Admission Requirements



Admission for next year's intake (June 2024) will open October 2, 2023.

Please note: Dalhousie University will be launching a new MBA Program in June 2024 (pending MPHEC approval). More information will be available soon. Application information provided below reflects new program changes.

The Dalhousie Corporate Residency MBA program pools its applications, meaning that the applications are processed as they are received. However, students will only be notified about the admissions decision of their application following one of our four application deadlines (see below).

If you are applying for our joint JD/MBA degree, be sure to take note of all related deadlines for each program (you must apply separately to each program).

Please note that the CRMBA Program has only one program start date each year, in June. When completing the online application, please select the correct term, “2023/2024 Summer”.

Canadian applicants – Admissions deadlines

  • Domestic students have four opportunities to submit their application: 
    • October 31, 2023 (first round)
    • December 8, 2023 (second round)
    • February 28, 2024 (third round)
    • April 26, 2024 (fourth round)
  • Domestic applications received after May 5 will not be considered.

International applicants – Admissions deadlines

  • Our admissions deadlines offer applicants enough time to apply for and receive BOTH their study permit AND Co-op Work Permit, copies of which must be provided to the MBA Office by April 15, 2024. Students who have not submitted an online application and all admissions documents by December 8 for the June 2024 Cohort will not be considered.
  • International students have two opportunities to submit their application and all supporting documents:
    • October 31, 2023 (first round)
    • December 8, 2023 (second round)
  • Students MUST apply for their Study and Co-op Work Permits in the SAME application to the Canadian Government. Upon your confirmation to us of your offer acceptance, our team will provide a Corporate Residency Internship Letter to include with your application to support your request for the Co-op Work Permit.
  • Most International students will also require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). For more information on all required immigration documents, please contact the International Centre. Advisors there are well equipped to support the application process for these necessary documents.
  • Find out more about becoming an International Graduate Student at Dalhousie here.
  • Applicants being assisted by third-party recruitment agents must indicate this on the online application form prior to submitting admission documents.


Application process

Step 1: Complete online application

Application form

Apply now for June 2024 (TERM SUMMER 2023/2024). (NOTE: the CRMBA program only has one start date each year which is in June.)

To apply, please complete the online application. Note that the application fee of $115 is non-refundable.

Paying the application fee

The $115 application fee must be received before your application will be processed. Methods of payment are included on the online application form. Please contact the Registrar's Office if you need assistance with your online application or fee: Admissions@dal.ca or +1 902 494 2450.



Step 2: Complete Casper assessment

Please read this document and the information provided below before registering for your Casper Assessment.

All applicants applying to the Corporate Residency Pathway at Dalhousie University are required to complete the Casper assessment (a 90–110 minute online, open-response situational judgement assessment) for the 2023/2024 admissions cycle. Completion of Casper is mandatory to maintain admission eligibility; no exceptions or waivers are allowed.

Casper is a standardized, multi-part online assessment that measures different competencies and attributes. This assessment will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation in a wholistic review process. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.

Register for the Casper Assessment and create a user account

Casper Assessment Dates for 2023/2024 Application Cycle

Applicant Type

Admissions Deadline

Casper Assessment Date

Domestic and International Applicants
Round 1
October 31, 2023
Assessment Date #1
October 5, 2023
8:00PM Eastern Time
Domestic and International Applicants Round 2
December 8, 2023

Assessment Date #2
November 23, 2023
5:00PM Eastern Time

Assessment Date (NEW)
December 5, 2023
3:00AM Eastern Time
(International Applicants only)

Domestic Applicants Round 3
February 28, 2024
Assessment Date #3
January 25, 2024
5:00PM Eastern Time
Domestic Applicants Round 4
April 26, 2024
Assessment Date #4
April 9, 2024
8:00PM Eastern Time

Applicants do not have to wait until after they have completed the Casper Assessment to begin submitting application documents to the MBA Office. They may do so once an online application has been submitted along with the application fee.

 

Step 3: Submit supporting documents

Our review begins only when the online application is complete, the application fee is paid and all supporting documents have arrived at our office.

Submission Options

  • PDF attachments sent to mba@dal.ca
  • Documents can also be sent to the following address:

MBA Admissions Committee
Graduate Services
3rd Floor – Room 3014
Kenneth C. Rowe Building
6100 University Avenue
Halifax, NS, Canada  B3H 4R2

You will be notified through DalOnline when your documents are received (more information on this can be found below).

It is recommended that ALL application documents be submitted electronically. We do not recommend mailing paper documents unless this is the only option. Please note that processing times will be slower for mailed/paper documents.

Please send documents to the CRMBA office directly. If possible, please do not send application documents to the Registrar's Office, Graduate Studies or other departments. Receiving applicataion documents from these departments takes time and can delay the processing of your application and cause you to miss the application deadline.

Checking your Application Status (DalOnline)

Applicants may check the status of submitted application documents by logging into the admission portal on the Dalhousie website (https://dalonline.dal.ca/PROD/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon). When documents have been added to your file, your profile will be updated. Updates are made every 2–3 business days (3–5 business days during peak times), so please allow time for this to show on your profile. The date that the documents were received by our department is the date of receipt.

If you have any questions regarding admissions documents or submission instructions, please contact mba@dal.ca.

Current résumé

Applicants must submit a résumé that details their academic, work and volunteer experience.  

Letter of intent

The personal statement or letter of intent is a standard component of most graduate and professional school applications.

The letter of intent offers applicants an opportunity to express their value proposition. It is one of the criteria the selection committee uses to decide whether you are an acceptable candidate for the program.

