Dalhousie University
A 200-year-old Halifax research university known for ocean science and training Atlantic Canada's health workers.
- Students
- 20,000
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 16:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- CA$33,091
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1818
About Dal
Dalhousie University was founded in 1818 by George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, as a non-denominational college in Halifax modelled on the University of Edinburgh. It merged with the Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1997 and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 2012, and today has about 20,000 students in 13 faculties offering more than 300 degree programs, on three Halifax campuses and an agricultural campus in Truro/Bible Hill.
Dal is the leading research university in Atlantic Canada, with more than $270 million a year in research funding and 56 Canada Research Chairs, more than any other university in the region. Its ocean science is its signature: the Ocean Tracking Network monitors oceans on all seven continents, and alumnus Arthur B. McDonald won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics. It also trains most of Atlantic Canada's front-line health workers through its faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and Health.
Admission is by direct application and based mainly on grades: most programs set a minimum average of 70 to 80% in five Grade 12 academic courses, with competitive averages applied in popular programs, and the average entering grade is 87.6%. Almost half of students come from outside Nova Scotia and 13% are international, making it a good fit for students who want a mid-sized research university in a walkable coastal city.
Ora et Labora
“Pray and work” — university motto
Why students choose Dal
Dal has 95 Rhodes Scholars and invests more than $67 million a year in undergraduate scholarships, bursaries and student employment.
Ocean science is a genuine strength, from the Ocean Tracking Network to a 37th-in-the-world ShanghaiRanking subject placing in oceanography.
Over 2,800 work terms and more than 90 exchange programs in over 43 countries give students practical and international experience.
International students starting a degree can lock in their tuition rate for the whole program under the International Tuition Guarantee.
Admissions
September 2027 entry
Selectivity
Dalhousie does not publish an acceptance rate. Each program has a minimum overall average in five Grade 12 academic courses (70% for Arts, Computer Science and Engineering; 75% for Commerce and Science; 80% for Medical Sciences), and many programs apply a higher competitive average. The average entering grade of first-year students is 87.6%.
Typical entry requirements
| Canadian high school (Grade 12) | Program minimums in five academic Grade 12 courses: 70% Arts, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing; 75% Commerce, Science; 80% Medical Sciences. Competitive averages may be higher; entering students average 87.6% |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | At least 26 points including bonus points, plus the program's subject requirements (e.g. English SL/HL, Mathematics AA or AI for programs requiring math) |
| Program-specific subjects | e.g. Engineering: English 12, Pre-calculus Math 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12; Nursing: English 12, Math 12, Biology 12, Chemistry 12 |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 90 with 20 in each band (or 4.5 on the new 1-6 scale); Duolingo 120. Applicants without a qualifying score can receive a conditional offer; proof is due by May 1, 2027 unless the offer says otherwise. |
Deadlines
- Nursing, Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, Social Work Non-binding Next deadline · In ~4 monthsFebruary 15, 2027
Program-specific deadline for September 2027 entry.
- General Entrance Award application Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 15, 2027
Award program opens October 1, 2026; application and documents must be complete by the deadline. Offers sent in March 2027.
- Environmental Design Studies (Architecture) Non-binding In ~5 monthsMarch 1, 2027
Program-specific deadline for September 2027 entry.
- Guaranteed residence application Non-binding In ~7 monthsMay 15, 2027
Offers of admission must be accepted with a deposit by May 1, 2027.
Most other undergraduate programs have no fixed deadline and consider applications until the start of classes in September where space remains, but Dalhousie encourages high school applicants to apply before February 15, 2027 for entrance awards and residence.
How to apply
Apply directly through Dalhousie's online application portal (applications for fall 2027 open October 1, 2026) and pay the $70 application fee. High school applicants upload an unofficial transcript with Grade 11 finals and Grade 12 courses, then send mid-year and final grades; Ontario and Nova Scotia students' grades can be downloaded automatically. Some programs, such as Nursing, Health Sciences and Theatre, need supplemental material. Decisions typically come within 2-3 weeks of a complete file.
What admissions looks for
- Academic performance first: applicants are primarily assessed on their average in five Grade 12 academic courses.
- A qualifying final grade in Grade 12 academic English and each subject the program requires, such as Pre-calculus Math, Chemistry and Physics for Engineering.
- For programs with supplemental requirements, such as Nursing, Health Sciences and Theatre, the extra documents alongside grades.
- For entrance awards, academic achievement (typically 80% or higher) plus leadership, community involvement and financial need.
Tips for applying to Dal
- 1 Apply by February 15, 2027 even if your program has no deadline: that is the cutoff for the General Entrance Award program, worth $1,000 to $80,000.
- 2 Science and Medical Sciences applicants can choose the Integrated Science Program for first year if they have two of chemistry, biology or physics.
- 3 Upload your unofficial transcript with Grade 11 finals as soon as you apply; Dal aims to decide within 2-3 weeks.
