Science

Secondary school applicants; Canadian curriculum equivalents apply

• To be considered for admission to this program, you must meet minimum academic criteria:
• Completion of secondary school (Grade 12)
• Achievement of the minimum average for your program of choice.
• Completion of Grade 12 English (or equivalent course).
• Admission to many Dalhousie programs is competitive. This means that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Secondary school applicants; Canadian curriculum equivalents apply

• To enter the Bachelor of Science program in your first year, you must meet the following high school course requirements:
• Minimum overall average: 75%
• Academic English 12
• Pre-calculus Math 12
• Three additional academic subjects
• All Bachelor of Science students enter the Faculty of Science as undeclared majors. This gives you the freedom to explore your scientific interests during your first year.
• You will officially declare your Marine Biology major, minor, or specialized options at the end of your first year using your first-year science and math prerequisites.

BSc or BSc Co-op high-school entry; selected majors and Integrated Science have additional conditions.

• At least 75% overall across the five specified university-preparatory Grade 12 courses.
• English 12: at least 65%
• Pre-Calculus Mathematics 12: at least 65%
• Three other accepted Grade 12 university-preparatory subjects: at least 60% each
• BSc or BSc Co-op high-school entry; selected majors and Integrated Science have additional conditions.
• Published individual-course minimums, equivalent provincial subjects, language rules, programme capacity and additional selection conditions remain applicable. Other education systems and postsecondary routes require separate review.
• The ordinary BSc entry table recommends two sciences. Medical Sciences and Integrated Science have distinct higher minimums and are not covered by this ordinary BSc threshold.

All applicants

• This review covers every public undergraduate applicant category in the current admission hub, its linked qualification, language, transfer, returning and pathway policies, and the held programme exceptions. Individual equivalency, capacity and private offer decisions remain for Dalhousie.
• The public admission hub advertises Fall 2027 applications. The separately held formal calendar is 2026–27, originally retrieved October 28. A November 1 source review does not turn that older cache into a new live retrieval.
• Where current webpages and the 2026–27 calendar differ, both rules are identified below. The Nursing profile expressly identifies the Academic Calendar as the official reference on discrepancy. Applicants must confirm the rule for their actual intake rather than assume one source silently supersedes another.

BSc applicants to the named route

• Ordinary BSc/BSc Co-op needs 75% overall across English, Pre-calculus and three additional academic subjects; the calendar specifies English/Pre-calculus 65% and other subjects 60%.
• The current DISP optional first-year web route requires two of Chemistry/Biology/Physics plus another academic course. The 2026–27 calendar instead specifies overall 80%, English 75%, Pre-calculus 80% and at least one science. Both published scopes remain visible and require confirmation for the actual intake.
• This is the broad Science entry group. Later major declaration and selective/honours pathways retain their own requirements; Medical Sciences direct-entry minima are not imposed on all Science applicants.

Applicants completing Grade 12 or equivalent

• Complete secondary school and five academic Grade 12 courses, including English and the programme-specific required subjects, with the programme overall minimum. Meeting published minima does not guarantee admission.
• The 2026–27 calendar normally requires at least 60% in additional non-required academic courses and the stated programme subject minima. Required-subject equivalencies and final offer conditions still apply.
• The calendar requires special admissions-committee recommendation for applicants under age 16. Early offers may be conditional on successful final courses and the required final transcript.

Canadian citizen/permanent-resident mature applicants only

• Be at least 21 by the first day of classes, ineligible for regular admission, and applying to first year of an undergraduate programme not requiring prior university study. Grade 12 Academic English at least 65% and other required programme subjects remain necessary.
• The current policy permits applicants with no university study, or one year or less of attempted transferable study plus at least two years absent. The calendar instead says less than one year; an applicant at exactly one year should confirm eligibility.
• Provide official transcripts and a letter describing life/work experience, educational goals and motivation. This is a mature-route written requirement, not a requirement for every direct high-school applicant. Programme-specific exclusions remain binding.

Home-schooled applicants

• Meet general and programme admission requirements. The home-school policy asks for as much supporting evidence as possible: educational-goals letter, writing sample, educator curriculum information, books/textbook list, available transcripts and standardized testing results.
• For a programme requiring Pre-calculus, the home-school page requires the Math Diagnostic Test result screenshot. No universal alternate average or invented test pass score is supplied.
• The US applicant page expressly requires SAT or ACT from home-schooled applicants, whereas the home-school page describes available standardized results as supporting information. Confirm the test requirement for the actual home-school curriculum; the conflict is not silently resolved.

