Iceland is a small island country in the North Atlantic. Its main island lies south of the Arctic Circle, while the Arctic Circle passes through Grímsey Island, north of the mainland. Despite its cold climate, Iceland is known for geothermal and volcanic activity, which has shaped its young, dynamic volcanic landscape. These natural features make the country a distinctive place to study abroad. Iceland also has a well-developed education system, and we will be looking at how to study medicine in Iceland.
1. Why Study Medicine in Iceland?
As with much of Northern Europe, Iceland offers a high quality of life and a publicly funded healthcare system. Iceland has a centralized health system with universal coverage for residents, but healthcare is not completely free: co-payments apply for services such as primary care visits, outpatient care, and outpatient pharmaceuticals. Legal residents are generally covered by Icelandic Health Insurance after six consecutive months of legal residence.
Medical education in Iceland is provided through the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Medicine. Because clinical training capacity is limited, admission to the medicine program is competitive. The University of Iceland currently limits admission to the BS in Medicine to 75 new students per year.
If you’re interested in studying medicine in Iceland, here are the main things you should keep in mind.
2. What is the language of instruction?
Icelandic is the language of instruction for medical studies at the University of Iceland. The University states that the Candidatus Medicine program is taught in Icelandic and that most textbooks are in English. Applicants to Icelandic-taught programs may also need to demonstrate Icelandic proficiency at the required level.
3. Can you study medicine in Iceland as an international student?
Yes, but admission is highly competitive and the program is taught in Icelandic. International applicants must meet the University of Iceland’s general and program-specific admission requirements, including an Icelandic matriculation examination or an equivalent qualification, the medicine entrance examination, and any required language documentation. The number of admitted students is limited because the Faculty of Medicine can provide clinical training for only a certain number of students each year.
4. What are the requirements to enroll in medical school in Iceland?
Applicants need an Icelandic matriculation examination (stúdentspróf) or an equivalent qualification. They must also take the entrance examination for medicine, which is held in June each year. Applicants should always check the University’s current admissions page for the latest dates.
The exam is an on-site digital exam in the INSPERA system and consists of six two-hour exam sections spread over two days in June. The main section, worth 70%, consists of multiple-choice questions based on upper-secondary school material. The remaining 30% assesses general knowledge, reasoning and information literacy, and ethical problem-solving.
Most questions are multiple choice, but the ethics section may include short written responses. Applicants must achieve a minimum average grade of 5.0 in the ethics questions.
The results of the entrance exam determine which applicants earn the right to begin medical studies. For the 2025–2026 academic year, the University of Iceland lists 75 places for new students in the BS in Medicine.
The Faculty of Medicine recommends that applicants have knowledge and competence in Icelandic, English, mathematics, biology, and chemistry, as well as supporting knowledge in physics, natural sciences, sociology, history, and psychology.
Since the course is taught in Icelandic, students must have strong Icelandic-language skills. In addition, applicants whose first language is not English may need to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores, depending on the University’s requirements.
5. What do you learn in medical schools in Iceland?
The University of Iceland offers a six-year medical pathway. It is divided into a three-year BS in Medicine worth 180 ECTS credits, followed by a three-year Candidatus Medicine degree worth 180 ECTS credits. The BS in Medicine is the first step toward becoming a doctor.
The first three years cover undergraduate medical education. In the first two years, students study foundational subjects such as physics, chemistry, anatomy, histology, cell physiology, embryology, physiology, and biochemistry. They also study the structure and function of the body and begin learning about the medical profession, including patient communication.
Current first-year course topics include communication and psychology, doctor-patient communication, chemistry, anatomy, biological physics, scientific literacy, multidisciplinary health sciences, cell biology and genetics, and cell physiology.
Second-year studies include physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, medical microbiology, problem-based learning, and continued clinical-method and communication courses.
In the third year, students study disease processes and treatment foundations, including pathology, immunology, virology, medical microbiology, pharmacology, and toxicology. The third year also includes interdisciplinary cooperation in health sciences, epidemiology, biostatistics, and a research project.
After completing the BS degree, students may proceed to the three-year Candidatus Medicine program. The first year of the Candidatus program includes internal medicine, surgery, medical imaging, otorhinolaryngology, and clinical biochemistry.
The second year includes ophthalmology, pediatrics, medical genetics, gynecology and obstetrics, psychiatry, dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases, and neurology.
The final year includes preventive medicine, IT in health sciences, forensic medicine, clinical toxicology, rehabilitation, emergency medicine, management and quality issues, cancer epidemiology, diagnosis and clinical management, anesthesia and intensive care, general practice medicine, medication prescribing and medical records, practical clinical training, an elective period, and the Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination.
Clinical and practical teaching takes place in hospital departments and primary care clinics. Landspítali, the National University Hospital of Iceland, is the leading university hospital in Iceland and plays an important role in clinical training and research for University of Iceland health-science students.
Before completing the Candidatus program, students take the Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination as part of the final-year program requirements.
6. How many medical schools are in Iceland?
Medicine is offered through the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Medicine in Reykjavík. The University of Iceland lists the BS in Medicine and the Candidatus Medicine degree as Faculty of Medicine programs, and medical-school directories and medical-student exchange sources list the University of Iceland as Iceland’s medical school.
7. How difficult is it to study medicine in Iceland?
As with most medical schools, the challenge starts with admission. Applicants must meet the academic requirements and sit a competitive entrance exam. The entrance exam is held over two days and includes six two-hour sections, and admission to the BS in Medicine is limited to 75 students.
After entry, students complete demanding foundational, clinical, research, and practical training. The Candidatus program is full-time, taught in Icelandic, and requires clinical attendance, including evening and weekend shifts in clinical courses.
8. How do you get a job as a doctor afterwards?
After completing medical studies in Iceland, graduates must complete a 12-month foundation year or internship before obtaining a general medical license. The internship is completed under supervision and includes rotations such as internal medicine, surgery or emergency medicine, and general practice. Licenses to practice as healthcare professionals are issued by the Directorate of Health.
After receiving a general license, physicians can apply for specialist training. Specialist training in Iceland is now broader than general practice and psychiatry. Landspítali currently lists full residency programs such as internal medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry, and emergency medicine, and specialist training positions are advertised through a coordinated recruitment process.
The internal medicine residency at Landspítali is listed as a five-year program. Other specialties or subspecialties may be available as full or partial training pathways, but many Icelandic doctors may still complete some specialist training abroad depending on the field.
In general, Iceland can be a rewarding destination for applicants who meet the academic, language, and admission requirements. The medical program is demanding and Icelandic-taught, so prospective international students should review the University of Iceland’s current admissions and program pages carefully.
I hope this article was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Europe Courses for International Students and the Europe Scholarships Page.
