Dalhousie University Scholarships

scholarships for international students

Dalhousie University Scholarships 

Dalhousie University Scholarship 2026-2026 is a fully funded scholarship for international students. This scholarship is offered for Masters and PhD studies. This scholarship is valued at $30,000 and covers monthly stipend, accommodation cost, fee waiver and health insurance.

The Harmonized Scholarship Process allows for a current/prospective student to be considered for several FGS-managed scholarships using a single application, including

Applicants, please consult your intended program of study for their internal deadline, which generally occurs in early December. All required application material should be submitted to your program of study by this internal deadline. Late submission may result in your application not being eligible for review.

The university is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is ranked one of the most friendly towns in the globe. Founded in 1818, it is one of Canada’s oldest universities.

Scholarship Summary

  • Level of Study: Masters, PhD
  • Institution(s): Dalhousie University
  • Study in: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Opportunity Focus Areas: Graduate Programs Offered at Dalhousie University, please click here.
  • Program Period: Two years for masters and three years for PhD.
  • Deadline: January 15, 2026

Scholarship Coverage

Dalhousie University Scholarships are of following types:

Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship

  • The Master’s level award is valued at $10,000/year for 2 years (subject to annual renewal).
  • Doctoral level awards are valued at $15,000/year for 4 years (subject to annual renewal).

Killam Predoctoral Scholarships

  • Master’s (Level 1): $6666.66 per term + ITF (international students) + relocation allowance (if applicable)
  • Doctoral (Level 2): $10000 per term + relocation allowance (if applicable) + President’s Award for two years.  Note that Dalhousie PhD programs no longer have International Tuition Fees applied.

Eliza Ritchie Doctoral Entrance Scholarship for Women

  • The Award is valued at $30,000 for a twelve-month academic year.
  • Candidates who hold other scholarships of any kind, including scholarships internal and external to Dalhousie University, will receive the Eliza Ritchie Doctoral Entrance Scholarship for Women as a “top-up award” to their other scholarship, the total not exceeding $30,000 per academic year or $10,000 per term.

James Robinson Johnston Graduate Entrance Scholarship for African Canadians

  • The Master’s scholarship is valued at $15,000 for one twelve-month academic year of full-time study. The Award is renewable, subject to an annual progress review (scholarship-class standing required). The Award can be held for a maximum of 24 months of full-time study.
  • The Doctoral scholarship is valued at $19,000 for a twelve-month academic year. The Award is renewable, subject to an annual progress review (scholarship-class standing required). An Award can be held for a maximum of 36 months of full-time study.
  • Fees are not waived and must be paid out of the award.
  • One new award is made each year.
  • Candidates who hold other scholarships of any kind, including scholarships internal and external to Dalhousie University, will receive the James Robinson Johnston Graduate Entrance Scholarship for African Canadians as a “top-up award” to their other scholarship, the total not exceeding $20,000 per academic year for Master’s or $30,000 for Doctoral.

Vitamin Scholarship

  • The Award is valued at $19,000 (Masters) and $21,000 (Doctoral) for a 12-month academic year (one-two awards per year)

Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarship

  • The scholarship is valued at $40,000 for one 12-month academic year of full-time study. The scholarship is renewable, subject to an annual progress review.
  • The award can be held for a maximum of 24 months of full-time study.
  • Fees are not waived and must be paid out of the award.
  • One new award is made each year.

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Eligibility Criteria for Dalhousie University Scholarships

To be eligible for Dalhousie University Scholarships, the applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

  • Required Language: English.
  • Eligible Countries: All world countries

For applications in the Master’s Competition:

  • Please review CGS-M Evaluation Criteria, which form the basis for ranking applications.
  • Written in clear, plain language, avoiding the use of jargon.
  • Consider reviewing the “Outline of proposed research (attachment)” section of the CGS-M instructions for recommendations on what to include in a strong research proposal.

For applications in the Doctoral Competition:

How to Apply for Dalhousie University Scholarships?

Please follow the following steps to apply for Dalhousie University Scholarships.

(1) Log into the FGS Scholarship Management Platform. If you already have a Dalhousie NetID, please select “Use Dalhousie NetID” to log in. If not, please enter an email address and create a password. It is only necessary to create one account, even if you intend to apply for multiple opportunities.

(2) Create a new scholarship application or edit an existing one by selecting from the “My applications” list on your home page. Only one application per competition will be accepted by each applicant, so please do not submit multiple Harmonized Scholarship applications.

