Undergraduate students must have finished at least 60 ECTS credits in their field of study before the exchange programme begins. Students in their first year can apply for exchange studies and go abroad in their second year, provided they have completed 60 ECTS before starting at the host institution. Students should have at least 22 ECTS remaining of their programme to go on exchange for one semester and 45 ECTS remaining to go 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 at the University of Iceland. Students are eligible to participate in an exchange programme only through their major and not their minor. All students going on exchange must complete at least half of their study programme at the University of Iceland and graduate from the University of Iceland. Master’s and PhD students can go on exchange during the first semester of their studies if they are registered students at UI and have been accepted into the programme before the exchange begins. Graduate students who do not have any grades on their transcript must submit a transcript from their undergraduate studies with their application for exchange. Students are generally expected to have an average grade of 6.0 or higher when they apply for exchange. Some partner universities might require higher average grades from students and further information can be found on the websites of each university. Students can apply for one academic year at a time. If students wish to extend their exchange studies from the spring semester to the following autumn semester, they must submit a new application to the International Division. Students may not go on exchange at two different universities during the same academic year, i.e. attend one university for full-time studies in the autumn semester and another one for full-time studies in the spring semester. Undergraduate diploma students can only apply for an exchange if the diploma is at least 90 ECTS credits. Students can only go on a study exchange for one semester and must have completed 60 ECTS credits before the exchange programme begins. Students are generally not permitted to enroll in distance courses at UI while participating in an exchange programme. Students may ask for an exception to this requirement if completing a single course is necessary to graduate on time. Some faculties and schools at UI have additional requirements for exchange. Students should ensure they are familiar with the relevant requirements of their faculty or school.

School of Humanities requirements

Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies: General linguistics Students in general linguistics may 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 the programme. Icelandic: Undergraduate - Students on the 180 ECTS programme in Icelandic may 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 may take a semester abroad. Please consult Anton Karl Ingason. Faculty of Languages and Culture : Japanese language and culture: Students must have completed two years (four semesters) of their programme before they can go on exchange. Chinese studies: Students on the 120 ECTS programme have the opportunity to go on exchange during the fourth semester.

Requirements for exchange studies

Q: School of Health Science requirements

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

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Opportunities for UI students

Exchange studies are available for undergraduate and graduate UI students in most subject fields. The best time for exchange studies depends on the study programme, so it is important to consult the programme coordinator or the faculty’s international coordinator for guidance.

While on exchange, students are expected to take a full course load at the host institution, 30 ECTS per semester or according to the host institution‘s guidelines of a full course load.

Undergraduate students must have finished at least 60 ECTS credits in their field of study before the exchange programme begins. Students in their first year can apply for exchange studies and go abroad in their second year, provided they have completed 60 ECTS before starting at the host institution.
Students should have at least 22 ECTS remaining of their programme to go on exchange for one semester and 45 ECTS remaining to go 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 at the University of Iceland.
Students are eligible to participate in an exchange programme only through their major and not their minor.
All students going on exchange must complete at least half of their study programme at the University of Iceland and graduate from the University of Iceland.
Master’s and PhD students can go on exchange during the first semester of their studies if they are registered students at UI and have been accepted into the programme before the exchange begins. Graduate students who do not have any grades on their transcript must submit a transcript from their undergraduate studies with their application for exchange.
Students are generally expected to have an average grade of 6.0 or higher when they apply for exchange. Some partner universities might require higher average grades from students and further information can be found on the websites of each university.
Students can apply for one academic year at a time. If students wish to extend their exchange studies from the spring semester to the following autumn semester, they must submit a new application to the International Division.
Students may not go on exchange at two different universities during the same academic year, i.e. attend one university for full-time studies in the autumn semester and another one for full-time studies in the spring semester.
Undergraduate diploma students can only apply for an exchange if the diploma is at least 90 ECTS credits. Students can only go on a study exchange for one semester and must have completed 60 ECTS credits before the exchange programme begins.
Students are generally not permitted to enroll in distance courses at UI while participating in an exchange programme. Students may ask for an exception to this requirement if completing a single course is necessary to graduate on time.
Some faculties and schools at UI have additional requirements for exchange. Students should ensure they are familiar with the relevant requirements of their faculty or school.

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

Faculty of Social Work:

Undergraduate students may only go on exchange in the autumn semester of their second year.
Exchange during graduate studies is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Faculty of Economics:
Students may not take courses during exchange which are similar to courses they have already completed at UI or will later complete as part of their programme at UI.

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

Students in natural resources law or international environmental law are not permitted to go on exchange, as these programmes are made up exclusively of mandatory courses. According to rules at the Faculty of Law (reglur um skiptinám, mat á utandeildarnámi og M-námskeið), courses (at other faculties or schools) cannot be evaluated if the Faculty of Law offers comparable courses. Therefore, it is not possible to earn credits by taking a different course as an alternative to a mandatory course.

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

Faculty of Business Administration:
Students may not take courses during exchange which are similar to courses they have already completed at UI or will later complete as part of their programme at UI.

Students in a 90 ECTS credits master’s programme can have a maximum of 30 ECTS credits recognised from exchange studies, while students in a 120 ECTS credits master’s programme can have a maximum of 45 ECTS credits recognised from their exchange studies.

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 may 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 the programme.

Icelandic:

Undergraduate - Students on the 180 ECTS programme in Icelandic may 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 may take a semester abroad. Please consult Anton Karl Ingason.

Faculty of Languages and Culture :

Japanese language and culture:
Students must have completed two years (four semesters) of their programme before they can go on exchange.

Chinese studies:
Students on the 120 ECTS programme have the opportunity to go on exchange during the fourth semester.

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

Students must have completed all compulsory courses in the first year of undergraduate studies and their average grade cannot be lower than 6.0.

Further information for the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences.