A menntaskóli () is an
Icelandic equivalent to a
gymnasium (
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
, or
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
), although it works differently from other countries.
In
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
grade school (grunnskóli) starts in 1st grade at the age of 6 and ends in 10th grade at the age of 16, which are the only
mandatory
Mandate most often refers to:
* League of Nations mandates, quasi-colonial territories established under Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, 28 June 1919
* Mandate (politics), the power granted by an electorate
Mandate may also r ...
school years in
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
. After graduation from grade school, students choose what High Schools/College they wish to go to (this is similar to choosing a
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
). It is all based on what students wish to learn. It is a 3-year term; roughly the equivalent of the last three years of high school and the first year of university in the United States. A completion of menntaskóli usually provides the student with stúdentspróf (upper secondary certificate) which is required for entry to most university programs in Iceland. Stúdentspróf is somewhat equivalent to a JR college diploma in the US.
List of Icelandic Secondary Schools
* Borgarholtsskóli (Borgó) (
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskóli Vesturlands á Akranesi (FVA) (
Akranes
Akranes () is a port town and municipality on the west coast of Iceland, around north of the capital Reykjavík.
The area where Akranes is located was settled in the 9th century; however, it did not receive a municipal charter until 1942.
His ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskóli Norðurlands Vestra (FNV) (
Sauðárkrókur
Sauðárkrókur () is a Localities of Iceland, town on the Skagafjörður in northern Iceland. It is the seat of both the Skagafjörður (municipality), Sveitarfélagið Skagafjörður ('Municipality of Skagafjörður') and the Northwestern Re ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskóli Snæfellinga (FSN) (
Grundarfjörður
Grundarfjörður () is a town in the north of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west of Iceland. It is situated between a mountain range and the sea. The nearby mountain Kirkjufell forms a small peninsula.
Overview
The town received the right ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurlands (FSu) (
Selfoss)
* Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja (FS) (
Reykjanesbær
Reykjanesbær () is a municipality on the Southern Peninsula (''Suðurnes'') in Iceland, though the name is also used by locals to refer to the suburban region of Keflavík and Njarðvík which have grown together over the years. The municipality ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskólinn í Breiðholti (FB) (
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskólinn í Garðabæ (FG) (
Garðabær
Garðabær () is a town and municipality in the Capital Region of Iceland.
History
Garðabær is a growing town in the Capital Region. It is the fifth largest municipality in Iceland with a population of 20,116 (1 January 2025).
The site of Gar ...
)
* Fjölbrautaskólinn við Ármúla (FÁ) (Reykjavík)
* Flensborgarskóli (
Hafnarfjörður
Hafnarfjörður, officially Hafnarfjarðarkaupstaður, is a port town and municipality in Iceland, located about south of Reykjavík. The municipality consists of two non-contiguous areas in the Capital Region (Iceland), Capital Region, on the s ...
)
* Framhaldsskólinn á Húsavík (FSH) (
Húsavík
Húsavík () is a town in Norðurþing municipality on the northeast coast of Iceland on the shores of Skjálfandi bay with 2,485 inhabitants. The most famous landmark of the town is the wooden church Húsavíkurkirkja, built in 1907. Húsav ...
)
* Framhaldsskólinn á Laugum (
Laugar
Laugar is a hamlet in the Northeastern Region Iceland, on the Reykjadalsá river, a left tributary of the Laxá í Aðaldal river. Route 1 runs through the village between Akureyri and Reykjahlíð. It is largest village in the municipality of ...
)
* Framhaldsskólinn í Austur-Skaftafellssýslu (FAS) (
Höfn
Höfn () or Höfn í Hornafirði (, ) is an Icelandic fishing town in the southeastern part of the country. It lies near Hornafjörður fjord.
The town, the second largest in the southeastern part of Iceland, offers scenic views of Vatnajökull ...
)
* Framhaldsskólinn í Mosfellsbæ (FMOS) (
Mosfellsbær
Mosfellsbær (, colloquially Mosó) is a town in south-west Iceland, east of the country's capital, Reykjavík. The coat of arms of the municipality is a tightly-knotted triquetra, a symbol often used in Celtic knotwork and strongly associated ...
)
* Framhaldsskólinn í Vestmannaeyjum (FÍV) (
Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar (, sometimes anglicized as Westman Islands) is a municipality and archipelago off the south coast of Iceland.
The largest island, Heimaey, has a population of 4,414, most of whom live in the archipelago's main town, Vestmannaeyja ...