(3) Master’s applicants who have applied for the Tri-Agency CGS-M competition may choose to opt-in to use their CGS-M application within the Harmonized Scholarship Process. To do so, please select “Master’s Level – CGS-M Opt-In” as the submission category and proceed through the application.  The Faculty of Graduate Studies will link your CGS-M application to your opt-in form, including reference letters and transcripts submitted for the Tri-Agency CGSM competition. The deadline to Opt-in is December 1st (coinciding with the CGS-M application deadline set by Tri-Agency).  If you do not opt-in with your CGS-M application, you must complete a full Harmonized Scholarship Application to be considered for other awards.

(4) All applicants are encouraged to complete the self-identification questionnaire found in the Online Scholarship Platform. This allows administrators to ensure applicants are sorted into the review process for award opportunities with specific eligibility criteria. Information provided in this questionnaire is not visible to reviewers and will remain strictly confidential.

(5) Click “Next” at the bottom of each page to move through the application. Clicking “Save” will allow the applicant to close the application and return to it later to edit or update it.

(6) Official transcripts must be obtained and uploaded by the applicant directly in the scholarship portal as per the instructions found in the application. FGS will not provide copies of transcripts from admission applications. Transcripts from multiple institutions must be combined into a single PDF before uploading. Unofficial grade reports for current Dalhousie students may be used in lieu of official transcripts for the harmonized scholarship process.

(7) All reference letters must be submitted in the portal by the January 15, 2026 deadline (or February 15 in the case of non-thesis applicants).  The application portal will close to applicants and referees after this date and incomplete applications will not be forwarded for review.  Reference letters will not be accepted by email or in hard copy.  It is highly recommended that applicants advise their referees of a deadline a few days to one-week prior to January 14 in case of unforeseen emergencies or technical issues.  Applicants will receive an email notification from the portal and a “received” notation will appear in red by each referee’s name once their reference has been completed.  Please check the status of references frequently prior to the deadline.

(8) Agree to terms and conditions and click “Save and Finalize” to complete and submit the application.

Note: You may withdraw your application to make changes up until the January 15 deadline, including updating your transcripts with fall grades or making edits based on feedback received from your department.  If you withdraw your application, it must be resubmitted by the January 15th deadline to be considered.

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Navigating Dalhousie University Scholarships for International Students: The Ultimate Guide

Studying in Canada is a dream for thousands of students worldwide. With its high standard of living, welcoming culture, and post-graduation work opportunities, it remains a top-tier destination. At the heart of this academic landscape sits Dalhousie University. Located in the beautiful coastal province of Nova Scotia, Dalhousie is a member of Canada’s prestigious U15 research-intensive universities.

However, high-quality Canadian education comes with a price tag. For international students, tuition and living expenses can quickly add up. Thankfully, Dalhousie distributes millions of dollars annually through awards, bursaries, and merit-based programs.

Whether you are looking to pursue a Bachelor’s degree or aiming for fully funded Master’s and PhD programs, this comprehensive guide breaks down every available financial pipeline at Dalhousie.

The Landscape of Dalhousie Financial Aid

Dalhousie distinguishes its funding into two primary categories based on your current academic journey: Undergraduate Awards and Graduate/Professional Fellowships.

                           Dalhousie Financial Aid
                                      │
               ┌──────────────────────┴──────────────────────┐
               ▼                                             ▼
     Undergraduate Funding                            Graduate Funding
  (General Entrance & Faculty)                  (Harmonized & Killam Awards)

1. Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students

If you are a high school student or looking to start your first degree in Canada, Dalhousie offers competitive entry awards. Most entrance scholarships evaluate you automatically based on your high school grades, but certain highly funded awards require an explicit external process.

The General Entrance Award Pool

When you submit an application for undergraduate admission to Dalhousie by the standard early deadlines (usually March 1st), you are automatically reviewed for general entrance awards. These values generally range from $1,000 to $4,000 per year, occasionally renewable if you maintain a high Grade Point Average (GPA).

Notable Named and Region-Specific Undergraduate Scholarships

For exceptional international students, specific donor-backed scholarships offer significant relief:

  • The Sankofa Scholarships: Valued at $48,000 ($12,000 per year, renewable for 4 years). This is a dedicated award for an international student of Black/African descent coming from the Caribbean region.

  • CorpFinance International Limited (Kevin Andrews) Indian Scholarship: A $15,000 award specifically targeting stellar students from India entering the Bachelor of Commerce program.

