MH admission policy for IB students

MH ADMISSION POLICY FOR IB STUDENTS

The Diploma Programme (DP) is first and foremost an opportunity for hard-working and highly motivated pre-university students who are willing to take on a demanding job.  The DP makes Hamrahlíð College the only Icelandic upper secondary school where it is possible to prepare for university without having command of the Icelandic language (except Icelandic students study Icelandic as their first language). Bearing all this in mind we accept applicants of two kinds:

• Icelandic students who have gained good results at the end of their compulsory education, have developed good study habits and display the necessary interest, maturity and vision to come to grips with a rigorous academic programme in a foreign language.
• Non-Icelandic or Icelandic students who have lived and studied outside of Iceland, and who are heading for university and have shown academic ability but have little or no hope of fulfilling the requirements of the Icelandic matriculation examination due to lack of knowledge and/or practice in using the Icelandic language.  However, the school emphasizes on the mother tongue of all students and offers Icelandic as first language.

To be accepted as a student in MH, the minimum grades from Icelandic Elementary schools should be B in English, Math and Icelandic.  To apply for the IB study, students should preferably have minimum B+ in English and B in Math, History and Natural sciences or equivalent from schools in other countries.

Applicants apply on menntagátt but special application forms are also required for the IB as well as a reference from a teacher or another person (e.g. an employer) who knows the applicant well. See the application process in more details here: Applications. 

For older applicants (student that have already completed some credits in an upper secondary school/high school), they must fulfill our progress rules and have the minimum grade of 5 (of 10) in all subjects and the average grade 6 or higher. Preferably, students should have at least the grade 7 in English, Math, History and Natural Sciences.

The Icelandic Ministry of Education decided at the outset to make allowance for around 25 IB diploma students in each year-group. They further stipulated that the programme should be open to applicants irrespective of their place of residence or previous school. It should be noted that students accepted specifically into the DP do not automatically have the right to remain in MH should they leave the DP.

MH admission guidelines in general

Admission guidelines in Icelandic and Admission and processing of applications.

Hamrahlíð College (MH) Admission Guidelines

All those who are legal residents of Iceland may attend Hamrahlíð College on condition that they fulfil the national grade requirements for university matriculation (stúdentspróf) or the special requirements for entering the IB Diploma Programme.

The majority of entrants are chosen on the basis of the grades they receive at the end of compulsory education. The minimum grades in specified subjects are defined by the national requirements. In addition to these criteria, the following may also be considered:

• Their attendance record in their previous school, whether compulsory or secondary.
• Their grades in other subjects than those specified in the national requirements.
• The number of applicants the school receives that term for each course of study (Language, Social Science, Natural Science, Arts). 
• The possibility of the applicant attending a similar school nearer to his/her home.
• The applicant’s age.
• Special, individual circumstances.

 An applicant who does not fulfil the national grade requirements will only be accepted into the school if there is a place available and their application is accompanied by additional evidence, such as letters of recommendation, indicating that he/she will be able to meet the academic demands of their course of study.

1) Applicants under the age of 18 will generally be preferred to older applicants for admission to the day school programme at MH.