Dalhousie Budget

Dalhousie's operating budget planning process is coordinated through the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) — a group chaired by the Provost with membership from senior leadership, faculty, staff and students.

Through a transparent and consultative process, the BAC is tasked with considering Dalhousie’s varied and diverse priorities and interests and making high-level recommendations for allocations of funding across the University. From there, it is up to leadership in each Faculty or service and support unit to determine how best to allocate resources to deliver on their plans and ensure Dal’s strategic goals are achieved.

The BAC engages with faculty, staff, students and university leadership throughout its planning process. See the full timetable. It produces a draft operating budget plan in February/March, followed by a final plan in late March.

The Board of Governors votes to approve the operating budget at its June meeting. It usually approves tuition and fees earlier, at its April meeting, so they can be incorporated in time for Student Accounts to begin collecting fees for the summer and fall terms.

Dal's operating budget planning process is based on four principles:

• The annual operating budget must be balanced.
• The operating budget recommendations must allow for long term financial sustainability.
• Operating budget recommendations must be driven by Dalhousie’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Operating budget recommendations must be transparent, and the process for making recommendations must be consultative.

Dalhousie’s success depends on our ability to provide excellent programs and to be competitive nationally and internationally. We strive to keep tuition rates competitive with other Canadian universities while reflecting the high quality of the programs we offer.

Addressing rising costs and investing in university priorities requires resources. With costs increasing at a faster rate than government funding, that leaves tuition — which funds 43% of the operating budget — as the only significant means available to balance the operating budget.

Annual tuition increases are necessary to maintain the high quality of our academic programming — this was true before the COVID-19 pandemic and is even more apparent today as we work to ensure students' academic experience in 2020-21 is delivered to the highest standards.

How do Dalhousie’s tuition fees compare to other universities?

It varies by program — and where a student is from. Nova Scotia students receive an additional bursary from the Province that lowers their tuition, and Dal's international tuition fees compare very different nationally than domestic tuition. Appendix G of the BAC's draft operating budget plan [PDF] has detailed comparisons of tuition costs between Dal and its peer universities.

International tuition fee increases

Dalhousie’s international undergraduate tuition fees are currently among the lowest of Canada’s U15 group of leading research universities. For Dalhousie to maintain and improve the quality of programs and student support, and to increase the university’s competitiveness nationally and globally, sustainable resources are required.

In April 2019, Dalhousie's Board of Governors approved a four-year plan to increase tuition for nternational students beginning their studies in fall 2019 or later in undergraduate or non-thesis masters programs. These fees will increase by $1,473 annually on top of any general fee increases.

Even with these increases, Dalhousie's international fees remain well below the U15 average.

Following last year’s decision, a Rapid Task Force recommended new investments in international services and supports currently in development. These include: a program manager for international student support; a Mandarin-speaking international student advisor, an additional writing centre advisor; and further new supports for writing, advising, and intercultural competence.

Across all university funds (operating, research, endowment, etc.) Dalhousie spends more than $70 million each year on student assistance, including scholarships, bursaries, student employment, research and external funds. 

Dalhousie spends 7.5% of total operating expenditures on scholarships and bursaries — compared to an average of 5.5% at other U15 universities.

In Fall 2020, Dalhousie is providing more financial aid than ever before, recognizing the impact of the current pandemic on the financial means of many of our students. We’re doubling financial aid bursary funding, adding an additional $3 million for undergraduate domestic and international students who need financial support.

63.2% of the university operating budget is allocated to Deans to manage direct costs of the university’s academic Faculties (including salaries). This allocation is similar to other U15 universities.

Overall, academic budgets have increased by $39 million over the last 6 years — a total increase of 18% or an average annual increase of 3.0%.

While Faculty budgets increase annually, there is pressure on budgets as the funding allocated does not fully cover increased expenditures (driven largely by required increases in compensation for faculty/staff). Dal’s Faculties and service/support units are usually asked to find cost savings to close the gap between rising costs and available resources. The Budget Advisory Committee has made minimizing this gap a priority.  

Dalhousie spends 36.4% of operating expenditures on academic salaries as compared to an average of 32.7% at U15 comparators.

From 2012‐13 to 2018‐19, total career stream academic appointments have increased by 83 or 9.5%. (This excludes growth of 57 appointments related to the merger with the Agricultural College which created the Faculty of Agriculture).

Almost three-quarters of Dalhousie’s operating budget goes to compensation for faculty and staff, and the budget must provide for annual salary, wage and benefit increases as outlined in collective agreements.

The university spends 36.4% of operating expenditures on academic salaries as compared to an average of 32.7% at U15 comparators. In contrast, Dalhousie spends less operating expenditures on non-academic salaries than its comparators.
Just 1.9% of total operating expenditures is spent on senior administrative appointments (individuals reporting to a vice-president, the provost or the president).