  • Richard and Melda Murray Jamaican Engineering Scholarship: A massive award valued up to $88,000 ($22,000 per year renewable) for top-performing Jamaican students entering the Bachelor of Engineering program who can demonstrate financial need.

  • Leacross Women in Technology Entrance Scholarship: A $10,000 award distributed over two years for female Canadian or international students entering the Bachelor of Computer Science or Bachelor of Applied Computer Science pathways.

2. Graduate Scholarships: Master’s and PhD Options

Graduate studies at Dalhousie hold some of the most lucrative financial assistance programs in Canada. Many thesis-based programs offer deep, multi-year packages that effectively provide fully funded paths.

The Harmonized Scholarship Process

Dalhousie simplifies graduate funding through the Harmonized Scholarship Competition. Instead of applying to dozens of individual trust funds, applicants complete one primary scholarship application via the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) portal. This single application automatically drops you into consideration for major awards, including:

  • Dalhousie Research Excellence Scholarships: Geared towards doctoral candidates, paying up to $35,000 per year for up to four years.

  • Dalhousie 1-Year Master’s Scholarship: Designed for thesis-based Master’s students, providing a clean $20,000 for one critical year of research.

  • The Vitamin Scholarship: Awarding $21,000 per year for up to two years to doctoral or thesis-based Master’s students whose research interfaces with nutritional science or health.

  • Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarship: This massive award offers $40,000 per year for 2 years for thesis-based Master’s or Doctoral international tracks (with preference given to Iranian international applicants).

The Prestigious Killam Predoctoral Scholarships

The Killam Predoctoral Scholarships (Level 2) are among the most elite academic honors in Canada. Open to both Canadian and international doctoral students, these awards are valued at $42,000 per year for up to three years, often paired with tuition assistance and relocation allowances. Candidates must be nominated by their prospective departments based on immense research potential.

Core Eligibility Requirements

To safely secure any competitive international award at Dalhousie, you must check several mandatory academic and bureaucratic boxes:

  • English Language Proficiency: Because the language of instruction is English, international applicants must present official results from standardized exams if their previous education wasn’t conducted in English.

  • Minimum Academic Standing: For undergraduate entrance, aiming for an average above 85% (or equivalent) is recommended. For Graduate Harmonized pools, an first-class standing (GPA of 3.7/4.3 or higher over the last two years of full-time study) is typically the baseline for serious ranking.

  • Full-Time Enrollment Status: Almost all major awards are strictly contingent on maintaining active, full-time student status across the fall and winter semesters.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Securing these funds requires strict coordination. Missing an internal departmental window can completely take you out of running.

1.Secure Admission to Dalhousie:Step 1.

You cannot receive a university scholarship without an active student profile. Submit your formal program application and pay the required application fee to generate your unique Dalhousie ID.

2.Identify Departmental Deadlines:Step 2.

While Dalhousie lists master deadlines (like April 1st), individual faculties and graduate departments have internal deadlines as early as November or December for the following academic year. Verify these specific targets directly with your department coordinator.

3.Compile and Merge Transcripts:Step 3.

Gather official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended. You must merge these records chronologically into a single PDF document before attempting to upload them to the awards portal.

4.Coordinate Academic Referees:Step 4.

Enter your referees’ contact details directly into the scholarship portal. Inform them well in advance; reference letters must be submitted directly through the institutional portal before the hard deadline closes.

5.Submit the Harmonized Application:Step 5.

Complete all required essay prompts, research proposals, and financial declarations within the portal. Review your entries thoroughly, then finalize and submit. Keep a close eye on your email for confirmation flags.

 

Maximizing Your Funding Portfolio

Scholarships are highly merit-based, but they aren’t your only option. If you find your primary award leaves a small financial gap, consider these complementary avenues:

In-Course Merit Scholarships

If you don’t receive an entrance award, don’t panic. Once you complete 30 credit hours (roughly two semesters) of full-time undergraduate study at Dalhousie, you are automatically assessed for In-Course Scholarships. These look exclusively at your performance while studying at Dalhousie.

University Bursaries

Unlike scholarships, bursaries are awarded based purely on demonstrated financial need rather than grades. International students can apply for the standard undergraduate bursary pool or the FGS Emergency Bursary (up to $1,000 per year) if unforeseen external economic issues arise mid-semester.

Off-Campus Alternatives

Do not limit your hunt to internal university networks alone. Organizations like StudentArrive continually index external international fellowships, national commonwealth schemes, and private corporate grants specifically designed for students crossing borders. Expanding your applications to international foundations significantly increases your odds of assembling a fully funded academic stay in Canada.

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