Iceland Study Abroad Application

Enrollment is limited to forty (40) students, and applicants will be considered in the order of receipt of application and deposit(s).  The application form and the $100 non-refundable deposit must be received by ONU Law no later than April 15, 2023.  Applications and deposits received by March 30, 2023, will receive priority consideration.  A housing deposit of $100 is also required to reserve on-campus program housing.  These fees will be applied to tuition and housing if the applicant is accepted and will be refunded if the applicant is denied.  Final payment of the balance of tuition and fees, including housing, is due by May 5, 2023.

IMPORTANT:  Your application is NOT complete until the non-refundable tuition deposit has been paid.  We cannot reserve a spot for you before this payment has been received.  (The link to deposit is located in the application confirmation, or you can click here.)  You are encouraged to secure housing at the same time as your tuition deposit.  On-campus housing is not required, however, it is much more affordable than off-campus housing.  Single or double occupancy is available, and will be chosen at a later date.

You will need to send a certified copy of your law school transcript to ONU Law, c/o Dean's Office, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810-6000.

Tuition (3 Credit Hours) - $3,660

Fees - $300

Housing - Single Occupancy $1,125, Double Occupancy $565

Breakfast - $210

Internet - $81

Total Cost

$5,376 - Single Occupancy

$4,816 - Double Occupancy

If you will be applying for financial aid, please contact your home school's financial aid office to request a Consortium Agreement.  Consortium agreements should be scanned and emailed to lawstudyabroad@onu.edu.  If you are an ONU Law student applying for financial aid for this program, please complete the Financial Aid For International Study/Domestic Internships form and return it to lawstudyabroad@onu.edu.

It is the policy of Ohio Northern University not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, transgender status, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law in its educational programs, admissions policies, employment policies, financial aid, or other school administered programs.

The Golden Circle is Iceland's most popular sightseeing trail. Our itinerary is an easy and efficient way to see three of Iceland's top attractions in a day. Each stop offers insight into Iceland's geologic history, not to mention excellent photo opportunities.

The Golden Circle consists of three equally stunning locations in Southwest Iceland: 

• Thingvellir National Park
• The Geysir Geothermal Area
• Gullfoss Waterfall

Thingvellir National Park is a unique site in Iceland that is both historically significant and a geological wonder. It is the first national park established in Iceland. It's also the only one that has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status. We will stop here in part to discuss the creation of the oldest continuous parliament in the world.

Here visitors discover the roots of Iceland’s formation and how the Icelandic settlers created their leaderless society in the late 800s.

The Geysir Geothermal Area

The second stop on the Golden Circle is the Geysir Geothermal Area, located within the Haukadalur valley. The geothermal activity is intense. Visitors can see the steam rising from miles away. Many hot pools, clay pots, and fumaroles dot the area. Minerals vividly color the hills and soil. It would be a fascinating enough site without the two geysers that make it famous.

The first of these is the one that gave all others their name: the Great Geysir. Geysir is the earliest documented geyser in European literature. Geysir rarely erupts, but its neighbor, Strokkur geyser, goes off every ten minutes, throwing water from 66 to 132 feet (20 to 40 meters) into the air.

The original Geysir is primarily inactive these days because of local tectonic activity and intrusive human intervention. Studies show that it has existed for about 10,000 years and tends to erupt in cycles. Usually, an earthquake will trigger it, and it will then slowly peter out over time. 

The reliability of the highly active Strokkur in such an accessible location is part of what makes the Golden Circle so incredible. 

Walking around the Geysir Geothermal Area is a fascinating and rewarding experience, but its appeal goes further than these exploding hot springs.

Gullfoss Waterfall

The third and final stop on the route of the Golden Circle is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland: Gullfoss. This is the landmark from which the Golden Circle draws its name, as Gullfoss directly translates to "Golden Falls”. Visitors can find the waterfall less than ten minutes down the road from Geysir. 

This powerful waterfall is located in a plunging, ancient valley and tumbles down two drops from an overall height of 105 feet (32 meters). During its heaviest flow in the summer, it pours an average of 4,944 cubic feet (140 cubic meters) of water every second.

Gullfoss is not only known for its breathtaking power but also for the rainbows that appear above the falls like a multicolor crown on a sunny day. These only add to an already beautiful sight. In addition to the dramatic valley and falls, the area looks over rolling fields right up to the magnificent ice sheet of Langjokull glacier. 

Summer is arguably the best season to visit Gullfoss. When there's no ice on the ground, a walkway takes you right up to the edge of the falls, close enough to feel the waterfall's mist on your face. The photo opportunities here are incredible, and one could spend hours marveling over the awe-inspiring power of the water.

Our courses take place on the campus of the University of Iceland. You will eat your meals in either your dorm room or in the local cafe, a popular spot for students and professors. The campus is self-contained, with the National History Museum of Iceland located right next door to our housing. Our course work will be done in buildings on the campus, just a short walk from our housing. We have large meeting rooms for lectures and smaller rooms for performances Vending machines can be found nearby, and like everywhere else in Iceland, credit cards work in them as well.

Each room consists of a desk, bed, and shower. The common room has an outstanding kitchen set up, communal dining area, and communal seating area. It is a great way to end the day with classmates that have quickly become friends. Downtown Reykjavik is a five minute walk away, and the sun shines 23 hours a day during the summer. It is a landscape and experience like no other.

History

According to legend, Iceland's first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, threw his high seat pillars into the sea upon first arriving at the island's shores in 870 AD and promised the gods to settle where they eventually drifted ashore.  It took Ingólfur and his men four years to locate the pillars and the following summer, they built their farmstead in the place he named Reykjavík, the Bay of Smoke. It will only take you about 5 minutes to make it to the city center from your dorm room.