Applicants using a US curriculum, regardless of citizenship

• The current US policy requires at least a B senior-year average across five courses including programme prerequisites. Four years of English, typically three years of Math for Academic Math, and four years of Math with calculus for Pre-calculus are stated; junior courses may be assessed if needed.
• SAT/ACT is optional for ordinary US-curriculum admission. If supplied, the published minima are SAT 1100 or ACT 23 with no component below 20; multiple sittings are superscored. US transfer applicants do not require SAT/ACT.
• The 2026–27 calendar instead states a C average with mandatory SAT/ACT. Its rule and the current B-average/test-optional webpage conflict; confirm the applicable intake policy. IB, French Baccalaureate and home-school applicants follow their own category.
• Dual-enrolment university/college study must be disclosed and individually assessed for transfer credit; it may affect award classification. Quantitative admission is usual for direct-entry programmes, with named supplemental exceptions.

Applicants with non-Canadian credentials

• Present the specific country qualification below and meet the chosen programme subjects and grades. A listed certificate or examination does not itself guarantee admission. Unlisted or ambiguous credentials require an individual Admissions decision.
• The current international hub offers individual assistance where humanitarian crisis or displacement prevents an application or official documentation. It does not publish a universal waiver of required subjects or guaranteed admission.
• For Nursing, the current public profile and FAQ exclude international applicants from ES1/ES3, while the 2026–27 calendar describes limited international places. Country-credential recognition below does not override that unresolved programme eligibility conflict.

International Baccalaureate applicants

• IB Diploma applicants need at least 26 points including bonus points and the general/programme prerequisites. IB certificate SL or HL courses may be combined with another high-school curriculum.
• IB Career-related applicants need two IB courses plus at least three academic Grade 12 or international-equivalent courses, with additional programme prerequisites where not covered by the IBCP curriculum.
• HL subjects at grades 5–7 and TOK at C may receive transfer credit. Select SL subjects start eligibility in September 2027 at grades 5–7; the published SL equivalencies remain under review and may change.
• For 2021-or-later school graduates, both Analysis and Approaches and Applications and Interpretation SL/HL meet the published Academic Math and Pre-calculus equivalencies. Science subjects SL/HL meet the named school science equivalents. The 2020-or-earlier Math Studies option meets Academic Math, not the published Pre-calculus category.
• Official IB results must come from IBO, not merely the school. Request assessment before completing the first Dalhousie semester; pending credit can be recorded until official final results. Engineering has a maximum 12 transfer-credit hours under the guide, subject to degree applicability.

Advanced Placement applicants

• Meet the ordinary programme entrance requirements; school results or final examinations are considered for admission. Selected national AP results of 4 or 5 may receive the published subject-specific transfer equivalents.
• Official results must come from College Board and the transfer request must precede completion of the first Dalhousie semester. Programme applicability still limits the credit, with Engineering at most 12 hours under the published guide.
• The full published AP equivalency list was reviewed. Spanish currently has no transfer-credit equivalent, but the Spanish Department may assess advanced standing. This is not a new catalogue course list or a guarantee of credit for every AP subject.

Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination applicants

• Complete CSEC/CXC with at least five subjects including English and at least two two-unit CAPE subjects, while meeting programme-specific subjects and grades.
• CSEC Math satisfies Academic Math 12; CAPE Math satisfies Pre-calculus. Selected two-unit CAPE grades 1, 2 or 3 may receive transfer credit; one-unit CAPE courses do not.
• Official examination results must come from CXC. Apply for transfer assessment before completing the first Dalhousie semester. Engineering is limited to 12 hours under the published guide; course/programme applicability remains individual.
• The complete published subject table and explicit no-credit list were reviewed; there is no universal credit promise for an unlisted subject.

British-system GCSE, O Level, AS and A Level applicants

• Present at least five academic subjects across GCSE/IGCSE/O/AS/A Levels, including two A Levels, four AS Levels or an equivalent AS/A combination, and the chosen programme prerequisites/results.
• IGCSE/O Level Mathematics meets Academic Math 12; AS/A Level Mathematics meets Pre-calculus. Selected completed A Levels at C or higher may receive transfer credit, but AS, GCSE and O Levels do not receive transfer credit.
• The current page accepts a final GCE certificate from the examining board or official final school examination results, with a transfer request before the first semester is complete. Engineering is limited to 12 hours under the guide.
• The page separately retains a June 2026 Middle East examination-disruption notice accepting a portfolio-of-evidence route for existing Fall 2026 offers. This historical accommodation is not recast as a Fall 2027 programme-wide portfolio requirement.

French Baccalaureate applicants

• Assessment uses Premiere/Terminale bulletins out of 20 or completed baccalaureat general results. For most programmes an elective-course grade of 10 is a minimum; some programmes require overall 11, while competitive and prerequisite requirements can be higher.
• The technological baccalaureate is considered individually. The professional baccalaureate and CPGE are not accepted under this page. These native marks are not converted into a Canadian percentage benchmark.
• Selected courses at grade 11 or higher with coefficient at least 4 may receive transfer credit, subject to programme applicability and Engineering’s 12-hour limit. Request assessment before completing the first semester and supply official final results.
• The French page’s transfer instructions refer to a GCE certificate despite discussing French Baccalaureate results. That document-name inconsistency remains for Admissions to clarify; no British credential is invented as a French admission requirement.

