Helpful Tips

It's a good idea to create a budget for managing your money while you're in university. You'll need a plan to finance your tuition, but you also have to factor in additional expenses, including costs for books and supplies, insurance, travel, phone, food, personal items, etc.

Dal has put together a few budgeting tips for students and also has a very useful online budget tool. (Start with the fee calculator and click help me create a budget based on this estimate.)

The entire Money Matters website has a lot of great financial information about budgeting, cash flow, and funding sources like bursaries and scholarships.

Meal plans are available to both on- and off-campus students. Dining halls are located in Howe Hall, Shirreff Hall, Risley Hall, and O'Brien Hall.

Residence students select their meal plans as part of their room acceptance process.

Off-campus students can purchase their meal plan online.

All meal plans include Food Bucks loaded on your DalCard, which can be used at many on and off-campus vendor locations. In addition, the university's food service partner has a variety of retail food outlets across campus.

For more details about on-campus dining options, visit the Campus Dish Website, call 902-494-2078, or email food@dal.ca

To familiarize yourself with all of the buildings on your campus, visit the Campus Maps page. You can also download the Dal Mobile app to map out routes to the buildings you're looking for.

Distance from Studley to Sexton: It takes approximately 15-20 minutes to walk from the Student Union Building on Studley Campus to the Ralph M. Medjuck Building on Sexton Campus. 

You can also book a tour of any campus at any time.

As a Dal student you have access to a wide range of services from academic advising and gym facilities to career advising and health services, and everything in between. To learn more about student services, drop by or call the Student Services office on your campus.

Agricultural Campus
Dairy Building, 11 River Road
Phone: 902-893-6672
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Studley Campus*
Services on Studley Campus are located in different buildings across campus. Visit the desired service page for specific location and hours. 

• Health & wellness services 
• Career & leadership services
• Academic support services

Sexton Campus*
Main Entrance, B Building
Phone: 902-494-6047
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

*As a Dal student in Halifax, you have access to services at both Studley and Sexton campuses. Whether you live closer to one or just happen to be in the area, drop by or make an appointment.

Account information is private and confidential, however, students can authorize a third party (i.e. parents or sponsors) to discuss your account in detail with our service representatives. Please send a written request, (accepted only from your Dalhousie email account), to student.accounts@dal.ca which includes your name, BOO# as well as the names and relationships to you. 

Note: You are still responsible to review your account and ensure payments are made. 

The Dalhousie Multifaith Centre has put together a list of places of worship in Halifax. Their list of churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship are on or near the Dalhousie campuses. 

You'll begin to hear new terms as you start your Dal experience. It's a good idea to make sure you know what they mean! Take some time to review these important academic terms. 

Advisors can help you figure out your courses and overall academic path. 

Find the right advisor for you here.

To find out what textbooks you need for your classes you can search by course code on the Dal Bookstore website or, on the first day of classes, your professor will include all required textbooks on the syllabus. 

Online

The Dal Bookstore allows you to purchase new or used textbooks, or access a digital copy online when available. If you order your textbooks online, they'll be shipped to you directly.

In person

There are Bookstores on both the Halifax and Truro Campuses. They even have extended store hours during peak weeks (the first weeks of classes). 

Students in Planning, Architecture or Engineering can order textbooks through the Enrolment Services Centre for pick-up the following business day.

The Dalhousie Bookstore carries used books purchased through the Book Buyback program. These are shelved alongside the new books with a sticker to indicate they’re used. Used textbooks can also be found along with new textbooks when you search and order textbooks online.

In addition to study desks and quiet spaces, each library at Dal has a Learning Commons. Check out the locations, types, and technology available (to print those assignments) on the Learning Commons site. 

Dal also offers tours of all its libraries. To request a tour, visit the Library Tours page for the appropriate contact information.

In addition to the libraries, there are study spots in different buildings around campus open to all students: 

• International Centre, 1246 Lemarchant Street, Suite 1200
• Student Union Building Atrium, 6136 University Avenue, First Floor
• Lemarchant Place Atrium, 1246 Lemarchant Street, First Floor

Graduate students

There is a Graduate Student Space located on the 4th floor of the Killam Memorial Library, accessible with the use of a valid DalCard. 