Attractions

The center of town is a buzzy area known for the striking Harpa concert hall, and Reykjavik Art Museum, with its modern sculptures. Quaint shops cluster around Ingólfur Square, and nearby Kolaportið flea market sells books, vinyl, and antiques. Dining options span Icelandic eateries serving area-sourced fish and BBQ dishes, plus the iconic Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand. Lively pubs, cocktail bars, and clubs dot the area.

The Laugavegur shopping street is where it all begins. Connecting seamlessly with its sister streets Bankastræti and Austurstræti, this route is a pathway of local culture that every visitor to Iceland has to walk at least once; dotted with a myriad of shops, restaurants, galleries, cafés, bars and homes, Laugavegur serves as the very artery of the capital. These establishments are often found in the same building. This means that a single house can host a restaurant that turns into a club come nightfall, while the upper levels might be residential apartments.

Our host institution, the University of Iceland, has been gracious enough to arrange a visit to the Icelandic Supreme Court. Our visit last year was fascinating, with a private presentation and tour conducted by the chief justice!

The Supreme Court of Iceland was founded under Act No. 22/1919 and held its first session on 16 February 1920. The Court holds the highest judicial power in Iceland, where the court system has three levels. The Court was housed at first in the Old Penitentiary Building on Skólavördustígur in Reykjavík, but from 1949 it resided in the former court building on Lindargata.

The Minister of Justice dug the first spade of ground for the new Courthouse of the Supreme Court of Iceland at Arnarhóll on 15 July 1994, laid the cornerstone of the building on the Court’s 75th anniversary, 16 February 1995, and handed it over to the Court for use on 5 September 1996. The architects of the Courthouse are Margrét Hardardóttir and Steve Christer of Studio Grandi, Reykjavík. Their design won the first prize in a competition held in 1993 for a new Supreme Court building, where the selection committee received 40 entries.

Since 1 January 1999, the Supreme Court of Iceland has maintained a home page on the Internet. Diverse information is published there about the Court and its tasks. The judgments of the Supreme Court are published on the home page as soon as they have been pronounced, together with the judgments which were subject to review. The judgments are published free of charge for the primary purpose of making them available to attorneys and to the public, as becomes the needs of a democratic state.

The Supreme Court of Iceland is the final court of appeal in the judiciary of Iceland. It is also the oldest of the current courts of law in Iceland and the highest of the three Icelandic court branches, the others being the District Courts of Iceland and the Court of Appeal (Landsréttur).

Notwithstanding the Court not being mentioned by name in the Constitution of Iceland, but only its justices, it is validated in the Courts Act No. 50/2016. The Supreme Court of Iceland is located at the Dómhúsið (Courthouse) at Arnarhóll in Reykjavík, a building that was specially built for that purpose and that came into use in 1996.

The court was founded under the Supreme Court Act of 1919 and held its first session on 16 February 1920. Previously, the National High Court had been the highest domestic court, but a line of appeal had been available to the Supreme Court of Denmark in Copenhagen. The establishment of the Supreme Court moved the final word in Icelandic cases home to Iceland.

The first justices of the Supreme Court were Kristján Jónsson (President), Halldór Daníelsson, Eggert Briem, Lárus H. Bjarnason and Páll Einarsson. The first three men had been the judges of the old National High Court, which had operated throughout the 19th century but was abolished with the founding of the Supreme Court

Tara

“Iceland has been a great opportunity. I definitely think I’ve grown. I feel I have become more confident…can speak to any type of person…can take critiques well now and I think that is something that has helped me push forward. You are in a country that you may never get the chance to go to again.  You will learn a lot, and meet people you would never have had the opportunity to meet. While it is a lot of work, and it can be incredibly stressful, it teaches you how to handle stress. It’s a great opportunity to
advance who you are as a person.”

Caleb

“Iceland was a magical place. I wanted a chance to push my boundaries. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was hard work but very rewarding. What was most rewarding was to meet one-on-one with professors and work in smaller groups…and to get that personalized feedback was very valuable.”

“You get out of it what you put into it. So, if you come here ready to engage and to be vulnerable, if you’re willing to trust the professors and the process it will work for you.”

“The most important for me was storytelling. This was a good opportunity to slow down, pull out the facts, and understand why each fact is important. It was helpful whether you’re doing trial work, or negotiations.”

Allan

“I’ve always wanted to travel abroad and Iceland has always been on my bucket list.”

“The most rewarding aspect would be the interpersonal connections between your classmates and the professor. It’s that relatability between everyone involved and the day to day classes that is at the core of how to appeal to a jury and how to become a better trial advocate.”

“While here I’ve been taught tools that will permeate throughout my career.”

“It’s transformative. It will help you in your career and at the end of the day you’re going to gain tools that you can’t get anywhere else. I’m very thankful for the experience.”

Welcome to ONU’s Advanced Comparative Advocacy Course, taught in Reykjavik, Iceland on the campus of the University of Iceland. Together we will develop your own best inner advocate. Our goal is to create a teaching and coaching environment where you can take the time to dive deeply into becoming the best advocate possible. We will accomplish this together through the use of large group, small group, and individual work, with an emphasis on self-discovery and development. You will learn the fundamentals of trial work in all stages, with a particular emphasis on storytelling. We have brought some of the best advocacy professors together to give you multiple viewpoints on the art of advocacy. If you commit to the process now you will find yourself a different kind of a lawyer when we are done. In this syllabus I will identify primary presenters, but additional professors and experts will also be with us during the various sessions for one on one training opportunities and coaching.

• Download/View the Draft Syllabus for 2023 program