diff --git a/src/iceberg/parquet/parquet_reader.cc b/src/iceberg/parquet/parquet_reader.cc
index d13df0eb8..73807b009 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/parquet/parquet_reader.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/parquet/parquet_reader.cc
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@
 
 #include "iceberg/parquet/parquet_reader.h"
 
+#include <charconv>
+#include <cstring>
 #include <numeric>
+#include <optional>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <arrow/c/bridge.h>
+#include <arrow/extension_type.h>
 #include <arrow/memory_pool.h>
 #include <arrow/record_batch.h>
 #include <arrow/result.h>
@@ -35,12 +40,15 @@
 #include "iceberg/arrow/arrow_fs_file_io_internal.h"
 #include "iceberg/arrow/arrow_status_internal.h"
 #include "iceberg/arrow/metadata_column_util_internal.h"
+#include "iceberg/constants.h"
 #include "iceberg/parquet/parquet_data_util_internal.h"
 #include "iceberg/parquet/parquet_register.h"
 #include "iceberg/parquet/parquet_schema_util_internal.h"
 #include "iceberg/result.h"
+#include "iceberg/schema.h"
 #include "iceberg/schema_internal.h"
 #include "iceberg/schema_util.h"
+#include "iceberg/type.h"
 #include "iceberg/util/checked_cast.h"
 #include "iceberg/util/macros.h"
 
@@ -48,6 +56,132 @@ namespace iceberg::parquet {
 
 namespace {
 
+constexpr int32_t kUnknownFieldId = -1;
+
+int32_t GetFieldId(const std::shared_ptr<::arrow::Field>& field) {
+  if (!field->metadata()) {
+    return kUnknownFieldId;
+  }
+
+  int idx = field->metadata()->FindKey(kParquetFieldIdKey);
+  if (idx == -1) {
+    return kUnknownFieldId;
+  }
+
+  std::string value = field->metadata()->value(idx);
+  int32_t field_id = kUnknownFieldId;
+  std::from_chars(value.data(), value.data() + value.size(), field_id);
+
+  return field_id;
+}
+
+// Forward declaration
+Result<std::shared_ptr<Type>> ConvertArrowType(
+    const std::shared_ptr<::arrow::DataType>& type);
+
+Result<std::unique_ptr<SchemaField>> ToSchemaField(
+    const std::shared_ptr<::arrow::Field>& field) {
+  ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto field_type, ConvertArrowType(field->type()));
+
+  auto field_id = GetFieldId(field);
+  return std::make_unique<SchemaField>(field_id, field->name(), std::move(field_type),
+                                       field->nullable());
+}
+
+Result<std::shared_ptr<Type>> ConvertArrowType(
+    const std::shared_ptr<::arrow::DataType>& type) {
+  switch (type->id()) {
+    case ::arrow::Type::BOOL:
+      return iceberg::boolean();
+    case ::arrow::Type::INT32:
+      return iceberg::int32();
+    case ::arrow::Type::INT64:
+      return iceberg::int64();
+    case ::arrow::Type::FLOAT:
+      return iceberg::float32();
+    case ::arrow::Type::DOUBLE:
+      return iceberg::float64();
+    case ::arrow::Type::DECIMAL128: {
+      const auto& decimal_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::Decimal128Type&>(*type);
+      return iceberg::decimal(decimal_type.precision(), decimal_type.scale());
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::DATE32:
+      return iceberg::date();
+    case ::arrow::Type::TIME64: {
+      const auto& time_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::Time64Type&>(*type);
+      if (time_type.unit() != ::arrow::TimeUnit::MICRO) {
+        return InvalidSchema("Unsupported time unit for Arrow time type: {}",
+                             static_cast<int>(time_type.unit()));
+      }
+      return iceberg::time();
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::TIMESTAMP: {
+      const auto& timestamp_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::TimestampType&>(*type);
+      if (timestamp_type.unit() != ::arrow::TimeUnit::MICRO) {
+        return InvalidSchema("Unsupported time unit for Arrow timestamp type: {}",
+                             static_cast<int>(timestamp_type.unit()));
+      }
+      if (timestamp_type.timezone().empty()) {
+        return iceberg::timestamp();
+      } else {
+        return iceberg::timestamp_tz();
+      }
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::STRING:
+    case ::arrow::Type::LARGE_STRING:
+      return iceberg::string();
+    case ::arrow::Type::BINARY:
+    case ::arrow::Type::LARGE_BINARY:
+      return iceberg::binary();
+    case ::arrow::Type::FIXED_SIZE_BINARY: {
+      const auto& fixed_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::FixedSizeBinaryType&>(*type);
+      return iceberg::fixed(fixed_type.byte_width());
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::EXTENSION: {
+      const auto& ext_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::ExtensionType&>(*type);
+      if (ext_type.extension_name() == "arrow.uuid") {
+        return iceberg::uuid();
+      }
+      return ConvertArrowType(ext_type.storage_type());
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::STRUCT: {
+      const auto& struct_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::StructType&>(*type);
+      std::vector<SchemaField> fields;
+      fields.reserve(struct_type.num_fields());
+      for (const auto& field : struct_type.fields()) {
+        ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto schema_field, ToSchemaField(field));
+        fields.emplace_back(std::move(*schema_field));
+      }
+      return std::make_shared<StructType>(std::move(fields));
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::LIST: {
+      const auto& list_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::ListType&>(*type);
+      ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto element_field, ToSchemaField(list_type.value_field()));
+      return std::make_shared<ListType>(std::move(*element_field));
+    }
+    case ::arrow::Type::MAP: {
+      const auto& map_type = static_cast<const ::arrow::MapType&>(*type);
+      ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto key_field, ToSchemaField(map_type.key_field()));
+      ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto value_field, ToSchemaField(map_type.item_field()));
+      return std::make_shared<MapType>(std::move(*key_field), std::move(*value_field));
+    }
+    default:
+      return InvalidSchema("Unsupported Arrow type: {}", type->ToString());
+  }
+}
+
+Result<std::unique_ptr<Schema>> InferIcebergSchema(
+    const std::shared_ptr<::arrow::Schema>& schema, std::optional<int32_t> schema_id) {
+  std::vector<SchemaField> fields;
+  fields.reserve(schema->num_fields());
+  for (const auto& field : schema->fields()) {
+    ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto schema_field, ToSchemaField(field));
+    fields.emplace_back(std::move(*schema_field));
+  }
+  auto id = schema_id.value_or(Schema::kInitialSchemaId);
+  return std::make_unique<Schema>(std::move(fields), id);
+}
+
 Result<std::shared_ptr<::arrow::io::RandomAccessFile>> OpenInputStream(
     const ReaderOptions& options) {
   ::arrow::fs::FileInfo file_info(options.path, ::arrow::fs::FileType::File);
@@ -113,12 +247,7 @@ class ParquetReader::Impl {
  public:
   // Open the Parquet reader with the given options
   Status Open(const ReaderOptions& options) {
-    if (options.projection == nullptr) {
-      return InvalidArgument("Projected schema is required by Parquet reader");
-    }
-
     split_ = options.split;
-    read_schema_ = options.projection;
 
