Outlook for the fall 2020 term

The majority of Dalhousie courses this fall will be delivered online, with only select exceptions, to ensure your health and well-being.

In-person, on-campus instruction this fall will only be offered in programs where it is required to fulfill industry or field-specific accreditation requirements: Medicine, Dentistry, select Health professions, and the Veterinary Technology program in the Faculty of Agriculture. Students in these programs should contact their Faculty's Associate Dean Academic for clarification on specific courses and can expect to receive more details directly from your Faculty.

In all other cases, courses will be delivered online. This includes other accredited programs in Engineering, Architecture, Planning, and Management that are moving forward with online delivery formats and developing innovative ways to meet their respective learning experiences, designed activities and group interactions.

See what Dalhousie is doing to ensure the successful delivery of online courses and the safe delivery of in-person courses during the fall semester.

As with in-person learning, every online class will be different, based on the subject matter and individual teaching style of the instructor. Students can expect most courses to be “asynchronous” (pre-recorded content), allowing students to learn at their own pace. “Synchronous” (live) course components may be included as well, ensuring students in different time zones are not disadvantaged.

We will provide information on how your individual courses will be conducted in the coming weeks through our Academic Timetable. You can also expect to hear more details about your courses from your Faculty or your department/instructors/supervisors in the near future.

For more information on online delivery, please read the most recent memo from Dr. Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic.

Students are able to start their studies part-time for the fall term, with the only exception being the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) program, which must be completed full-time.

Before you proceed with registering for a part-time schedule, please book an appointment with an admissions advisor. Part-time study in some programs is not advised, as it could impact the sequence of future required course work and co-op work terms.

Please also note that studying part-time may impact your scholarship eligibility, should you have been offered an entrance scholarship. Please email awards@dal.ca for more information.

First-year course registration will open on June 15, 2020 at 8 a.m. ADT (Halifax time). Before you can register, you must accept your offer of admission by paying your $200 CAD admission deposit at least 24 hours before registering and activate your Net ID. Learn more about how to register for courses.

Due to the challenges presented by COVID-19, we are able to offer flexibility in many cases where students were not able to confirm their acceptance by the deadline.

While we cannot extend the confirmation deadlines for BSc Nursing, BSc Medical Sciences, BSc Kinesiology and Health Sciences, we can still work with students to confirm their place in other programs. Please contact an admissions advisor to request an extension or if you are ready to submit your confirmation deposit you can do so online.

Yes, the application for our Fall 2020 term is still open and we continue to welcome and assess new applications as usual.

Please note: While most programs remain open, the applications for BSc Nursing, BSc Medical Science, BSc Kinesiology and Bachelor of Health Science and Veterinary Technology (Diploma) are now closed.

You can apply for undergraduate admission online by visiting dal.ca/applynow.

Please note: While most programs remain open, the applications for BSc Nursing, BSc Medical Science, BSc Kinesiology and Bachelor of Health Science are now closed.

Yes, we have extended several deadlines to remove as many barriers as possible to the application process. We will continue to assess and extend deadlines as needed.

If you've submitted all your required documents online, we can typically complete our assessment in just a few weeks. As we are nearing the end of the application period, those applying now may receive a response sooner.

Your admission decision will be sent to you via email to the email address you provided on your application. You can also check your application status any time on Dal Online.

Because classes are proceeding in September, we are not adjusting our deferral policy. To learn more about programs that are eligible to defer admission, or to apply for a deferral, please visit dal.ca/defer.

Please note: Students who defer may not undertake post-secondary studies at another institution before starting at Dalhousie. Should you choose to do so, you will need to reapply to Dalhousie. 

Because classes are proceeding in September, we are not adjusting our deferral policy. To learn more about programs that are eligible to defer admission, or to apply for a deferral, please visit dal.ca/defer.

Please note: Students who defer may not undertake post-secondary studies at another institution before starting at Dalhousie. Should you choose to do so, you will need to reapply to Dalhousie. 

Dalhousie’s undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2020-2021 academic term were recently confirmed. 

Tuition will not be discounted for the Fall 2020 term to ensure the continued delivery of the high-quality academic experience you expect from Dalhousie. However, we are waiving or modifying many student fees and increasing financial aid for both domestic and international students. 

For more information on tuition and fees for the 2020-2021 academic term and to see how Dalhousie is investing in the student experience this fall, please read the most recent memo from Dalhousie’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Deep Saini.

Yes, Dalhousie is increasing financial aid bursary funding by adding an additional $6 million for domestic and international students who need financial support. For more information, visit dal.ca/financialresources.

Admission deposits are non-refundable. Since classes are proceeding in September, we are not adjusting our policy.

At the moment, Dalhousie is unable to receive in-person payments as our team has transitioned to working remotely. All fee payments and admission deposits can still be made online.

We are accepting unofficial copies of transcripts by email for use in evaluating applications for admission. Students can submit copies of their transcripts directly from their personal email accounts. If you have an offer of admission, it will be honoured.

