How long: 180–240 ECTS, i.e. 3–4 years of full-time study. Only three institutions may award doctorates: the University of Iceland, Reykjavík University and the Agricultural University of Iceland.
Your status: you are a student, not normally university staff, but you may be hired as a teacher or research assistant. Funding comes from the Icelandic Research Fund (Rannsóknasjóður), university grants and external bodies.
How to get in: a research-based master's degree with a thesis or final project of at least 30 ECTS; coursework-only master's degrees do not normally qualify.
Where to look: doctoral positions and calls are published on the websites of universities and their doctoral schools and on EURAXESS. Programmes in Iceland in our database: Iceland – 8 doctoral programmes (as of September 2026) »
Sources: Eurydice – national description of third-cycle (PhD) programmes (updated 1 April 2026). As of October 2026.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.
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