Education for children and youth

Day care services

Day parents ( dagforeldrar ) provide care for children aged 6-18 months in private homes. It's important to apply for day parent services well in advance, up to 12 months, as waiting lists can be long. The working hours of day parents are weekdays only, and the duration of stay for children varies, but is never longer than nine hours at a time. The service must be paid for (information in Icelandic). The municipality pays part of the cost if the day parent is licensed to operate by the authority.

In order to apply for day parents you must have a legal residence in Akureyri.

Parents have to apply directly to the day parents (in Icelandic).
Application form (in Icelandic).

In cases where all the spaces for day parents are full, you can contact preschools.

Preschools

Preschools ( leikskóli ) are for children up to six years old, starting from age 12-24 months. Parents are free to decide whether children attend preschools or not. Attending preschool is seen as an important preparation for elementary school.

A list of preschools in Akureyri (in Icelandic).

Akureyri municipality subsides the cost (in Icelandic) of having children attend preschools, but parents pay part of the cost themselves. There might be a waiting list for a preschool place, and parents are, therefore, advised to apply as soon as possible, even before the child is old enough.

The town's preschools are not district-divided because they are based on different upbringing policies and it is therefore considered necessary for parents to choose the school policy that they think is best suited to their upbringing methods.
Please see the booklet on Akureyri's preschools.

Preschools are closed 20 working days for summer holidays (in Icelandic).

Parents can apply for preschool when child has been given an ID number but a legal residence in Akureyri municipality is a prerequiste for a child to start prechool.  
Apply for preschool in Akureyri, using this application form (in Icelandic).

For more information regarding preschool in Akureyri in Polish, English, German, Thai, Arabic, click here.
For information regarding Rules on preschool service of Akureyri, click here. 
For various information regarding preschools in Akureyri, click here. 
For information regarding festivals and traditions in preschools in Akureyri, click here.

Elementary schools

Elementary schools ( grunnskóli ) are the second level of schooling. Elementary education is compulsory, meaning that children and young people between the age of 6 and 16 must attend. Parents are obligated to register their children at an elementary school and are responsible for their attendance.
Click here for a map of elementary schools in Akureyri.

Elementary school application form (in Icelandic).

Below are links to introduction videos about elementary schools in Akureyri in several languages:

• English
• Polish
• Spanish
• Russian

Further information can be obtained at:

• Icelandic as a second language.
• School meals and fee for school meals (in Icelandic)
• Akureyri Youth Centers
• Ungmennahús at Rósenborg (in Icelandic)
  

For more information regarding elementary schools in Akureyri, click here.

Colleges

Everyone who has completed elementary school, received an equivalent general education or reached the age of 16 can begin their studies in a college ( framhaldsskóli ). Colleges are the third level of the Icelandic school system but are not compulsory.
The colleges vary quite a bit and they may sometimes be referred to as: junior colleges, technical schools, undergraduate colleges and vocational schools.

Akureyri Junior College ( Menntaskólinn á Akureyri )

Akureyri Comprehensive College ( Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri )

Universities

University ( háskóli ) level educational institutions consist of various study programs, departments, research institutes and centres, and various service institutes and offices.

The University of Akureyri (Háskólinn á Akureyri )

The Icelandic Student Loan Fund

After school activities

After school centres ( frístund ) are operated in every elementary school in the city.
They serve 6-9 year old children with diverse extracurricular activities after the school day ends.

Further information can be obtained at:

• Vala frístund - applications website and fee. (in Icelandic)
• Sport and leisure subsidies (frístundastyrkur)
• Music school in Akureyri (in Icelandic)
• Art school in Akureyri (in Icelandic)
• Summer activities  (in Icelandic)
• The Association of Bilingualism 

For information regarding sports and leisure activities for children and/or adults, click here.

Education in Iceland

Information regarding the Icelandic educational system.

Information regarding education in Iceland.

Information regarding Icelandic education, vocational training, grants, student loans, etc.

Parents meetings in Akureyri

Tuesdays

10:00 – 12:00 (11:30 lunch)

Free of charge

Hjálpræðisherinn á Akureyri / Salvation Army

Hrísalundi 1a, next house to Hertex

akureyri@herinn.is

Thursdays

10:00 – 12:00

Safnaðarheimili Glerárkirkju

Hliðarbraut, 603 Akureyri

FB: Foreldramorgnar sameinaðir.Glerárkirkja, Akureyrarkirkja. 

sonja@akirkja.is

464 8800

International parents in Akureyri – FB site

Ungbarnasund á Akureyri / baby swimming – FB site

Sölusíða fyrir múttur og pabba á Akureyri / clothes and children stuff – FB site