You can use your Student Card as an ID and a discount card. You choose if you want the card to give additional access to University buildings outside their usual opening hours (for a fee) or not.

You can apply for a card at the service desk at Háskólatorg or online in My Ugla. International students often have to wait until receiving their Icelandic ID-number (kennitala) before they can go to the University Centre (Háskólatorg) to receive their student card and credentials to access their UGLA profile.

All valid discounts accessible with the card are visible here.

Student Housing (Stúdentagarðar – Félagsstofnun stúdenta) manages student housing that only UI (HÍ) students have access to. They offer studio apartments, rooms with shared facilities, couples apartments and family apartments.

Byggingafélag námsmanna also operates student housing that students of the University of Iceland can apply for.

Once you have received a rent agreement,  you can apply for housing benefits, if you meet certaing requirements.

If you are moving to Iceland, we recommend reading these tips.

To access the internet at the UI, you must connect to eduroam. Here are instructions on how to connect to wireless internet on campus.

Here you can download a free version of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, OneNote, Planner, Access and Skype for business.

You must have printing quota in order to print at the University. Print quota can be purchased at the service desk at Háskólatorg or online on the left-hand side of Ugla under: Computer Services > Print Credits.

Printing black and white costs 1 print quota

Printing in colour costs 5 print quotas.

There are colour printers in the computer labs at Háskólatorg, Árnagarður, Stakkahlíð and Þjóðarbókhlaða.

Háskólaræktin is probably one of the cheapest gyms in Iceland, since the annual fee is only 12.000 ISK. You can buy a card at the service desk of Háskólatorg. A card will get you into any advertised classes in the gym and also gives you access to the sauna.

The Gym is open Mondays – Thursdays from 07:00 – 22:00, on Fridays from 07:00 – 20:00 and on Saturdays from 08:00 – 18:00. The gym is closed during public holidays and for five to six weeks in the middle of summer.

Groups can rent the gym hall for 2.500 / 3.500 ISK per 45 min by contacting Laufey Sigurðardóttir.

Students can also receive discounts on certain gym memberships with the Student card.

P.S. look here for more student clubs like the University Student Dance Group!

Students have access to group work facilities in open areas of the school at Oddi, Gimli and Háskólatorg. There is also a room right outside the Student Cellar that is ideal for group work.

You can also book rooms at the National Library for free. The National Library has four rooms that can accommodate 6-10 people. Group work facilities can be booked here.

Swimming pools
There are a couple of public thermal pools in Reykjavík. The pools offer steam baths, saunas, hot tubs and jacuzzis. Click here, to see find the nearest swimming pool. To learn more, visit https://reykjavik.is/en/swimming-pools

Cinema
SAMbíó is located in three places in Reykjavík area. Kringlan mall, Álfabakki, Egilshöll.
Smárabíó is located in Smáralind mall
Laugarásbíó is located in Laugarás
Háskólabíó is located in Hagatorg
Bíó Paradís is located in Hverfisgata

Theatre
The National Theatre of Iceland
The Reykjavík City Theatre
Tjarnarbíó

Bonus tip! At the Student Cellar there is always something going on – and cheap food and drinks, be sure to check it out!

Text: Mary Ann Divinagracia (ed.)

Icelandic Online
This online programme is run by the University of Iceland.

Icelandic as a second language at the University of Iceland
What is Icelandic as a second language?
Read about the programmes available here.

There is also a number of private companies offering Icelandic language courses in Iceland.

Háma is located in various parts of the University, selling various foods and snacks. They always serve warm soup for lunch and offer more lunch options in specific buildings, such as Háskólatorg, Tæknigarður and Læknagarður.

Students with the Student Card get a discount on the lunch or soup of the day in Háma.

The Student Career Center (Tengslatorg) is a platform set up by the University of Iceland, where they connect students with possible careers. If you are lucky you might land a summer, part time or a full time job there!