Exchange students
The international office at your host university assists students in finding housing. Please contact the international coordinator for incoming exchange students.
Other students
For accommodation during your first days in Iceland, a guesthouse or youth hostel is a good short-term solution while you are searching for permanent accommodation. Please go to www.gisting.is or www.visitreykjavik.is for a list of hotels and guesthouses in Iceland.
The rental market in Iceland can be quite limited, because most housing is privately owned. Therefore, you should try to search for accommodation as soon as possible. Here are some ideas on how you can proceed:
Reykjavík and Suðurnes:
- The Rental Agency (IS Leigulistinn) provides customers with a current list of available housing in exchange for a monthly fee. Tel, +354 511 1600.
- The Student Rental Agency (IS Húsnæðismiðlun Stúdenta) provides a list of available housing for university students. The service is free of charge.
- Keilir campus (near Keflavik Airport). The service is free of charge.
Outside Reykjavik:
- Student Housing at the University of Akureyri (IS Félagsstofnun stúdenta á Akureyri).
- Accommodation at the University Centre at the Westfjords.
- Accommodation at Bifröst University.
Newspapers (and their websites) publish adverts from homeowners looking for tenants. You can also put your own advert in the paper, specifying the number of rooms required, which area you would prefer, contact details etc.
When you have found an apartment, you will be asked to sign a lease, which is then registered at the district commissioner‘s office. This lease is necessary when applying for a rent subsidy. It is extremely important that you are aware of what you are signing. Intercultural Centre has a more detailed discussion of this on their website, which we recommend you read.
Students coming from countries outside the EEA must have a housing certificate, which they send with their application for a residence permit. The certificate is to prove that the applicant has secure housing for his intended stay in Iceland. The landlord should be able to provide this document.