Minimum Requirements
A minimum requirement for admission to the M.Sc. Program in Renewable Energy Science is a B.Sc. degree with top grades in engineering or physical/natural sciences (chemistry, physics, geology, biotechnology, and related fields).
Students will have to demonstrate a good understanding of English, both in reading and writing. The RES Academic Board evaluates each student's application, transcripts, letters of recommendations, and other supporting documents, and accepts those students for admission that fulfill all requirements for our M.Sc. Degree Program and have the highest grades.
The selection process is competitive as only a limited number of students are accepted each year. Some of our students have already completed their Masters degrees, and are seeking a second master in renewable energy science and/or are using the coursework and research in Iceland as part of their Ph.D. studies at their home institutions.
English Requirements
Applicants must prove their ability to follow a postgraduate course in English. Non-native English speaking students who did not follow a university degree conducted in English must sit for either one of the following exams and obtain the following minimum grades:
TOEFL: Total Score 80 with the following minimum section requirements:
(Reading: 20; Listening: 20; Speaking: 20; Writing: 20)
IELTS: 6.5 minimum
Cambridge Advanced Exam in English: B minimum
Cambridge Proficiency Exam in English: C minimum
TOEIC: Valid as well, equivalent to TOEFL
Application Form
Information about the application process and an application form can be found here
Scholarships & Grants
RES Scholarships
Each academic year RES provides a limited number of RES Scholarships to exceptional students which have been accepted to the M.Sc. Degree Program. The RES Scholarships are the following:
- RES Scholarship Awards which are earmarked students coming from our partner universities in Europe, North-America and elsewhere. These awards are based on signed cooperation agreements between RES and each foreign partner university. The awards can include half (50%) or full (100%) tuition waivers.
- RES Scholarship Awards for students applying to RES from non-partner universities or organizations. These awards include half (50%) tuition waivers. In few cases, and then primarily for students from developing countries this award can include full (100%) tuition waivers.
- RES Scholarship Awards provided by a grant from the Icelandic National Power Company (Landsvirkjun). These awards are only awarded to students enrolled in the Hydropower Specialization and include full (100%) tuition waivers for up to five students, each academic year.
None of these awards cover living expenses (accommodation and meals; flights to and from Akureyri, Iceland). Also it may be required that students cover additional costs related their thesis work such as travel costs, if their thesis research is not done in Iceland.
Students receiving a RES Scholarship may be required to do some volunteer work for RES, but this will take at most 3 hours per week on average. The work is based on student’s qualifications and prior experiences. Below is an explanation of some of the tasks:
- Help with managing RES printing facilities;
- Assist visiting professors with logistics during their stay at RES;
- Make sure that RES classrooms are always clean and tidy at the end of each day;
- Collect and edit material from RES students to be uploaded to the RES website;
- Photography - help building up a photo database of RES scheduled events and student activities;
- Helping with registering and classifying new books, articles and DVD’s at the RES Library;
- Assisting with planning of RES scheduled events and participate in these events on behalf of RES;
- Contact person(s) with the RES Alumni Organization;
- Student representatives for academic Issues – teaching & research;
- Student representatives for housing;
- Student representatives for social activities;
- Student representatives for cafeteria foods & catering;
- Student representatives for RES web design and content.
Please note that all students receiving RES Scholarships will be subject to strict academic evaluation by the RES Academic Board. If a student does not pass one or more exams the Scholarship can be terminated, leaving the student with the choice of paying full tuition fees or leaving the degree program.
The e8 Sustainable Energy Development Scholarship Program
This scholarship program provides a limited number of scholarships for studying renewable energy at the masters degree level. The amount of funding is up to $18.800 per student. It is especially meant for students from Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia.
What is the purpose of the e8 scholarship?
The purpose of the e8 scholarship is to support outstanding students pursuing advanced studies in sustainable energy development and to encourage meaningful contributions to the collective body of knowledge on this subject.
The e8 considers an outstanding student to be one
- who graduates with excellent grades in the top 20% of her/his class
- who is determined to advance her/his knowledge and understanding
- who has a history of community involvement
- who is committed to sustainable energy
- who is committed to return and contribute to her/his home country
More information can be found on the e8 website here: http://www.e8.org/index.jsp?numPage=133
Application: http://www.res.is/graduateschool/page/application
