Undergraduate Application
A complete application consists of six or seven items, sent to the Registrar's Office or the School of Architecture. For students who have not yet studied architecture, all application items must be received by March 1. (For students who have already completed some university-level architecture courses or a university pre-professional architecture degree, please refer to the Transfer Architecture Students page.)
1. Items to send to the Registrar's Office or Student Accounts
Registrar's Office, Dalhousie University
1459 Oxford Street, Box 15000
Halifax, NS B3H 4R2
a) Undergraduate application
Please apply online. Within two weeks you will receive an e-mail message from the Registrar's Office that provides your student number (B00xxxxxx).
b) Application fee
After receiving your student number, please go to Student Accounts Web Payments to pay the $70 undergraduate application fee.
2. Items to send to the School of Architecture
Please prepare all items digitally and upload them to the Dalhousie admissions portal. For each item, please indicate your surname at the start of the file name. A complete set of files might be named, for example,
- trudeau-portfolio.pdf
- trudeau-statement.pdf
- trudeau-resume.pdf
- trudeau-english.pdf
a) Official academic transcript from each post-secondary institution you have attended
Please arrange for your previous institution(s) to send your transcript directly to the School of Architecture, in two formats:
- a PDF to arch.office@dal.ca
- two printed copies to: Admissions, School of Architecture, Dalhousie University, 5410 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2
A transcript in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation into English. Independent test scores (e.g., SAT, GRE) are not required.
b) Digital portfolio of design work (about 10–15 items)
The portfolio is intended to demonstrate your creativity and/or artistic skill. It may include free-hand sketches, precision drawings, paintings, furniture, sculpture, craft objects, creative photography, construction projects, etc. Items should be submitted in a single multi-page PDF, max. 20 MB, with your name on the first page. For any collaborative projects, include a list of the team members and a description of your role. In the PDF, please do not include animations or links to external files or websites. To keep the PDF file size small, please adjust the resolution of your images first. Do not include your statement of intent, resumé, or reference letters in the portfolio; they must be submitted as separate PDFs.
c) Statement of intent
In this letter to the Admissions Committee, please describe your interest in architecture and in the program at Dalhousie. The statement may also mention your aspirations, interests, travel, activities, etc.
d) Resumé
Please submit your résumé (1–2 pages) as a separate PDF.
e) Two letters of reference
At least one letter should be from an academic instructor, preferably at university level. A referee may submit a PDF form (tinyurl.com/dal-arch-reference) or a letter saved as a PDF. To be valid, it must be signed by the referee. Your referees should submit their reference directly to the Architecture office (arch.office@dal.ca). Please ask them to name their file with your surname, reference, and their surname; e.g.,
- trudeau-reference-biden.pdf
A letter sent by mail (to the address above) or fax (902-423-6672) is also acceptable.
f) Evidence of English language proficiency (if required)
Because the BEDS program typically leads to the MArch program, the BEDS English requirement is the same as for graduate admission. If your first language is not English, an official test result must be submitted. The typical requirement is IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 92 iBT; other tests are also acceptable. A lower score, followed by university courses, is not sufficient. Completion of Dalhousie's English Language Studies Department EAP Level 2 course with a grade of A– or higher is also acceptable. A Duolingo test is not acceptable. If you have completed a degree at an English-language university, this requirement may be waived. For Canadian students whose first language is French, an English test is not required for undergraduate admission.
Confirming that Items have been Received
To confirm that all of your items have been received by the Registrar's Office, please check the Dalhousie admission portal.
Admission Result
The university will notify applicants of their admission result in mid-May.
Graduate Applications
Please refer to the Graduate Application page.