Consider the following in preparing your letter of intent:

  • Start with a thought-provoking opening that will draw the reader into your letter of intent.
  • What personal characteristics, attributes or values do you have that may enhance your chances for success?
  • What are your career aspirations and how might an MBA help you achieve them?
  • Describe how your prior academic, work or volunteer experience (part-time or full-time, paid or voluntary) will assist you during the program.
  • Explain any gaps or deficiencies in your academic record, or any other factors you wish to have taken into account.
  • Make this an honest portrayal of who you are.
  • Edit your document (especially for typos).
  • Limit your letter of intent to approximately 500 words or 1 page single-spaced (2 pages double-spaced).
  • Include your typewritten letter of intent with your application package.
  • Your name must be included on the document.

The Corporate Residency MBA office is committed to increasing the admission and number of graduates from historically underrepresented groups: persons of Aboriginal/Indigenous ancestry, members of racialized groups, persons of African descent, Acadians, persons with dis/Abilities, and persons belonging to minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity (SOGI) groups. To help us support applicants to our program, we encourage applicants to self-identity in their Letter of Intent.

Official transcripts

Applicants must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree recognized by Dalhousie University. Applicants must also have a Grade Point Average of B (or 3.0) or better in the final two years (60 credits). Official transcripts from all colleges/universities previously attended are required for your application. These must be original documents provided by the university; notarized copies are not accepted. Transcripts will be considered official only if they are emailed directly from your issuing institution or mailed in a sealed and endorsed envelope. Additionally, transcripts for incomplete or in-progress programs and transfer credits must be provided.

Important transcript details

  • Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by an English translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript.
  • Notarized copies of transcripts are not permitted.
  • Transcript keys must be included with the transcript.
  • Degree and graduation certificates must be included if the transcript does not indicate the type of degree and date granted.
  • Transcripts submitted with applications become the property of Dalhousie University, 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.

Submission Options

  • Electronic file-transfers from the issuing institution and from services such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, eScript-Safe or TranscriptsNetwork. Electronic transcripts are to be sent to mba@dal.ca
  • PDFs sent by email directly from the issuing institution. These emailed transcripts are to be sent to mba@dal.ca.
  • Official transcripts mailed directly by institutions can be sent to the following address:
    • MBA Admissions Committee
      Graduate Services
      3rd Floor – Room 3014
      Kenneth C. Rowe Building
      6100 University Avenue
      Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2
  • Attachments directly from the applicant to mba@dal.ca. This is an exception only available when an issuing institution is unable to provide the documents. Proof of this inability may be required.

Academic letters of reference

Note:  Academic referees are to use the Faculty of Graduate Studies Form when sending the reference by email or mail.

Two academic letters of reference are required (referees must have a minimum master’s level degree themselves and have taught you and assessed your academic performance). Professional references are not accepted.

Submission Options

  • E-reference System: If you apply online, enter the university email addresses of your referees in the appropriate fields. Please note that the system is not triggered until after you have paid your application fee and can take 3–5 business days to be sent. To use the e-reference system, your referees must have a university, teaching hospital or government email address. Other types of e-mail addresses will not be accepted by the e-reference system (i.e. Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail or business addresses).
  • E-mail: Reference letters may also be emailed by the referee to mba@dal.ca. The referee must use their work email.
  • Mail: If your reference letters are being mailed, they must be in a sealed envelope with your referee’s endorsement/signature on the seal (they may be mailed by the referee or the applicant).

 

English language requirement scores

English is the language of study at Dalhousie, therefore all applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate their capacity to pursue a graduate-level program in English before admission. 

For a complete list of English Language tests accepted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, please visit their website. (*Note that the IELTS minimum score accepted for the CRMBA program is 7.5.)

Test Taker copies of English Language reports are not accepted; they must be official copies sent from the test centre.

  • Minimum IELTS overall score of 7.5
  • Minimum TOEFL score of 102  

NOTE: The language competency test may be waived if the applicant has completed a degree that meets both of the following requirements:

  1. The degree is from a recognized university where the primary language of instruction is English
  2. The university (or campus location) where the degree was obtained is in a country where English is an official language. Please contact mba@dal.ca if you are unsure whether you are required to provide this documentation.

Letter of financial guarantee (for non-Canadian students)

Required as part of the application process is a declaration of financial responsibility on behalf of the student for tuition and living expenses during the full course of their studies. Students who are not able to meet their financial obligations of tuition are not able to proceed in the program, and these financial concerns have proven to have a negative impact on students. This declaration and proof helps to avoid that pressure for both the students and their families.

Please complete this PDF document and submit it with your proof of funds (bank statements or certificates of deposit) to mba@dal.ca.

Scholarship application

Please visit our Tuition & Financial Assistance page to see our Scholarship Application process. Applicants wishing to apply under the Promise Scholars pathway should contact us directly at mba@dal.ca.

 

Equitable admissions request form

The Faculty of Management is committed to increasing the admission and number of graduates from historically underrepresented groups: persons of Aboriginal/Indigenous ancestry, members of racialized groups, persons of African descent, persons with dis/Abilities, former youth-in-care and persons belonging to minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity (SOGI) groups.

To be considered for admission through the Equity Admissions policy, applicants must have submitted a complete application including all supporting documents and this form by the Admissions Deadline for which they wish to be considered.

Undergraduate quantitative course list

Please complete this form by listing all quantitative-type courses (requiring the use of math concepts) you have taken in your undergraduate degree and what grade was received for each.

 

Step 4: Admissions interview

All applicants who meet the admission requirements will be contacted by the CRMBA office with a link to the admission interview. This virtual interview will be conducted through the Kira Talent Platform and will be assessed by our Admissions Committee. More information can be found here.

To inquire about accommodations available during the interview, please visit Kira's website for more information: https://support.kiratalent.com/article/134-accessibility-additional-assistance