     // Prepare reader properties
     ::parquet::ReaderProperties reader_properties(pool_);
@@ -134,6 +263,16 @@ class ParquetReader::Impl {
     ICEBERG_ARROW_RETURN_NOT_OK(::parquet::arrow::FileReader::Make(
         pool_, std::move(file_reader), arrow_reader_properties, &reader_));
 
+    if (options.projection != nullptr) {
+      read_schema_ = options.projection;
+    } else {
+      std::shared_ptr<::arrow::Schema> arrow_schema;
+      ICEBERG_ARROW_RETURN_NOT_OK(reader_->GetSchema(&arrow_schema));
+      ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(auto schema,
+                              InferIcebergSchema(arrow_schema, std::nullopt));
+      read_schema_ = std::move(schema);
+    }
+
     // Project read schema onto the Parquet file schema
     ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(projection_, BuildProjection(reader_.get(), *read_schema_));
     metadata_context_ = {.file_path = options.path, .next_file_pos = 0};
diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/CMakeLists.txt b/src/iceberg/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 215d883b0..125fe0895 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ if(ICEBERG_BUILD_BUNDLE)
                    USE_BUNDLE
                    SOURCES
                    parquet_data_test.cc
+                   parquet_reader_no_projection_test.cc
                    parquet_schema_test.cc
                    parquet_test.cc)
 
diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/parquet_reader_no_projection_test.cc b/src/iceberg/test/parquet_reader_no_projection_test.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e253839a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/parquet_reader_no_projection_test.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+#include <arrow/array.h>
+#include <arrow/c/bridge.h>
+#include <arrow/json/from_string.h>
+#include <arrow/record_batch.h>
+#include <arrow/table.h>
+#include <arrow/type.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "iceberg/arrow/arrow_fs_file_io_internal.h"
+#include "iceberg/arrow/arrow_status_internal.h"
+#include "iceberg/file_reader.h"
+#include "iceberg/file_writer.h"
+#include "iceberg/parquet/parquet_register.h"
+#include "iceberg/schema.h"
+#include "iceberg/schema_internal.h"
+#include "iceberg/test/matchers.h"
+#include "iceberg/type.h"
+
+namespace iceberg::parquet {
+
+namespace {
+
+Status WriteArray(std::shared_ptr<::arrow::Array> data,
+                  const WriterOptions& writer_options) {
+  ICEBERG_ASSIGN_OR_RAISE(
+      auto writer, WriterFactoryRegistry::Open(FileFormatType::kParquet, writer_options));
+  ArrowArray arr;
+  ICEBERG_ARROW_RETURN_NOT_OK(::arrow::ExportArray(*data, &arr));
+  ICEBERG_RETURN_UNEXPECTED(writer->Write(&arr));
+  return writer->Close();
+}
+
+}  // namespace
+
+class ParquetReaderNoProjectionTest : public ::testing::Test {
+ protected:
+  static void SetUpTestSuite() { parquet::RegisterAll(); }
+
+  void SetUp() override {
+    file_io_ = arrow::ArrowFileSystemFileIO::MakeMockFileIO();
+    temp_parquet_file_ = "parquet_reader_no_projection_test.parquet";
+  }
+
+  void CreateSimpleParquetFile() {
+    auto schema = std::make_shared<Schema>(
+        std::vector<SchemaField>{SchemaField::MakeRequired(1, "id", int32()),
+                                 SchemaField::MakeOptional(2, "name", string())});
+
+    ArrowSchema arrow_c_schema;
+    ASSERT_THAT(ToArrowSchema(*schema, &arrow_c_schema), IsOk());
+    auto arrow_schema = ::arrow::ImportType(&arrow_c_schema).ValueOrDie();
+
+    auto array =
+        ::arrow::json::ArrayFromJSONString(::arrow::struct_(arrow_schema->fields()),
+                                           R"([[1, "Foo"],[2, "Bar"],[3, "Baz"]])")
+            .ValueOrDie();
+
+    WriterProperties writer_properties;
+    writer_properties.Set(WriterProperties::kParquetCompression,
+                          std::string("uncompressed"));
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(WriteArray(array, {.path = temp_parquet_file_,
+                                   .schema = schema,
+                                   .io = file_io_,
+                                   .properties = std::move(writer_properties)}));
+  }
+
+  void VerifyNextBatch(Reader& reader, std::string_view expected_json) {
+    auto schema_result = reader.Schema();
+    ASSERT_THAT(schema_result, IsOk());
+    auto arrow_c_schema = std::move(schema_result.value());
+    auto import_schema_result = ::arrow::ImportType(&arrow_c_schema);
+    auto arrow_schema = import_schema_result.ValueOrDie();
+
+    auto data = reader.Next();
+    ASSERT_THAT(data, IsOk()) << "Reader.Next() failed: " << data.error().message;
+    ASSERT_TRUE(data.value().has_value()) << "Reader.Next() returned no data";
+    auto arrow_c_array = data.value().value();
+    auto data_result = ::arrow::ImportArray(&arrow_c_array, arrow_schema);
+    auto arrow_array = data_result.ValueOrDie();
+
+    auto expected_array =
+        ::arrow::json::ArrayFromJSONString(arrow_schema, expected_json).ValueOrDie();
+    ASSERT_TRUE(arrow_array->Equals(*expected_array));
+  }
+
+  void VerifyExhausted(Reader& reader) {
+    auto data = reader.Next();
+    ASSERT_THAT(data, IsOk());
+    ASSERT_FALSE(data.value().has_value());
+  }
+
+  std::shared_ptr<FileIO> file_io_;
+  std::string temp_parquet_file_;
+};
+
+TEST_F(ParquetReaderNoProjectionTest, ReadWithoutProjection) {
+  CreateSimpleParquetFile();
+
+  // No projection passed
+  auto reader_result = ReaderFactoryRegistry::Open(
+      FileFormatType::kParquet, {.path = temp_parquet_file_, .io = file_io_});
+
+  ASSERT_THAT(reader_result, IsOk())
+      << "Failed to create reader: " << reader_result.error().message;
+  auto reader = std::move(reader_result.value());
+
+  ASSERT_NO_FATAL_FAILURE(
+      VerifyNextBatch(*reader, R"([[1, "Foo"], [2, "Bar"], [3, "Baz"]])"));
+  ASSERT_NO_FATAL_FAILURE(VerifyExhausted(*reader));
+}
+
+}  // namespace iceberg::parquet