How to Apply

Admission requirements 

To be considered for a graduate program within the Faculty of Computer Science, all applicants must have the equivalent of a four-year undergraduate university degree, a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, and meet the following program-specific admission requirements. Visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) for full details on admissions for graduate students at Dalhousie University.

Non-Canadian applicants whose first language is not English require a TOEFL score of at least 92 (IBT) or IELTS score of 7.0. For clarification and accepted testing, please refer to the FGS language requirements for clarification.

Please note, we do not process any applications received after the deadlines stated below. 

Master of Applied Computer Science (MACS)

Please note, applications received after the deadline stated below may not be considered for the term applied for. Any applications received by the deadline must be complete to be considered, which means that all components of the application must be received by the deadline, including but not limited to unofficial transcripts, reference letters, language test scores for international students, etc. 

We are currently considering applications for May 2024 (limited number of admissions) and September 2024 entry.  May 2024 applicants may be offered entry for September 2024 instead.  

  • At a minimum, applicants must have a GPA) of at least 3.0 among their technical courses and a four-year undergraduate degree.
  • Applicants are expected to have a knowledge base equivalent to our second-year core computer science undergraduate curriculum. If applying from a non-CS background, qualifying year courses may be necessary.
  • Applicants who have been away from academia for a few years should demonstrate industry experience that has maintained or improved their technical skills.
  • Please note
    • MACS applicants are required to complete an admissions interview
    • If you are invited to an admissions interview and do not respond to a scheduling request within 1 month, your application can be closed.

Master of Computer Science (MCS)

  • Applicants must have a strong Grade Point Average (GPA) among their technical courses and a four-year undergraduate degree in computer science or a related technical discipline. Applicants with a GPA at or below 3.4 generally need a connection with a faculty member or need relevant industry experience for their application to succeed.
  • Applicants are expected to have a knowledge base equivalent to our third-year core computer science undergraduate curriculum.

Master of Digital Innovation (MDI)

  • Applicants can have an undergraduate degree or graduate degree in a diverse range of disciplines including computer science, business, law, health, or other related programs. We will also consider a combination of education and relevant work experience.
  • Courses in introductory programming are recommended but not required.
  • Please note: The MDI program has a single annual intake starting in September. Please follow the application deadlines for September.

PhD in Computer Science

  • Applicants must have a strong Grade Point Average (GPA) in a master's degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline.
  • Applicants should provide evidence of research experience, such as publications and thesis summaries.
  • Applicants will only be admitted with the support of a supervisor. We encourage applicants to identify and connect with faculty members before applying to the program.
  • Applicants are expected to have a knowledge base equivalent to our third-year core computer science undergraduate curriculum.

PhD in Computer Science, Post-Bachelor

A PhD, Post Bachelor is reserved for outstanding graduates of a four-year program with demonstrated research experience and/or excellent research potential.

  • Students must have a strong Grade Point Average (GPA) in Computer Science or a related technical discipline. 
  • Applicants should provide evidence of research experience, such as publications and thesis summaries.
  • Applicants will only be admitted with the support of a supervisor. We encourage applicants to identify and connect with faculty members before applying to the program.
  • Applicants are expected to have a knowledge base equivalent to our third-year core computer science undergraduate curriculum.

 

Application process

Applications are a three-stage process.

1. Submit your online Graduate Studies Application

We recommended that you first type the required information into a text file and copy and paste into the online application form.

  • Supporting documents include:
    • 2 reference letters:
      • Academic references: You must enter the university email address of your academic referee in your online application. Once your application has been submitted, your academic referee will receive an email within one week requesting that they submit their reference letter online. If your referees are unable to submit through that system, we can accept letters through graduate@cs.dal.ca. These letters must come from their institutional or company email address and be written on official letterhead. Ensure your referees provide your Banner ID in the email subject line.
      • Non-academic references: All non-academic referees must submit their reference letters in PDF format to graduate@cs.dal.ca. These letters must come from their institutional or company email address and be written on official letterhead. Ensure your referees provide you Banner ID in the email subject line. 
      • For more details see Reference Letters on the FGS website.
    • Application fee of $115

2. Complete the form in the Faculty of Computer Science GradApp System

Complete the form in the Faculty of Computer Science GradApp System:

  • You will receive an email (5-7 business days) after you apply and pay your application fee with a username and password to log on to our GradApp System to submit your supporting documents.
  •  The supporting documents include:
    • Your curriculum vitae (CV)
    • Your research proposal (MCS and PhD programs) or statement of intent (MACS and MDI)
    • Your worksheet of computer science course equivalents (waived for MDI applicants – please upload a blank document to move our application forward)
    • Your English test report, for international students
    • Your unofficial transcript for each post-secondary institution that you have attended
  • Your application will not be reviewed until all your documents are uploaded in our GradApp System
  • Applications that remain incomplete for more than 2 months can be closed. Applications that have the applicant’s supporting documents but not their reference letters are considered incomplete.

 

3. Electronic copies of additional supporting materials

Electronic copies of additional supporting material are accepted as follows:

Official transcripts:

  • Please review the information on when and how to submit official transcripts on the FGS webpage.
  • Hard copies are not required.
  • Official transcripts from Dalhousie are not required.

Official English Proficiency test score (for international students):

  • Your unofficial IELTS and TOEFL score can be uploaded as part of your document upload. We can confirm directly with IELTS and TOEFL for verification purposes. The applicant must ask their testing centre to make their results available to Dalhousie University. Students will not be able to register for classes until their scores are verified. If a different English Language Score provider is used, the testing center can email the results to graduate@cs.dal.ca.

If your application has been rejected during the current admission cycle, you may want to consider taking a year to improve your application before reapplying.

 

Application deadlines

Applications received by the deadline must be complete and include your unofficial transcript to be considered for the admission specified. By complete application packages, we mean that all components of the application must be received by the deadline, including but not limited to transcripts, reference letters, language test scores for international students, etc. 


Deadlines for applications from Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents
September admission January admission

May admission

Master of Applied Computer Science June 1 
October 1 February 28
Master of Computer Science June 1*  October 1 N/A
PhD June 1*  October 1 February 28**
Master of Digital Innovation June 1 N/A N/A

Deadlines for international applications
September admission January admission May admission
Master of Applied Computer Science April 1 
August 1 January 15
Master of Computer Science April 1* August 1 N/A
PhD April 1* August 1 December 31**
Master of Digital Innovation April 1 N/A N/A

*Consideration for funding is done on a rolling basis starting on November 30. As such, all applicants are encouraged to submit their complete application as early as possible.

** Summer admissions to research-based graduate programs is by special arrangement only.

Please note:

  • There is only September admission for the Master of Digital Innovation.
  • Admission for the Master of Applied Computer Science (MACS) has a limited enrolment for May and is not offered for students who are required to take CSCI 3901.
  • Only one deferral is allowed at the Faculty of Computer Science. The deadline for letting us know is December 18 for January admission and April 22 for May admission. Email: graduate@cs.dal.ca.

Additional information for international students


  

Contact us
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Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Email: graduate@cs.dal.ca