Dalhousie University also known as Dal is an open or public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses sited in Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, and medical teaching facilities in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Dalhousie University began as a nonsectarian college in 1818 by the eponymous Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, George Ramsay, the 9th Earl of Dalhousie.
However, the college did not hold its first class until 1838, before then it operated sparingly due to financial difficulties. It nevertheless, reopened for the third time in 1863 after a holistic reorganization that brought a change of name to “The Governors of Dalhousie College and University”.
The university formally changed its name to “Dalhousie University” in 1997 through the same provincial legislation that merged the institution with the Technical University of Nova Scotia. The university presently operates the largest academic library system in Atlantic Canada and hosts the headquarters for the Ocean Tracking Network.
Dalhousie University offers more than 4,000 courses, and 180-degree programs in twelve undergraduate, graduate, and professional faculties. The university is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada.
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DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY RANKING
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Global rankings | |
| ARWU World | 201–300 |
| QS World | 272 |
| Times World | 251–300 |
| Times Employability | 200–250 |
| U.S News & World Report Global | 325 |
| Canadian rankings | |
| ARWU National | 10–12 |
| QS National | 12 |
| Times National | 11–14 |
| U.S News & World Report National | 13 |
| Maclean’s Medical/Doctoral | 7 |
COLLEGE RATING
RESEARCH
Dalhousie University is a member of the U15, a group that represents 15 Canadian research universities. In 2018, Research Infosource ranked Dalhousie as 15th on their list for top 50 research universities in Canada, with a sponsored research income (external sources of funding) of $150.038 million in 2017.
In the same year, Dalhousie’s faculty averaged a sponsored research income of $130,000, while its graduate students averaged a sponsored research income of $44,600. In 2003 and 2004, The Scientist placed Dalhousie among the top five places in the world outside the United States for postdoctoral work and conducting scientific research.
Accordingly, if your desire is research-based in academia, then Dalhousie is where you want to be, the University boast of being amongst the top best places for research work in the world and certainly the best non-commercial scientific institute in which to work in Canada.
DALHOUSIE OVERVIEW
ADMISSION AND DATES
Regular Decision Deadlines
DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate Admissions
Minimum Admission Requirements
in other to be eligible for an undergraduate placement at Dalhousie, you must be these minimum admission requirements listed below:
- You must have completed a secondary school curriculum (Grade 12)
- Obtained a minimum overall average of 70% in five academic Grade 12 courses
- You must have a final grade of at least 70% in Grade 12 academic English and any other required subject.
For details on undergraduate admission requirements by program, click the link provided below: https://www.dal.ca/admissions/undergraduate/hs_applicants.html
Graduate Admissions
Your eligibility to a graduate placement with Dalhousie depends on your fulfilling the following criteria
- You must have obtained a four-year Bachelor’s degree
- You must have scored a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B average) in the last 60 credit hours of study
- Obtained a degree granted by university of recognized standing
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The doctor of philosophy degree requires that you meet the following criteria
- Made a first-class thesis Master’s degree or its equivalent
- Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B average) in the last 60 credit hours of study
- Your obtained degree must have been granted by a university of recognized standing
- Most candidates for admission to a doctoral program possess a Master’s Degree. Direct entry to some programs is possible for those with exceptional academic standing.
SPECIAL STUDENTS GRADUATE STUDIES APPLICANTS
In order to take a graduate-level course as a Special Student Graduate Studies applicant, you will need to meet the general eligibility requirements to apply. You will also need to have the approval of the department that offers the course.
To apply:
- Fill and submit the application form (Online application or print [PDF – 164kb]). In the “Program Selection/Field of Study” section, select “Special Student Graduate Studies” as the program you’re applying for and list the department which offers the course you’d like to take.
- $115 application fee needs to be paid
- Provide your post-secondary transcripts directly from the universities you attended to the department to which you’re applying.
- Also arrange to have your ESL test score, if required, sent to the department to which you’re applying.
Note: Reference letters and other supporting documents are not required unless they are requested by the department.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
Dalhousie accepts a number of different English proficiency test scores:
| Test Name | Minimum Acceptable Score |
|---|---|
| Internet-based TOEFL (Academic iBT) | 92 |
| MELAB | 85 |
| IELTS | 7 |
| CanTest | 4.5 (with no band score lower than 4.0) |
| CAEL | 70 with no band score lower than 60 |
| Dalhousie College of Continuing Education (CCE) | A- |
| Pearson English Test PTE Academic | overall score of 65 and nothing below 54 |
Department-specific English language requirements
Some departments have a specific language benchmark that must be satisfied to be eligible to get a placement in it, even though you fulfil the minimum English language score, you are required to fulfil the departmental English language score also.
| Department | TOEFL iBT | IELTS | CCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Biomedical Engineering | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Business Administration | 105 | 8 | A+ |
| Community Health & Epidemiology | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Electronic Commerce | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Environmental Studies | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Health Informatics | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Information Management | 105 | 8 | A+ |
| Interdisciplinary PhD Program | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Law | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Medical Neuroscience | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Microbiology and Immunology | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Periodontics | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Pharmacology (intern. students) | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Philosophy | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Physiology and Biophysics | 100 | 7.5 | A |
| Political Science | 100 | 7.5 | A |
HOW TO APPLY TO DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
APPLICATION DEADLINES
| Standard application deadlines | Canadian applicants | Non-Canadian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| For September admission | June 1 | April 1 |
| For January admission | October 31 | August 31 |
| May admission | February 28 | December 31 |
You must keep in mind that many departments have their own deadlines, which can be much earlier than the above deadlines.
For a list of programs with non-standard deadlines, click the link: https://www.dal.ca/faculty/gradstudies/graduate-programs-admissions/admission_requirements/admission_process.html
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
- Complete your graduate application form (Online application or print [PDF – 164kb]).
- Pay the $115 application fee.
- Submit supporting documents directly to the academic department to which you are applying.
NOTE: For Engineering applicants, except for Internetworking and Biomedical engineering, all supporting documents must be sent to the Faculty of Engineering Graduate Admissions Office.
TRANSCRIPTS
Application purposes require that only unofficial academic transcripts and degree certificates (if degree conferral not stated on transcripts) are required for each post-secondary institution attended. Email the department you are applying to an unofficial copy of your transcripts. Transcripts should include your first and last name, degree and program type and name of degree issuing university.
- Note that transcripts in languages, not English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript.
- Notarized copies of transcripts are not permitted.
- Your degree and graduation certificates must be included in the transcript does not indicate the type of degree and date granted.
- Be informed that transcripts submitted with applications become the property of Dalhousie University, they are subject to verification, are not available for copying and will not be returned to the applicant.
- Official transcripts are not required for any courses or degrees you have completed at Dalhousie University.
REFERENCE LETTERS
You will provide two letters of reference as required for admission into a graduate degree. These letters are required to be from academics who are familiar with you, it, however, can be replaced with relevant professional references for some course-based professional master’s programs.
SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTATION
You will be asked to supply other supplementary documentation, which may include an English language proficiency score, GMAT, GRE, CV, statement of intent, statement of research interests, portfolio, etc. as required by your department.
SELF FUNDING
Should you plan to self-fund your studies, please include an original teller-stamped or equivalent bank statement showing that you have sufficient funds for your full program fees plus $1200 per month for the full term of your studies.
DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES
Tuition for graduate students is determined by a variety of factors, including citizenship, time status (full-time/part-time), and whether you are enrolled in a “program” or “per-course” fee degree.