)
* Kvennaskóli Íslands (Kvennó) (Reykjavík)
*
Menntaskólinn á Akureyri
The Akureyri Junior College ( , regionally also ; ) is an Icelandic gymnasium (academic secondary school). It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Iceland.
The Menntaskólinn á Akureyri traces its roots to the ancient school in H ...
(MA) (
Akureyri
Akureyri (, ) is a town in northern Iceland, the country's fifth most populous Municipalities of Iceland, municipality (under the official name of Akureyrarbær , 'town of Akureyri') and the largest outside the Capital Region (Iceland), Capital R ...
)
*
Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð
Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð (, and usually referred to as MH) is a state school, public Gymnasium (school), gymnasium located in Hlíðahverfi, Reykjavík, Iceland. The school was founded in 1966 by the Ministry of Education, Science and Cult ...
(MH) (Reykjavík)
*
Menntaskólinn við Sund
Menntaskólinn við Sund (MS) is a secondary school in Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitu ...
(MS) (Reykjavík)
* Menntaskóli Borgarfjarðar (MB) (
Borgarnes
Borgarnes () is a town located on a peninsula at the shore of Borgarfjörður in Iceland and is the largest town in the Borgarbyggð municipality with a population of about 3800 residents. It is a main junction in Iceland and the gateway to the ...
)
* Menntaskólinn á Ásbrú (MÁ) (
Reykjanesbær
Reykjanesbær () is a municipality on the Southern Peninsula (''Suðurnes'') in Iceland, though the name is also used by locals to refer to the suburban region of Keflavík and Njarðvík which have grown together over the years. The municipality ...
)
*
Menntaskólinn á Ísafirði (MÍ) (
Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður (pronounced , meaning ''ice fjord'', literally ''fjord of ices'') is a town in the northwest of Iceland.
The oldest part of Ísafjörður with the town centre is located on a spit of sand, or ''eyri'', in Skutulsfjörður, a fjord ...
)
*
Menntaskólinn á Egilsstöðum
Egilsstadir Upper Secondary School () is a gymnasium ( Icelandic: ''Menntaskóli'') in the Eastern Region, Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the M ...
(ME) (
Egilsstaðir
Egilsstaðir () is a town in east Iceland on the banks of the Lagarfljót river.
It is part of the municipality of Múlaþing and the largest settlement of the Eastern Region (Iceland), Eastern Region with, as of 2024, a population of 2,632 inha ...
)
* Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga (MTR) (
Ólafsfjörður
Ólafsfjörður () is a town in the northeast of Iceland located at the mouth of the fjord Eyjafjörður.
The town is connected to Dalvík on Eyjafjörður by the 3.5 km one-lane Múli tunnel (the ''Múlagöng'') and to Siglufjörður by the ...
)
*
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík (MR; official name in English: Reykjavik College) is collegein Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík.
The school traces its origin to 1056, when a school was established in Skálholt, and it remains one of the oldest ...
(MR) (Reykjavík)
* Menntaskólinn að Laugarvatni (ML) (
Laugarvatn
Laugarvatn () is the name of a lake and a small town in the south of Iceland. The lake is smaller than the neighbouring Apavatn.
Tourism
Laugarvatn lies within the Golden Circle (Iceland), Golden Circle, a popular tourist route, and acts as a s ...
)
*
Menntaskólinn í Kópavogi (MK) (
Kópavogur
Kópavogur () is a town in Iceland that is the country's second-largest municipality by population.
It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Capital Region (Iceland), Capital Region. The name literally means ''seal pup inlet''. ...
)
*
Tækniskólinn
Tækniskólinn ( Technical College) is an upper secondary school in Reykjavík, Iceland, providing both Vocational education, vocational and Education in Iceland#Upper secondary, specialized programmes. It was formed in 2008 through the merger of ...
(Reykjavík)
* Verkmenntaskóli Austurlands (VA) (
Neskaupstaður
Neskaupstaður () is a town located on the fjord Norðfjörður on the eastern side of Iceland, against the Norwegian Sea. It is part of the municipality of Fjarðabyggð and, as of 2016, it has a population of 1,481. Neskaupstaður is the second ...
)
* Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri (VMA) (
Akureyri
Akureyri (, ) is a town in northern Iceland, the country's fifth most populous Municipalities of Iceland, municipality (under the official name of Akureyrarbær , 'town of Akureyri') and the largest outside the Capital Region (Iceland), Capital R ...
)
*
Verzlunarskóli Íslands (Verzló), (Reykjavík)
School types
Schools in Iceland
{{Iceland-school-stub