Italian marine-science student spent 4 months at an Akureyri sustainable-fisheries firm
Result: Contributed to a sonar-monitoring study on cod stocks; cited in an internal sustainability report
🇮🇸 Iceland
Erasmus+ Internships and Mobility Programs in Akureyri
Piktalent organises Erasmus+ internships and mobility programs in Akureyri, Iceland for higher-education institutions, VET providers and individual students. Each placement includes a vetted host company, accommodation, insurance and on-site coordination. Akureyri is the capital of northern Iceland and the country's second urban centre, with Piktalent placements across sustainable fisheries, geothermal-energy operations and the small but distinctive academic community of the University of Akureyri.
In short
- Location
- Akureyri, Iceland
- Programmes
- Erasmus+ KA131, KA171, VET, HEI, BIP, job shadowing
- Duration
- 2 weeks – 12 months
- Includes
- Placement, accommodation, insurance, 24/7 support
Cost of living for interns in Akureyri
Premium costTypical monthly intern budget in Akureyri based on Piktalent-arranged shared accommodation. Figures are indicative and updated against current placements; Final pricing is confirmed with your proposal.
- Room
- €700–1,000/mo
- Daily expenses
- €600–850/mo
- Total monthly
- €1,300–1,850/mo
- Erasmus+ grant
- Erasmus+ grant covers part of monthly cost of living; top-up usual in Reykjavik.
What Piktalent delivers in Akureyri
Every mobility programme in Akureyri is fully managed end-to-end — so coordinators at sending institutions can focus on academic outcomes while we handle logistics, compliance and on-the-ground support.
Accommodation
Vetted, safe housing in Akureyri within commuting distance of the workplace — typically shared apartments or student residences.
Insurance
Travel and liability insurance covering the full mobility period, aligned with Erasmus+ requirements.
24/7 support
Local coordination team in Akureyri plus a 24/7 emergency line throughout the placement.
Host company matching
Placement matched to the participant's field of study and learning objectives across our Akureyri host network.
Mentoring & orientation
Airport transfer, city orientation and weekly check-ins with the on-site coordinator in Akureyri.
Documentation
Learning agreements, mid-term and final reports, Europass certificates and all paperwork required by the sending institution.
Mobility programmes
Erasmus+ mobility programmes we run in Akureyri
Piktalent delivers every major Erasmus+ mobility programme type in Akureyri — for institutions sending interns to Iceland. Pick the format that fits your accreditation and budget; we handle the rest.
Also available to individual students
À la carte support services in Akureyri
Accommodation
Vetted housing close to the host company in Akureyri — apartments, residences or host families.
Insurance
Health, accident and liability cover compliant with Erasmus+ and host-country requirements.
Visa & documentation
Guidance on visas, residence permits and host-country paperwork for non-EU participants.
Language courses
Pre-departure and on-site language training to speed up workplace integration in Akureyri.
TEFL — Teach English Abroad
Accredited TEFL certification — open enrolment, no internship required.
Internship job portal
Browse and apply directly to open internship positions in Akureyri and across Europe & the USA.
Why Akureyri for internships and mobility programs
Akureyri's working culture is small-scale, flat-hierarchical and shaped by the city's remote northern position. International interns typically live in central Akureyri within walking distance of the harbour. The Erasmus+ community is tiny but cohesive through the University of Akureyri. Daily life is dominated by the natural setting — the city is famous for its botanical gardens (the world's northernmost) and serves as the base for whale watching, glacier hikes and Northern Lights viewing.
Economy
Akureyri is a key economic hub in Iceland, attracting international companies and offering an internship market that spans early-stage startups, established SMEs and multinational employers.
Key sectors
Active host-company sectors in Akureyri: tourism, research, fishing industry. Each Erasmus+ internship is matched to the participant's field of study.
International environment
English is the working language in most international placements in Akureyri. Teams are typically multinational, and incoming Erasmus+ participants integrate alongside an established alumni network.
Iceland's main northern urban centre and gateway to the Arctic Circle
Major sustainable-fisheries and food-processing cluster (Samherji headquartered nearby)
Strong geothermal-energy infrastructure across northern Iceland
University of Akureyri — small but research-active institution
Working English universal — Icelandic never required for work
Distinctive natural environment — Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn and Húsavík whale-watching nearby
Available internship fields in Akureyri
Piktalent offers Erasmus+ internships in Akureyri across the fields below. Each link opens a dedicated page with host-company examples, durations and learning outcomes.
How an Erasmus+ internship in Akureyri works
Four steps from first brief to final report. Plan twelve weeks of lead time for a quality mobility programme in Akureyri.
- 1
Brief & matching
Share participant profiles, dates and target field. Piktalent matches each intern to a vetted host company in Akureyri.
- 2
Learning Agreement & paperwork
We co-sign the Erasmus+ Learning Agreement, issue insurance and confirm the mobility programme details with the sending institution.
- 3
Pre-arrival & accommodation
Vetted accommodation in Akureyri is booked before arrival; pre-departure briefing covers culture, transport and emergency contacts.
- 4
On-site support & reporting
Local team in Akureyri runs check-ins, monitors the internship and delivers final reports plus Europass Mobility documents.
Internship examples in Akureyri
Recent placements managed by Piktalent in Akureyri.
Who is Akureyri best for?
Akureyri works particularly well for the participant profiles below. If your sending institution matches one of these, we typically have host capacity within 2–4 weeks.
- 1HEI students in marine biology, sustainable fisheries or environmental science
- 2Geothermal and renewable-energy engineering students
- 3Erasmus+ participants drawn to remote northern environments
- 4Independent interns comfortable with limited winter daylight
Frequently asked questions about internships in Akureyri
Other cities in Iceland
Compare Akureyri with other Piktalent destinations in Iceland.
Related cities by sector
Other Piktalent destinations with overlapping host-company sectors to Akureyri — useful when comparing cost, language and lead time across the same field.
From the blog — Akureyri & Iceland
Plan your internship program in Akureyri
Tell us your sector, dates and group size — we'll send a tailored proposal for Akureyri within 48 hours.