Visiting research students

The invitation should clearly indicate:

• Your research plan: What research activities you be involved in while you are here?
• Location: Which Dal campus will be your home base?
• Duration: Your planned start and end date.
• Supervisor: Who will be supervising the research?
• Funding: How will your research at Dal be funded?

The letter should confirm that they support you doing research at Dal during the specified time period.

Visit our Off-campus living site to learn more about typical expenses for students at our Halifax and Truro campuses.

Although you won't be taking classes, you will apply to Dal as a visiting student.

1. Go to the Dalhousie application portal.
2. Under First time users select Create an account.
3. Click on Start new application and choose Dalhousie undergraduate application.
4. From the side menu, select Program information then select the following:
   • I want to apply to: Individual Courses
   • Select the program you intend to study: Visiting Student
   • Select your intended major: Visiting Researcher
   • Entry term: From the dropdown menu, select the term in which you plan to begin your research visit. 
     • The start of your research at Dalhousie may not perfectly correspond to one of Dalhousie's academic terms. Select the term closest to your planned arrival. For example, if you plan to arrive on October 1, select the Fall term.
   • Primary reason for taking courses at Dalhousie: Select either Personal Interest or Professional Development. Both options will work.
   • Specific course you’re looking to take: Input N/A
5. Under Academic history provide information about your home university.
6. Complete the Informed Consent page only if you give Dalhousie permission to release your personal, academic, or financial information to designated individuals. 
7. If you do not consent, skip this section and click Continue at the bottom of the page.

As part of your application, you must provide the following documents:

• A copy of the invitation letter from your Dalhousie supervisor
• A copy of the support letter from your home institution.

Note: TOEFL/IELTS scores, or other supporting documents are not required as part of the application.

The immigration documents you need will depend on how long you are planning to be at Dalhousie.

For research that is 120 days or less 

• You are eligible to request a work permit exemption under Canada’s Global Skills Strategy. 
• Before leaving your home country, read about the 120-day work permit exemption for researchers on the Government of Canada website. 
• You will make your work permit exemption request to an immigration officer at your first point of arrival in Canada. 
• You will need to apply separately, in advance, for the necessary Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada (if required). 
• Check the Government of Canada website to determine if you need a TRV or an eTA to enter Canada.

For research that is longer than 120 days:

• You will require a work permit. 
• To apply for a Work Permit, you will need an official Offer of Employment Number (OEN) from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) which is generated by Dalhousie. 
• Contact a Dalhousie immigration advisor for help with this process. The immigration advisor will obtain the OEN on your behalf and provide you with guidance on the work permit application process. 
• Depending on your citizenship, you may need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. You do not need to apply separately for a TRV or eTA. It will be automatically issued as part of your work permit application at no additional cost.  

VRS are required to have health insurance. The type of coverage you need depends on how long you will be at Dal, and whether you have your own insurance coverage.

Full term or full academic year

You will be automatically enrolled in and charged for the DSU Health Plan, or DSU International Health Plan. 

• For stays longer than one term, but shorter than a full academic year, students can request to have the health plan pro-rated by contacting the DSU Health Plan Office within one week of their arrival. 

• To be eligible for pro-rated billing, students must present their Dalhousie letter of acceptance and the invitation letter from their supervisor.

Short term (less than 4 months/1 academic term)

You may be eligible to opt out of the DSU Health Plan and enroll under the DSU Short Term Plan by contacting the DSU Health Plan Office within one week of your arrival.

Private Coverage

If you have your own health insurance, you may be able to opt out of the Dalhousie plan. 

• To opt out, take a copy of your health insurance plan to the DSU Health Plan Office. 
• The DSU will evaluate the plan to ensure that it meets the minimum coverage of the Student VIP opt-out policy guidelines.

Please contact the DSU Health Plan Office (dsuhlth@dal.ca) if you have any questions about health insurance.

You'll need to register when you arrive at Dal to activate your student status. You can register in-person or online. 

Important: You should only complete the registration process after you arrive. If you choose the online self-registration option, do not visit the Enrolment Services (Admissions) Office.  Likewise, if you visit the Enrolment Services (Admissions) Office in person, do not use the online self-registration option. 

In-person

1. Go to your nearest Enrolment Services (Admissions) Office
   • Halifax: Main floor, LeMarchant Place, 1246 LeMarchant Street    
   • Truro: Cox Institute, Room 256
2. Introduce yourself as a visitng international researcher. Tell them that you just arrived, and you would like to activate your registration status by being enrolled in Course 31215. This is not a real course, it is an internal code that Dal uses for visiting researchers. Once you've registered in this course, your student status will be activated in 24 - 48 hours.

Online

1. Login to DalOnline
2. Select Student > Registration
3. Select Register for Classes > Select Register for Classes again (2x)
4. Select the term that most closely matches your arrival date.
5. When prompted to enter your CRN, use 31215
6. Add to summary > Select submit

All VRS must be registered as a part-time student for each academic term, or part thereof, that they are at Dalhousie. Although you will not pay tuition as a VRS, you will be charged incidental fees for each academic term you are here (approximately $130 per term). This gives you active student status and access to essential services, including email, insurance, wi-fi, libraries, labs, and a DalCard.) Other services, including transit passes and fitness facility memberships may be purchased separately.

Learn more about student fees