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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice

Iceland

The organisation of the academic year in Iceland is as follows:

Beginning of the academic yearLate August
End of the academic yearLate April/mid May
Period(s) when there are teaching activities

The scheduling of teaching is at the discretion of HE institutions and may vary between institutions.

National information

Iceland - Teachers' salaries and allowances

Teachers' salaries and allowances

  • Teachers’ remuneration is regulated by collective agreement at all education levels.
  • The minimum qualification requirement for teachers is ISCED 7 at all levels.
  • The salary progression of teachers depends on the acquisition of further qualifications, professional duties and responsibilities and number of years in service (increment every 5 years).
  • Teachers are not public servants and have a specific status defined in legislation.

School heads' salaries

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    National information

    Iceland - School heads' salaries and allowances

    School heads' salaries and allowances

    • School heads’ remuneration is regulated by collective agreement at pre-primary, primary and lower secondary levels. School heads at ISCED level 34 sign a contract directly with the Icelandic Ministry of Education and Children, according to a arrangement that applies to all heads of government agencies.
    • The minimum qualification requirement for school heads is ISCED 7 at all education levels. Additional education and training in management are required.
    • The salary progression of school heads depends on the duties and responsibilities, experience (5 year increment), qualifications.
    • School heads have specific status defined in legislation.

    Teachers' salaries

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      National Information

      Further readings

      National education systems - Iceland, Eurydice

      Fees and support administration

      Loans

      Organisation of the Academic Year in Higher Education

      Municipal councils may authorise third parties to build and operate preschools using the form of a non-profit organisation, a company limited by shares, or any other recognised legal form. The local authority concerned may limit any such authorisation to a certain maximum number of children. Preschools authorised in this manner are governed by the same legislative and regulatory provisions as other preschools and they must be operated pursuant to all framework legislation on preschools.

      Upper secondary educational institutions in Iceland have more freedom than the primary and lower secondary schools to provide organisational variations and alternative structures. The framework allowing for those variations and alternative structures is set with the National Curriculum Guide for Upper Secondary Schools, of 2011. Approved independent upper secondary schools may, among others, provide education programmes on an international basis or provide upper secondary education in combination with top-level arts or music or another subject profile.