Canadian and US applicants can submit transcripts to admissions@dal.ca and international applicants can submit transcripts to international.admissions@dal.ca.

At the moment, Dalhousie is only able to receive transcripts via email. We won’t be able to receive documents by mail or courier until we return to working on campus.

Canadian and US applicants can submit transcripts to admissions@dal.ca and international applicants can submit transcripts to international.admissions@dal.ca.

If you’re not able to provide final grades due to exam cancellations (i.e. IB, AP and GCE A Levels), we will accept predicted results or the grades presented at the time of your admission offer as “final” for admission purposes. If you have an offer of admission, it will be honoured.

Yes- your university experience is about more than just courses and there will be many ways to stay engaged virtually this fall. Here are just a few we’d like to tell you about:

Together@Dal: Launching in July, Together@Dal will connect upper-year students with cohorts of new students to support and encourage their transition to Dalhousie. New students will have an opportunity to meet other students in their area of study; engage in fun, interactive sessions with peers and upper-year students and more! Learn more at dal.ca/together.

Student Life app: Later this summer, we will be launching a new Dal Student Life mobile app — a space for students to connect with each other, view events/activities, and access university resources. As part of the Together@Dal program, upper-year students will also be accessible via the app to answer questions and connect students to community hubs created by Faculties and student support units.

Orientation: In partnership with the Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) and the Dalhousie Agricultural Students’ Association (DASA), Dal 2020 Orientation activities will be delivered virtually and will kick off in August. The events calendar will be available in the near future at Dal’s Orientation website.

Online learning support: Launching in early August, a new online learning website will help students prepare for classes in September with resources and tips.

Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect.

Yes, new from high school students are guaranteed a spot in residence if they apply before June 15. Once you’ve been admitted into a program and accepted your offer of admission, you can apply to live in residence.

For more information on fee refunds, residence availability for fall term and applying for rooms for the winter term please visit dal.ca/res-covid19.

While we don’t have all the details yet, we are happy to share that residences will be open in a limited capacity this fall. We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks, in addition to information about other services and supports for students. 

We’ve made the decision to postpone all in-person campus tours until public health officials and Dalhousie feel it is safe to once again welcome visitors to our campus.

Instead, we have made a number of virtual options available so you can still experience a visit to campus. Visit dal.ca/campustours to learn more.

Our advisors are currently offering virtual appointments to answer any questions you may have. To set up an appointment, visit dal.ca/connect and find the advisor supporting students from your area.

Once you’ve found your advisor, simply send them an email requesting an appointment. If you have a Dalhousie ID (B00 number) please include it in any communications, as it allows us to help you faster.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies has an FAQ for prospective Graduate Students or you can contact Graduate Studies directly for more information by emailing  graduate.studies@dal.ca.

International students can engage in online learning without a study permit. A study permit is required for in-Canada learning, and a visa may be required to travel to Canada as well. You can also find up to date immigration information by visiting Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s website.

While we want all students to feel welcome to join us online this fall, international students should know there are risks in starting a Dalhousie program without a study permit. Please visit the International Centre website for more information.

We encourage incoming international students to connect with an immigration consultant from our International Centre to discuss what options may be available to you. You can book online using your Dalhousie Net ID (which you can set up once you’ve accepted your offer of admission). If you do not have a Net ID, please email international.centre@dal.ca to make an appointment.

If you’d like to book an appointment with an immigration consultant at Dalhousie’s International Centre, you can do so directly using their online appointment booking system. You will need your Dalhousie Net ID to book an appointment, which you can set up once you’ve accepted your offer of admission. If you do not have a Net ID, please email international.centre@dal.ca.

You can also find up to date immigration information on the International Centre’s website and by visiting Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s website.

Processing times vary by country and may be impacted by COVID-19. Dalhousie has a team of licensed immigration advisors available to answer your questions about study permits and visas. Please visit the International Centre’s website for more information.

We are accepting unofficial copies of current English language test scores (IELTS, TOEFL) to prevent delays due to test center closures. We are only able to accept test scores by email until further notice. Please know that any admission decision is subject to a review of official test scores when they are available or able to be verified by the testing centre.

We’ve also extended the deadline to provide proof of proficiency to July 31, 2020. Please visit English language requirements for more information.

Yes, to meet the needs of applicants during this challenging time, we are temporarily allowing students to complete the Duolingo English Test online, TOEFL at Home or IELTS Indicator online tests in place of in-person English proficiency exams. The tests are taken using a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing samples which are shared with the university. 

Dalhousie is also offering English for academic purposes online to help you meet the English language requirements for undergraduate admission. Learn more about Dalhousie's EAP offerings. 

Please note: these testing allowances are currently only available to students starting in the Fall 2020 semester. For updated information and minimum test scores visit English language requirements.

Yes, we will accept unofficial copies of your transcripts to be used in assessing transfer credits. Visit dal.ca/transferapplicants for more information.