECTS credits) in their subjects at the University of Iceland before the exchange program begins. Students in the first year can apply for exchange studies and go abroad in their second year, provided they have completed 60 ECTS credits before beginning their studies at the host institution.
• Prospective exchange students must have an average grade of 6.0 or higher when they apply for exchange. It is possible to apply for an exemption to this rule at the International Division.
• In some subjects, more than one year of study must be completed before the beginning of the exchange period abroad. Additionally, some subjects only allow participation in exchange studies at the graduate level. Please check the requirements of Schools/Faculties.
• Students cannot go on exchange in their minor degree.
• Students can not go on exchange at two different schools during the same school year, i.e. go to one school for full time studies in the Fall semester and another one for full time studies in the Spring semester. This does not apply to students going abroad for short terms courses.
• Students can only apply for one academic year at a time. If students wish to extend their exchange studies from the spring semester to the coming autumn semester, they must re-apply for exchange studies at the University of Iceland.
• Regardless of undergraduate or graduate level, all students must complete at least half of their study program at the University of Iceland and graduate from the University of Iceland. Students can apply for one or more semesters of exchange studies, but a maximum of one academic year abroad is credited as part of each degree. The minimum stay for Erasmus+ exchange program is 2 months and the maximum stay is 12 months. For Nordplus exchange programs, the minimum stay is 1 week and the maximum stay is 12 months. For other exchange programs you can apply for one or more semesters. It is possible to attend an exchange course during the summer if the host school offers summer courses to exchange students.
• Students should have at least 22 ECTS credits remaining of their degree in order to go on exchange for one semester and 45 credits remaining to go for two semester. It is important to note that going on exchange in your final semester can delay graduation since some host universities issue transcripts after the graduation deadline of the University of Iceland.
• It is possible to go for an Erasmus+ exchange and a traineeship at the same time if the host university and the student’s faculty at UI approve. Students need to be abroad for at least three months. If the student is not planning on taking a full course load (30 ECTS) at the host institution they have lower priority when it comes to grant and place allocations. The stay is dependent on approval from the host university.
• Undergraduate diploma students can only apply to study abroad if their programme is at least 90 ECTS credits. Students can only go abroad for one semester and must have finished 60 ECTS before the mobility.
• Students can ask for an exemption to the full-time study requirement rule due to special circumstances but can never take less than 20 ECTS at the host institution. This can be, for example, if students are working on their final project as distance students from UI at the same time as the exchange, or if students have permission from their faculty to follow a mandatory UI course as distance students while on the exchange. 
• Students are not allowed to take courses as distance students at the UI during their exchange. Students can ask for an exemption to this requirement if they need to finish a single course to be able to graduate on time. Students who need to be exempted must contact the International Division for approval as well as handing in a written confirmation from their faculty.

• Students commencing masters or doctorate degree may go on exchange during the first semester of their studies. However, a School/Faculty approval for exchange studies is always required. 
• Masters students who intend to go on exchange or traineeship abroad in the first semester have to be accepted into the master's program before the study period abroad begins.
• Graduate students who do not have any grades on their transcript must submit a transcript from their undergraduate studies. 
• Prospective exchange students must have an average grade of 6.0 or higher when they apply for exchange. It is possible to apply for an exemption to this rule at the International Division.
• Students can not go on exchange at two different schools during the same school year, i.e. go to one school for full time studies in the Fall semester and another one for full time studies in the Spring semester. This does not apply to students going abroad for short terms courses.
• Students can only apply for one academic year at a time. If students wish to extend their exchange studies from the spring semester to the coming autumn semester, they must re-apply for exchange studies at the University of Iceland.
• Students of Graduate Diplomas can apply for a study period abroad if the Diploma is at least 60 ECTS credits. The study period abroad cannot be more than half of the entire study period, i.e. student can apply for a study period of one semester if the entire duration is one academic year. However, a School/Faculty approval for exchange studies is required. 
• Regardless of undergraduate or a postgraduate level, all students must complete at least half of their study program at the University of Iceland and graduate from the University of Iceland. Students can apply for one or more semesters of exchange studies, but a maximum of one academic year abroad is credited as part of each degree. The minimum stay for Erasmus+ exchange program is 2 months and the maximum stay is 12 months. For Nordplus exchange programs, the minimum stay is 1 week and the maximum stay is 12 months. For other exchange programs, you can apply for one or more semesters. It is possible to attend an exchange course during the summer if the host school offers summer courses to exchange students.
• Graduate students should have at least 22 ECTS worth of courses left in their studies to go on exchange for one semester and 45 ECTS worth of courses for two semesters. It is important to note that going on exchange in your final semester can delay graduation since some host universities issue transcripts after the graduation deadline of the University of Iceland.
• It is possible to go for an Erasmus+ exchange and a traineeship at the same time if the host university and the student’s faculty at UI approve. Students need to be abroad for at least three months. If the student is not planning on taking a full course load (30 ECTS) at the host institution they have lower priority when it comes to grant and place allocations. The stay is dependent on approval from the host university.
• Ph.D. students can be exempt from the full course load requirement and can take a minimum of 15 ECTS worth of courses if they are working on their thesis alongside the courses. Doctoral students are not given priority when allocating places at host schools.
• Students can ask for an exemption to the full-time study requirement rule due to special circumstances but can never take less than 20 ECTS at the host institution. This can be, for example, if students have permission from their faculty to follow a mandatory UI course as distance students while on the exchange. 
• Students are not allowed to take courses as distance students at the UI during their exchange. Students can ask for an exemption to this requirement if they need to finish a single course to be able to graduate on time. Students who need to be exempted must contact the International Division for approval as well as handing in a written confirmation from their faculty. 

Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics:
Masters students in anthropology must have finished one semester of their masters degree before they go abroad for exchange studies.
Department of Anthropology does not permit students to take language courses during exchange studies. 

Faculty of Social Work:

• Undergraduate student can only go on exchange in Fall Semester of their second year.
• Exchange during graduate studies is evaluated on a case by case basis.

Faculty of Economics:
It is not permitted to take a course during exchange which is similar to a course a student has already completed at UI or will complete as a part of their degree at UI after the exchange.

Faculty of Law:
Exchange is only available for graduate students. Students can go on exchange for one semester (30ECTS credits, during fall or spring semester). Students must have completed a BA degree in Law before the start of the exchange. 
Further information

Students in Natural Resources Law and International Environmental Law are not permitted to go on exchange as the studies consist only of mandatory courses. According to the rules of the Faculty of Law (reglur um skiptinám, mat á utandeildarnámi og M-námskeið), courses (in other Faculties or schools) cannot be evaluated if the Faculty of Law offers comparable courses. Therefore, it is not possible to get a course evaluated instead of a mandatory course. 

Faculty of Political Science:
Students studying towards a 120 ECTS credit degree of Political Science cannot go on exchange except with approval of the relevant faculties. Language courses in exchange studies are not evaluated.

Faculty of Business Administration: 
Students are not permitted to take a course during the exchange which is similar to a course a student has already completed at UI or will complete as a part of their degree at UI after the exchange.

Students who are doing their minor in business must finish at least 36 credits at the UI faculty. Students are therefore allowed to take up to 24 credits of the minor on exchange.

Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition:
No specific requirements but students should plan their exchange in close cooperation with their faculty.

Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies

General Linguistics
Students in General Linguistics can only go on exchange for one semester.

Icelandic as a second language
Icelandic as a second language does not permit exchange studies. 

Creative Writing
MA students in Creative Writing can apply for exchange studies for one semester. Students cannot go abroad in the first semester of their studies.

Icelandic

• Undergraduate

Students studying Icelandic 180 ECTS can only go on exchange for one semester.

• Graduate

Students in Icelandic studies, literature and linguistics can study abroad for one semester (30 ECTS). 

Language Technology
Students in Language Technology are allowed to take a semester abroad. Please consult Anton Karl Ingason. 

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Faculty of Languages and Culture 

Japanese Language and Culture
Students must have completed two years (four semesters) of their study programme before they can go on exchange.

Chinese Studies

Students enrolled in 180-credit BA programme in Chinese Studies must have completed two years (four semesters) of the programme before they can go on an exchange and can stay for two semesters.

Students enrolled in 120-credit BA programme in Chinese Studies must have completed one and a half year (three semesters) of the programme before they can go on an exchange and can stay for one semester.

Graduate students generally have to have completed 30 ECTS credits in order to go on exchange. Students in five-year continuous graduate education are exempt from this rule.

Students need to have completed all compulsory courses in the first year of undergraduate studies and the average grade cannot be lower than 6,0.
Further information