If you and your roommate have both given the Residence Office permission to release your name and email address, you'll be able to contact each other when you receive your room assignment. 

To learn more about room assignments, visit the Residence website.

While living in residence at Dal, your family and friends may want to send you packages. The correct way to write your address is:    

Halifax students:                          

Your name                               
Your room number                   
Res hall name                           
Res hall address   
PO Box 15000                          
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2

Truro students:

Your name
Your room number
Res hall name
Res hall address
PO Box 550
Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 5E3

For a complete list of residence addresses, visit the Residence Contact Us page

Some laundry machines on campus will accept your DalCard, while others are still operated by coin. 

The following Halifax residences accept DalCard: 

• Howe 
• Gerard
• Risley
• Shirreff
• LeMarchant

You can begin by going to the off-campus living website—particularly the listings section—where you will find a number of websites that allow you to search for housing in Halifax. 

We recommend:

1. Browsing through the listings and select at least 5 places. Begin looking as far in advance as you can, as inventory is limited and the market is highly competitive.

2. Contact the landlord to let them know you are interested and the dates you are arriving in Halifax.

3. Try to set up a viewing. We recommend arriving a week or two before the semester starts and staying in temporary accommodations while you go apartment viewing to allow you to see the places in person. 

4. Once you are sure you like a place, payment goes directly to the landlord. You should speak to the landlord to find out what are the acceptable forms of payment (postdated cheques, direct deposit, etc). If you find a great place, make sure you act on it quickly as there is quite a bit of competition in the rental market.

It can be very confusing to find housing and understand housing terms and responsibilities in Halifax, especially if you are a first-time renter or not from the area. The best way to help and protect yourself is to educate yourself. We advise the following: 

• Look at places carefully before you move in. If you are not in Halifax, ask for pictures and the date they were taken. 
• Learn what a lease is. 
• Learn what a security deposit is. 
• Before you move in, make sure you take note of any existing damages, otherwise you may be asked to pay for them when you move out. 
• Learn what the full cost of the apartment is with utilities, laundry costs, etc. all added together. 
• If you sign a full-year lease, move in to the apartment for a few months, and then decide to leave, you may be asked to pay for all the remaining months on your lease. Make sure you know what the consequences are for moving out early. 
• If you plan to share apartments with other students, make sure you nclude all roommates' names on the lease, bill payments, etc. to ensure accountability and responsibility. 

Whether you're moving to a new area in Halifax or to Halifax from another province or country, the Moving Resources page offers a list of storage companies, moving companies, supply companies, and second-hand furniture options.

International students can move into residences early before the International Student Orientation. Contact the International Centre for information on move-in dates. 

Visit our shopping in Halifax page for more information on shopping for groceries, essentials, course books, clothing, shoes & accessories. 

The Dal Bookstore also has a great selection of items for your residence room or apartment. If you're beginning your studies in September and in residence, check out Dorm Essentials to learn how you can order items online have them ready for you to pick up on move-in day.

There are a number of public holidays observed in Canada:

A Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that is required to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits.

You must apply for a SIN through Service Canada: Halifax or Truro

To apply for a SIN, you will need: 

• a study permit that indicates the permit holder “may accept employment” or “may work” in Canada; OR
• a study permit and a “confirmation to work off campus” letter issued by CIC

If neither of these requirements is met, you may contact CIC to verify if you are eligible to apply for an amended study permit or make an appointment with the International Student Advisor. 

More information can be found on the International Centre website.

The Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) has over 280 student societies. There really is something for everyone. Visit the DSU site to find out more about your student societies.

Intramural registration starts the first week of September and January and many leagues fill up fast. 

Registration is generally done as a team, with the exception of a few individual sports like tennis or badminton singles. If you’d like to join a team, contact your faculty or residence sport rep to join their team. Your faculty head office or residence council can provide you with your sport representative’s contact information.

You can also become a team captain and register your own team, or you can register as a 'free agent' at Dalplex and you may be picked up as a spare by an incomplete team.

Visit the Athletics & Recreation site for more information or email intra@dal.ca 

There is always something fun and exciting happening on campus, and most of it is free for students! Visit dal.ca/events to see all the upcoming events happening on campus.