- 4 Apply for residence by May 15, 2027 to secure the first-year residence guarantee.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CAD
Dalhousie awards about $38 million a year in undergraduate financial support, including more than 2,000 entrance awards worth $1,000 to $80,000; domestic and international applicants are eligible, typically with an 80% average or 26 predicted IB points. International students starting a degree get a fixed tuition rate under the International Tuition Guarantee, and bursaries and work opportunities are also available.
- $38 million
- Undergraduate financial support per year
- 2,000+ worth $1,000 to $80,000
- Entrance awards for new students
- More than $67 million a year
- Undergraduate scholarships, bursaries and student employment
Academics
Academic calendar: Fall and winter terms, plus a summer term
Ocean sciences
Home of the Ocean Tracking Network, with oceanography ranked 37th in the world by ShanghaiRanking.
Bachelor of Science (Medical Sciences)
An 80% minimum average and a February 15 deadline, with an Integrated Science first-year option and a cohort pathway for Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students.
Bachelor of Science (Nursing)
Dal trains the majority of Atlantic Canada's front-line health workers; February 15 deadline.
Engineering
Built on the former Technical University of Nova Scotia, merged into Dal in 1997, with Pre-calculus, Chemistry and Physics required.
Computer Science
A standalone Faculty of Computer Science created in the 1997 merger, with a 70% minimum average.
Integrated Science Program
An optional first-year route for Science and Medical Sciences students with two lab sciences.
Research
- More than $270 million in annual research funding, up over 35% since 2021, and 56 Canada Research Chairs.
- The Ocean Tracking Network monitors oceans on all seven continents.
- Alumnus Arthur B. McDonald (BSc 1964, MSc 1965) shared the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics for neutrino research.
- Physicist Jeff Dahn, a Dalhousie BSc graduate and professor, is one of the pioneering developers of the lithium-ion battery.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Architecture and Planning
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Computer Science
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Health
- Schulich School of Law
- Faculty of Management
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development
Student life
Dal's main Studley Campus is largely surrounded by residential neighbourhoods on the Halifax peninsula, with the Carleton health campus and Sexton engineering campus close by. There are more than 250 clubs and societies, over 2,780 student housing spaces, and a strong out-of-province crowd: 46% of students come from outside Nova Scotia. Varsity teams are the Dalhousie Tigers in Halifax and the Dalhousie Rams at the agricultural campus in Truro. Students can also choose from more than 90 exchange programs.
- More than 250 clubs and societies.
- The Dalhousie Tigers (Halifax) and Dalhousie Rams (Truro) compete across seven sports and contribute about 4,000 hours of community volunteering a year.
- More than 90 exchange programs in over 43 countries.
- Students come from over 120 countries.
Housing. Dalhousie has more than 2,780 student housing spaces; first-year students who apply for residence by May 15 are covered by the residence guarantee.
Location
Halifax is Nova Scotia's capital and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada, with about 530,000 people in the metro area and an economy built around the port, government, health care and universities. Dal's three Halifax campuses sit on the Halifax Peninsula among residential streets, next to the IWK Health Centre and the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, where much clinical training happens. The Faculty of Agriculture is based at a separate campus in Bible Hill, near Truro.
Nearest airport: Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
Notable alumni
- AB Arthur B. McDonald2015 Nobel Prize in Physics; BSc and MSc in physics
- BW Bertha WilsonFirst woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada; LLB
- RB R. B. Bennett11th Prime Minister of Canada; studied law at Dalhousie, graduating in 1893
- LM Lucy Maud MontgomeryAuthor of Anne of Green Gables; studied literature at Dalhousie in 1895-96
- KD Kathryn D. SullivanNASA astronaut and first American woman to walk in space; PhD in geology (1978)
- DO Donald O. HebbPsychologist who helped found neuropsychology; BA (1925)
- JD Jeff DahnLithium-ion battery pioneer; BSc in physics (1978)
Frequently asked questions
What average do you need to get into Dalhousie?
Minimums range from 70% (Arts, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing) to 80% (Medical Sciences), calculated on five Grade 12 academic courses. Many programs apply a higher competitive average, and the average entering grade is 87.6%.
When is the Dalhousie application deadline for September 2027?
February 15, 2027 for Nursing, Health Sciences, Medical Sciences and Social Work, and March 1, 2027 for Architecture. Other programs accept applications until classes start if space remains, but apply by February 15 to be considered for entrance awards.
How much is Dalhousie tuition for international students?
Estimated tuition and fees for 2026-27 range from about $33,091 to $51,503 CAD for fall and winter terms, depending on program. The International Tuition Guarantee locks in the rate for the length of the degree.
What IELTS score does Dalhousie require?
IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 90 (20 per band) or Duolingo 120. You can be admitted conditionally and submit proof of English later.
What IB score does Dalhousie require?
At least 26 points including bonus points, plus the subject requirements for your program. Entrance scholarships typically need 26 predicted points.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to Dal in the QS World University Rankings 2027.