Compare IB Curriculum International Schools in Iceland

Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð – IB Programme

Instructs in English

Ages 16 - 18 years

Fees ISK 65,000 - 95,000

Pupils 1000

Type Co-educational

Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð in Reykjavík offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) as its upper secondary track. Founded in 1966, the school began IB preparation in 1997, with the first IB graduates in 2000. The DP is a two-year, English-taught pre-university curriculum for students typically aged 16 to 19, culminating in external exams recognised by universities worldwide. A one-year pre-IB intake is available for younger entrants, and tracks such as Listdanbraut and Listmenntabraut have broadened pathways into the stúdentspróf and arts-related studies. The DP requires six subjects, plus Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and an Extended Essay (EE), with assessment through a mix of internal and external methods. The school emphasizes arts pathways alongside a broad curriculum, including a core focus on listdansi. The IB coordinator is Alda Kravec (ibstallari@mh.is). The college hosts roughly 1,050–1,150 students with about 120 staff and operates on a campus with a building in use since 2007.

Location

Reykjavík, Iceland. The school is located in the Hamrahlíð district at Hamrahlíð 10, 105 Reykjavík.

Stages

The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year course for ages 16–19, taught in English. The school also offers a preparatory year (pre-IB) for younger students before starting the IB.

Pupil Nationality Mix

Most IB students are Icelandic or foreigners with residence permits in Iceland; some Icelandic students join directly from primary school.

Application & enrolment fees

- There is no separate one‑off “application” charge listed for IB applicants. Enrolment and ongoing semester charges are collected as school/registration and programme fees.
- MH registration (school) fee: ISK 15,000 per semester. This is split into Registration ISK 6,000 and Materials & copying ISK 9,000. Optional additional semester charges: NFMH (student‑union) fee ISK 5,000 and Parent Association ISK 500 (both optional). An invoice for the school/registration fee is issued before each semester starts.

IB programme tuition — per term and by programme length

All IB students pay the MH registration fee (ISK 15,000 per semester) in addition to the IB programme fee. The IB programme fee is ISK 130,000 in total and is collected in semester installments according to how many semesters the student takes at the school. The school treats the final semester differently: only the MH registration fee is charged for the last semester.

- Students on a six‑semester pathway (Pre‑IB + IB Diploma Programme):
- IB portion: ISK 26,000 per semester for the first five semesters; sixth semester no IB portion.
- Combined per semester (first five semesters): IB ISK 26,000 + MH registration ISK 15,000 = ISK 41,000 per semester.
- Sixth (final) semester: MH registration only = ISK 15,000.
- Year totals (typical three‑year breakdown):
- Year 1 (Pre‑IB): 2 semesters × ISK 41,000 = ISK 82,000.
- Year 2 (IB year 1): 2 semesters × ISK 41,000 = ISK 82,000.
- Year 3 (IB year 2): Semester 5 = ISK 41,000; Semester 6 = ISK 15,000 → Year 3 total ISK 56,000.
- Total for six semesters: ISK 220,000 (IB ISK 130,000 + MH registration ISK 90,000).

- Students on a five‑semester pathway (half Pre‑IB + IB DP):
- IB portion: ISK 32,500 per semester for the first four semesters; fifth semester no IB portion.
- Combined per semester (first four semesters): IB ISK 32,500 + MH registration ISK 15,000 = ISK 47,500 per semester.
- Fifth (final) semester: MH registration only = ISK 15,000.
- Year totals (approximate):
- Year 1: 2 × ISK 47,500 = ISK 95,000.
- Year 2: 2 × ISK 47,500 = ISK 95,000.
- Year 3 (final half‑year): ISK 15,000.
- Total for five semesters: ISK 205,000 (IB ISK 130,000 + MH registration ISK 75,000).

- Students on a four‑semester pathway (IB DP only — two academic years):
- IB portion installments: ISK 50,000 in the first semester, ISK 40,000 in the second and third semesters; fourth semester no IB portion.
- Combined per semester:
- Semester 1: IB ISK 50,000 + MH registration ISK 15,000 = ISK 65,000.
- Semesters 2 and 3: IB ISK 40,000 + MH registration ISK 15,000 = ISK 55,000 each.
- Semester 4 (final): MH registration only = ISK 15,000.
- Year totals:
- Year 1 (Sem 1+2): ISK 65,000 + ISK 55,000 = ISK 120,000.
- Year 2 (Sem 3+4): ISK 55,000 + ISK 15,000 = ISK 70,000.
- Total for four semesters: ISK 190,000 (IB ISK 130,000 + MH registration ISK 60,000).

