Menntaskóli

A menntaskóli is an Icelandic equivalent to a gymnasium (high school, or college), although it works differently from other countries.

In Iceland 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 school years in Iceland. After graduation from grade school, students choose what High Schools/College they wish to go to (this is similar to choosing a college in the United States). 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.