Number Of Students With Foreign Background In Icelandic Schools Is Increasing

The number of foreign students enrolled in Icelandic compulsory school has increased over the last year, reflecting the increasing migrant population in the country.

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Autumn 2021 had the greatest number of students ever enrolled in Icelandic schools—46,859—which is an increase of 0.4% from the previous year, reports Statistics Iceland.

The number of students from foreign backgrounds, specifically those born in Iceland with immigrant parents, increased from just 230 in 2006 to 2,600 in 2021. Meanwhile, immigrant students increased from 1,000 to 2,400 in the same period.

The number of students with a native language other than Icelandic increased by 12.4% from the previous year.

174 compulsory schools operated during the 2021-2022 school year, one more than the previous year.