Do you want to enter a university program in Iceland but haven't finished college or secondary school education, or does your dream job require a college degree?
Keilir Academy in Iceland offers Preliminary Studies for a university education taught in Icelandic. The format of the education is both on site and distance learning and takes about two years. Graduating from the programme provides access to a number of different faculties at the University of Iceland. Keilir has been offering Preliminary University Studies in Icelandic since 2007 with two thousand students completing the program so far.
Pending on enough participants, the program will launch in the Fall 2020.
Acceptance into our program requires the following criteria to be met:
Click here to send in an application
The main objective of the Preliminary Studies programme is to prepare students, who have a vocational training and/or sufficient practical experience in industry, with the knowledge and competency necessary for further studies at university level. This program builds on the success of the Icelandic version of the Preliminary University Studies programme (Háskólabrú), which Keilir has been offering since 2007. Keilir has graduated more than 1500 students from the programme and the majority of them have gone on to study at university level.
The study takes about seven semesters and is structured so that students are able to keep a job during their studies. Keilir offers a study programme in one line of specification:
An on-site meeting (a weekend session) is held once for each course. This involves students coming to Keilir and meeting up with their teacher for two whole days, Friday and Saturday, from 9:00 to 16:00.
It's very important that students attend the weekend session. The program is taught through lectures and assessed through different projects/assignments. Each subject ends with a final exam or a final project.
Autumn Semester 1 | Credits | Spring Semester 1 | Credits |
Study and induction week | 1 | Math 1 | 6 |
Information technology | 6 | English 1 | 6 |
Icelandic 1 | 6 | Math 2 | 6 |
Icelandic 2 | 6 | ||
Summer Semester 1 | Credits | Autumn Semester 2 | Credits |
English 2 | 6 | Icelandic traditions and culture | 6 |
Information technology and statistics | 6 | Chemistry 1 | 6 |
Chemistry 2 | 6 | ||
Spring Semester 2 | Credits | Summer Semester 2 | Credits |
Math 3 | 6 | Biology 1 | 6 |
Physics 1 | 6 | Biology 2 | 6 |
Physics 2 | 6 | ||
Autumn Semester 3 | Credits | ||
Math 4 | 6 | ||
Icelandic 3 | 6 | ||
Total college units in Engineering and Science field: 109 |
The tuition fee for each course is 22.500 ISK*. The total tuition fees for the programme is 412.500 ISK**. The fees are paid for each semester at a time. Note that the program doesn't qualify under governmental student financial support in Iceland (LÍN).
* Excluding Nám og störf 7.500 ISK
** The price list is subject to change
Regarding financing for students.
It is not possible to get a student loan, because it is not a full-time study. But if you are an employee you should contact your union and check your rights for a scholarship.
Here you can find general information on facilities, school fees, protocols, services, computing and anything else related to your studies at Keilir.
Student counsellors are available from Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 16:00.
Their job is to assist students with everything concerning the studies. That includes organizing, study techniques and special support for students with learning disabilities. Regarding learning disabilities, formal confirmation of diagnosis is needed.
If further information is needed you can contact our student counsellors here
There is public transportation available within the Reykjanesbær area, as well as a favorable price traveling with regular public transportation between Reykjanesbær and Reykjavík.
Here you can find further information about transportation between Reykjavík and Reykjanesbær.
When attending the weekend sessions you can find sleeping accommodation here in Reykjanesbær. If you want to stay at Ásbrú, close to Keilir, you can get a favorable price at Start hostel.
If you need further information regarding the Preliminary Studies programme please contact unibridge@keilir.net