Billing schedule & payment terms

- IB programme fee invoices are issued in September and February. The MH registration fee/invoice is issued before each semester starts. The IB programme total (ISK 130,000) must be fully paid by November of the student's second year prior to registration for IB DP examinations. Fees for IB are stated as non‑refundable.
- Payment notices (payment slips / e‑invoices) appear in the student's or guardian's online bank (heimabanki). A late‑payment surcharge of ISK 1,500 is added for payments made after the due date; this surcharge is allocated to the school fund. Students aged 18 or over may change which account receives the e‑invoice.

Boarding / accommodation fees

- The IB provision at Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð is a day programme (day school). No boarding accommodation or boarding fees apply.

Other costs and occasional fees

- Optional/recurring and course‑specific charges (examples and typical amounts):
- Student‑union (NFMH) optional fee: ISK 5,000 per semester.
- Parent Association (optional): ISK 500 per semester.
- Locker rental: ISK 2,000 per school year; lost key penalty ISK 5,000.
- Course material fees (examples): home‑economics classes ISK 11,000; visual arts ISK 4,000 per course (excl. final project); swimming ISK 8,000 per semester; hiking course ISK 4,000 per trip; certain vocational modules ISK 5,500 per course.
- Copying / document handling: typically ISK 1,000–2,000 depending on volume.
- Fees for resit or special exams: e.g., status/placement tests and repeat examinations have set fees (examples listed include ISK 18,000 and ISK 15,000 for certain repeat/assessment exams). IB retake exam fees follow the IB Organisation's fee schedule plus an ISK 6,000 administrative charge.

Refunds and cancellations

- IB programme fees are described as non‑refundable. General enrolment refunds are limited: only the Materials & copying fee (and related small components) is refundable if a student withdraws; an application for refund must be submitted within two days from the first teaching day of the semester. After that two‑day window no refund is made.

How fees are billed and how payments are made

- Invoices for school and IB fees are issued electronically and delivered as payment slips (e‑invoices) to the student's or guardian's online bank. The school publishes payment due dates with each billing cycle; late payments incur a fixed surcharge. Specific payment channels such as credit‑card acceptance are not detailed in the fee notices—payments are issued into the home‑banking system and students/guardians should use the payment method provided by their bank for the e‑invoice.

(End of fees overview)

Curriculum

The IB programme is a demanding two-year programme taught in English. It is first and foremost an opportunity for hard-working and highly motivated pre-university students. In May 1997 Hamrahlíð College (MH) became a member school of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). This gives the College the right to offer the IB Diploma Programme, a comprehensive pre-university curriculum. Taught in English and intended mostly for the 16-19 age groups, the two-year course ends with standardised exams recognised by universities world-wide. The school also offers a preparatory year for younger students before they start the IB proper.

Higher Education Progression

Graduates typically proceed to higher education at universities worldwide (inference based on IB Diploma recognition). The Diploma Programme is a comprehensive pre-university curriculum and ends with standardised exams recognised by universities worldwide.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

MH provides social-emotional and academic support for IB students. Three study counsellors work at the school, including one IB study counsellor, along with a psychologist and a nurse. A learning centre offers study support, and time-management assistance is available. Students can sign up for special tutoring times to support attendance and progress. The support system aims to identify and remove barriers to learning and to promote student wellbeing and success.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

MH welcomes students with learning barriers or difficulties and provides inclusion support. The school works with school counsellors, the school psychologist, special needs teachers, interpreters, and subject teachers to deliver assistance. The aim is to increase access and engagement in learning by identifying and removing barriers and by ensuring full access to the curriculum. Homework help is available for students who need it. Students with learning barriers, including dyslexia, ADHD and anxiety, receive appropriate support during exams. School counsellors also support students who suffer from long-term illnesses or other difficulties affecting their studies.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The main language of instruction in the IB programme is English. Icelandic is the first language of the vast majority of students, and students tend to communicate in English in IB settings. The language of instruction in the IB programme is English with the exception of Icelandic A and some Language B courses. In ab initio courses the primary language of instruction is Icelandic, but non-Icelandic speakers receive assistance in English. DP students have a broad range of first languages, including Polish, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Albanian, Urdu, Farsi and more. DP students are encouraged to take Language A self-taught to preserve and cultivate their mother tongue and culture.

