Students‘ Council‘s Survival kit

What to do after arrival in Iceland:

• First of all we would like to remind you of the contact person system, the students‘ council provides international students. If you haven‘t applied for a contact person, and if you wish to participate in the program, then you can send an e-mail to the SHI international Officer, Sif Hauksdóttir Gröndal, sifgr@hi.is . It can come very handy to have a contact person to help you if you face any problems completing the following tasks.

• It is very important to complete your registration at the University as soon as possible, in order to get your free Reykjavik bus card printed in the first round, and to get access to the University web system, Ugla, and your University e-mail account.

• The very first thing you have to do after you arrive, is to apply for an identification number (kennitala) at Hagstofa Íslands, Þjóðskrá (Statistics Iceland, National registration office). It is located at Borgartún 24. To get the identification number, the following documents are required:

o Passport
o Acceptance letter from the University

• After 2-3 days Hagstofa Íslands sends your identificaton number to the University Registration Office, so after 3-4 days you should go to the Service Desk in Háskólatorg to complete your registration. There you will get two forms:

o Registration form, where you fill in your name, identification number (which they can provide you with), address etc.
o Course Registration, where you fill in the courses you are going to take this semester.
Then you hand these forms in and you will be provided with your username and password for the University web system, Ugla.

• After that you go to the University User Service, next to the Service Desk, get help with your e-mail account and get your computer (if you have one) registered in the University wireless network.

Important information you should know:

• Please be aware that students are responsible for their course registration. You can see your current course load in the University web system, Ugla, at www.ugla.hi.is . You can also see the courses offered during the Spring semester in the Course Catalog of the University. Last day to review Spring semester registration is January 21st.

• The spring semester period is from April 29th to May 15th. Last day to withdraw from the Spring semester courses is April 10th. Students are expected to withdraw from a course if they do not intend to attend examination, otherwise they will be registered as having failed the course.

• Students may add courses or withdraw from courses through the University web system. There is also a form at the Registration Office to fill out if you want to add or drop courses, but you may also do it in writing through e-mail to nemskra@hi.is or by fax, tel: 525-4317.

• In the University web system you can get information on your courses and grades, deposit printing units for the printers at the computer labs, get files from your home directory, withdraw from courses (and examinations). Students also have access to their own e-mail account through the web system. To log on to the web system you fill in your username in the space marked for „notendanafn" at the University homepage (www.hi.is) and your password in the space marked for „lykilorð" and then push the „innskrá" bar.

• If the student is ill at the day of examination he should send a medical certificate to the Registration Office no later than three days after the examination day.

• Students at the University of Iceland are required to have an I.D. card do verify their registration, i.e. when they attend examinations or ask for transcripts or certificates at the Registration Office.

• Examination should be marked with „nemendanúmer" (student number) or the student‘s name and his identification number, depending on what the teacher of the course requires. You can see your „nemendanúmer" at the University web system after you have logged on. You can also ask for information about your student number at the Registration Office.

• Transcripts or certificates are only given to the student himself or to a third person if he/she has a written permission from the student. The course summary is sent to students three times a year free of charge, however, the Registration Office charges for each extra copy of transcripts or certificates.

• In February 6th and 7th, there will be elections for the Students‘ Council and the Student representatives in the University Council. All students, including exchange students, have a vote in the elections. We urge you to use your right to vote.

• If you want to be active in the University social life, we recommend that you contact your student association (each study field has their own student association) and get involved. If you don‘t know which student association you belong to, you can contact us and we can give you the information.

In Háskólatorg you can find:

• The Students‘ Council - Stúdentaráð Háskóla Íslands (SHÍ)
• Icelandic Student Services - Félagsstofnun Stúdenta (FS)

o Student housing
o Student agency
o Student project grant
o Preschools

• Office of International Education - Alþjóðaskrifstofa
• University Student Counselling Centre - Námsráðgjöf
• University Registration Office - Nemendaskrá
• University Computer Service - Reiknistofnun Háskólans
• University Bookstore - Bóksala Stúdenta
• University Service desk - Þjónustuborð Háskólans
• Háma - the university cafe - Háma - Mötuneyti Háskólans

About the Student‘s Council

The role of the Students' Council
The Students‘ Council‘s role is complex. The Students‘ Council takes care of the students‘ interests and fights for everything that matters for students. The Students‘ Council is the voice of students, within the University and in the society. The Students‘ Council is working on many issues within the University, often in cooperation with the University administration and faculties. The students have representatives in most of the University‘s committees and working groups, in the organisational meetings within faculties and fields, and two representatives in the University General Forum, which holds the University‘s highest power.
The Students‘ Council is also very active outside the University, in society. One of the council‘s principal roles is being a political force, pressing the government and the city council to put forward issues that concern students. There are many issues that won‘t be solved within in the University, as the decision making power is in the hands of other bodies, f.ex. the issues of the Students‘ Loan fund, financing of the University, student housing constructions, transportation, maternity/paternity leave and kinder gardens. The Students‘ Council takes it‘s role, as the Students‘ Voice, very seriously and constantly tries to press the government and other bodies to improve the students‘ situation.
It would be impossible to name everything the Students‘ Council does, but it can truly be said that the Students‘ Council never ignores a matter that concerns the interests of students.
The President of the Students‘ Council this year is Hildur Björnsdóttir, and the Executive Officer is Jóhann Már Helgason.

Service for international students
A part of the service of the Students‘ Council is directed towards the need of international Students. The aim is to make foreign students fell welcome and help them adjust to student life in Iceland.
International officer
At the Student Council there is an International Officer who takes care of various matters regarding students. International students can turn to the International Officer with any kind of questions. This year the International Officer is Sif Hauksdóttir Gröndal (sifgr@hi.is) . If international students have any questions or need any help solving problems they face during their stay in Iceland, they can either contact Sif, Anna Sigríður Hafliðadóttir, chair person of the International Committee (ash16@hi.is) or Katelin Marit Parsons which is the foreign students' interest officer (katelin@hi.is).
Contact person for international students
Every international student can sign up for an icelandic contact person who helps the student adjust to the student life. Also it is an ideal way for both foreign students and Icelanders to practice different languages. The International Officer, SIf, is in charge of the programme on behalf of the Students‘ Council and the international students can apply for a contact person through the e-mail sifgr@hi.is .

Student rights office
The Student Council runs an office dealing with students‘ rights and assists students in disputes inside the University. If students experience unfairness, for instance regarding exams, academic evaluation or teaching, they are encouraged to turn to the SHI office. All matters are treated confidentially.

Student‘s Council Office is in Háskólatorg.
It‘s open from 9-17, Monday to Friday.

The Student‘s Council‘s website is www.student.is . On the website there is a lot of useful information, and there you can also find this survival kit.

Don‘t hesitate to contact any of us, or visit us at our office in Háskólatorg!