Mental Wellbeing

MH offers social-emotional and academic support that includes a psychologist and a nurse as part of the student-support team. A learning centre provides study and time-management assistance, and three study counsellors (including one IB counsellor) work to help students identify and remove barriers to learning. School counsellors support students who suffer from long-term illnesses or difficulties affecting their studies, contributing to overall wellbeing and academic success.

Safeguarding

MH has an anti-bullying and safeguarding programme (EKKO) for staff, students, and guardians. The program provides terminology, outlines responsibilities and the EKKO team, and covers reporting and handling of EKKO cases through informal and formal channels. It also addresses confidentiality and record-keeping to maintain a safe and trustworthy school environment.

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International School of Iceland

Instructs in English, Icelandic

Ages 5 - null years

Pupils 104

Type Co-educational

International School of Iceland (ISI) is an English- and Icelandic-medium international school in Garðabær, Iceland. The Primary School follows the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) with two streams for grades 1–6: English Stream and a bilingual Icelandic–English Stream. The core subjects include English, Icelandic (bilingual stream only), mathematics, IPC thematic units, gym, swimming, art, music, theatre, design, coding, and other STEAM activities. Learning targets align with Icelandic standards or the AERO Common Core Plus benchmarks. ISI is an authorized IB World School offering the Middle Years Program (MYP) for grades 7–10 and the Personal Project. The campus features a dedicated Mjölnir Martial Arts gym, a Learning Support Team, and Google Classroom/Managebac for learning management. The school embraces fieldwork through IPC and IPC unit integration, and uses MAP assessments for external measurement. ISI is accredited by the Middle States Association since 2017 and emphasizes inquiry, language development, and student wellbeing and resilience.

Application fees
- No specific application or non‑refundable registration fee amount is published in the school's public admissions materials; applications are submitted through the school's admissions process.

Tuition fees (structure by category)
- Tuition is charged according to family circumstance rather than a single flat rate. Families are classified into categories: Non‑Residents (no Icelandic kennitala / residency), Residents whose tuition is paid by a company (municipality voucher adjustments apply), Residents paying out of pocket (may apply for financial assistance), and Residents of Garðabær (a special municipal agreement affects rates). No per‑grade or per‑term numeric tuition amounts are published in the school's public fee information.

Tuition detail by year group / per term
- The school does not publish a public fee table with numeric tuition by year group or per term for the 2026/27 or prior academic years. Families are informed of exact per‑student tuition amounts and applicable municipal voucher adjustments directly through the school's admissions/finance process.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- No standard public billing schedule (for example: annual, semester, or monthly installment timetable) or formal payment‑terms document with deadlines and penalties is published on the publicly accessible school pages. Billing schedules and accepted payment arrangements are handled directly by the school's finance office.

Boarding fees (if applicable)
- The school operates as a day school serving students in the Greater Reykjavík area; there are no published boarding provisions or boarding fee schedules.

Other costs and typical additional fees
- Lunch: there is a school lunch subscription link listed among the school's resources, indicating a separate lunch charge or subscription service for meals.
- Extracurriculars, field trips, specific course materials, school events, and optional services (for example after‑school care or special programs) are likely to carry additional charges, but no standard published price list for these items is available publicly.
- Uniform: no published mandatory uniform fee or uniform policy with pricing is available in the public materials.

Refund information
- No public, detailed refund policy or standard refund amounts for tuition, deposits, or extracurricular fees is published on the school's publicly accessible information pages. Refund terms (if any) are managed through the school's admissions/finance procedures.

Fee payment options (payment methods)
- The publicly available contact information lists the school office phone number and an administrative email; specific accepted payment methods (bank transfer, credit card, online payment portal, etc.) are not published on the public pages. Families should arrange payment method details directly with the school's finance office.

Summary of findings and gaps
- The school's public materials describe how tuition rates are determined (by residency and payer category) and note processes such as municipal voucher eligibility and financial assistance, but do not publish numeric fee schedules, per‑year or per‑term tuition amounts, application fees, billing calendars, payment methods, refund rules, or itemized additional charges for the 2026/27 academic year (nor for the immediately prior year) in the public pages reviewed. For exact amounts, billing schedules, and payment options, those details are provided to families through the school's admissions and finance office.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

The school fosters social and emotional learning through a joyful community of confident, creative, and respectful learners. A Positive Discipline approach provides a framework for building respectful relationships, effective communication, personal responsibility, and a sense of belonging. Core values at ISI are Respect, Creativity, and Self-Efficacy, which underpin students' social and emotional development.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

ISI has a Learning Support Team and a Student Support Team that identify students in need of additional support and coordinate resources. The teams develop services including counseling and personalized learning plans and guide differentiation and accommodations. Policies on student support and well-being are reviewed to ensure ongoing identification and support for students with additional needs.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

ISI offers an international education in English for the Greater Reykjavik area and a bilingual Icelandic-English program for students in grades 1-6 who live in Iceland. The English Stream is designed for families who are temporarily assigned to Iceland and typically stay about three years.

Mental Wellbeing

The Well-being Team (Lausnateymi) provides ongoing proactive support and monitoring of student well-being and responds to reports or referrals for support. The team coordinates with external agencies as needed and ensures confidentiality. The school provides health support through a School Nurse and offers Personal Development programs to empower students.

Safeguarding

ISI maintains a Child Protection Policy to safeguard student well-being. All staff must report suspected incidents of abuse or neglect to the Well-being Team or Head of School, with cases handled in accordance with Icelandic law and international accreditation standards. The Well-being Team leads proactive and reactive safeguarding, with staff training and regular reviews of procedures. The policy covers background checks for staff, clear reporting steps, and collaboration with child protection authorities locally and in home countries.

Admissions

1. Determine program and entry level. Primary School offers two streams: the English Stream for families temporarily located in Iceland, and the Bilingual Stream for Icelandic or bilingual students who live in Iceland. The English Stream is intended for families temporarily located in Iceland, including foreign-service dependents, families sent to Iceland by a business for a contracted period, and visiting scholars. The Bilingual Stream requires proficiency in Icelandic, and instruction takes place in Icelandic and English. The choice of stream depends on residency status and language needs, and the school aims to place children in a program that best fits the family's plans. 2. Middle School admission (grades 7-10). The International School of Iceland is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB-MYP). It is an IB World School. IB World Schools share a philosophy of high-quality, challenging international education and ISI aligns its program with IB standards. 3. Admission forms. An online admission form is linked in the Admissions section; the form is hosted on Google Forms (forms.gle). Applications require completion of the form and submission of any requested documents. The school may request additional information as needed. 4. Application intake and merit-based review. The school accepts students throughout the academic year as long as a place is available. Each application is considered on its own merit, with the objective to ascertain that the prospective student would benefit from the school. The Admissions Team meets weekly during the regular school year to review applications, respond to emails, arrange and conduct online and in-person meetings, and communicate with current and previous schools. The process is thorough and may require time to complete. 5. Processing timeline. Families are asked for patience as steps are completed and the team guides them through the process. The team aims to keep applicants informed of progress and any additional requirements. Final decisions are communicated once the review is complete.

Scholarships

ISI offers financial assistance options. Non-residents pay full tuition and are not entitled to a municipality voucher. Residents paying out of pocket can apply for a Financial Assistance form to be eligible for a discounted rate. Residents with tuition paid by a company have the municipality voucher subtracted from full tuition, and residents must apply to their municipality annually to maintain eligibility. Residents living in Garðabær have a different tuition and fee structure and should contact ISI for clarification.

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Compare IB Curriculum International Schools in Iceland

Location

Stages

Pupil Nationality Mix

Governance and Ownership

Curriculum

Higher Education Progression

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Mental Wellbeing

Safeguarding

Admissions

Location

Stages

Country affiliation

Food Options

Governance and Ownership

Curriculum

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Mental Wellbeing

Safeguarding

Admissions

Scholarships

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Annual fees

Children's Ages

Curriculum offered

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National Curriculums

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