Applicants required to demonstrate English proficiency

• Applicants whose first language is not English need proof unless a recognized English-based institution supplies the stated education history: generally three secondary years or one post-secondary year.
• Current accepted minima: IELTS 6.5 overall with all bands 6.0; TOEFL 1–120 scale 90 overall/20 bands; TOEFL 1–6 scale 4.5 overall, Listening 4.5 and Reading/Speaking/Writing 4.0; Duolingo 120; Michigan English Test 55; CAEL/CAEL Online 70; PTE Academic 61 overall/50 communicative skills; Cambridge C1/C2 180 overall; Oxford ELLT 7 overall/no component below 6.
• English subject equivalencies include IB Language A Literature or Language and Literature SL/HL at 5, English B SL/HL at 6, AP English at 4, or GCSE/IGCSE English Language/Literature at B.
• Conditional admission may require another test or an approved English pathway. The published partner roster is CLLC and Oxford International English School; the actual required partner completion evidence remains an offer decision.
• The 2026–27 calendar retains older test names/scores and an additional TOEFL essay condition that differ from current public web policy. Confirm the actual intake requirement rather than combine the two into an invented new threshold.

Conditionally admitted English-pathway or visiting students

• Dalhousie EAP has Foundations, Level 1 and Level 2 instruction; placement is determined from accepted scores or the university’s placement assessment. A separate degree offer and programme eligibility are still necessary.
• The EAP page permits some EAP 2 students to combine English study with an undergraduate course if conditionally accepted to a participating programme and registered as a special student. The separately linked UBP page is for students enrolled at a non-Canadian university visiting for under a year and returning to their home degree.
• The UBP page explicitly says successful EAP Level 2 meets undergraduate and some graduate English requirements. It requires home-university permission and prior visiting admission, with concurrent/sequential course limits depending on English preparation. It is not automatic entry to these six full degrees.

University, college and CEGEP transfer applicants

• All previous institutions and official transcripts must be disclosed. Credits normally require C or higher at a recognized institution, comparable to a Dalhousie subject and relevant to the intended programme. Programme admission GPA may vary and is not replaced by this course-credit minimum.
• Individual credit equivalencies requiring login were not accessed. Public initial/departmental assessment policy, official certified translations and the 30-day new-evidence appeal route were reviewed. No unreviewed private equivalency is asserted.
• The public transfer policy requires full outlines/syllabi for Commerce, Computer Science and Engineering departmental assessments. Nursing advanced-standing entrants are assessed automatically rather than using the ordinary initial request process.
• Submit the required transfer request/material before completing the first Dalhousie semester. The public policy allows an exact course equivalent, a general subject-level equivalent or no credit; in-progress courses remain pending until final results.
• Credits earned while academically ineligible are not normally awarded. A narrow Winter 2020 Pass/Credit exception is explained in the public policy, but may not satisfy later prerequisite or programme grade requirements.

Transfer and prior-degree applicants

• The general calendar normally requires at least half the first credential and half its concentration/major/minor at Dalhousie. Computer Science additionally specifies 60 CSCI hours including 36 upper-level CSCI hours at Dalhousie. Engineering requires its final two full-load study terms at Dalhousie.
• BComm Co-op requires at least 60 Dalhousie hours plus three work terms, with at least 48 in its core and the required work-term credits. Health requires all or most advanced programme work at Dalhousie; the actual programme assessment controls.
• Second-degree credit must be applicable and at least C. The calendar requires at least 60 new hours for a 120-hour BA/BSc, BComm Co-op, BCS or BEng under the respective faculty rules; 90-hour BA/BSc requires 45 new hours. More than one BA is not awarded. These credit minima are not shortened completion-time promises.

Current or former Dalhousie students

• Internal programme changes require a new application, current subject requirements and a competitive programme GPA. Some majors have later prerequisite grades; academic probation can require returning to the original programme first.
• After a voluntary break of two consecutive non-summer terms, reapply. A return to the same programme without outside study uses a letter of activities and no application fee; outside study requires all official transcripts and current admission review.
• After dismissal, reapplication includes reasons for poor performance and evidence of readiness to succeed. A first dismissal typically requires a year away, with programme-specific rules and potentially longer second-dismissal periods. No automatic reinstatement is promised.
• The current return webpage and general calendar contain differing deposit amounts. No deposit number is recertified here; the actual offer states the required amount.

Academically dismissed students seeking earlier return

• With faculty-advisor approval, successful completion of required Academic Refresher coursework may support earlier return. The mandatory academic-skills course and optional Math/English refreshers do not themselves guarantee reinstatement.

Applicants not pursuing a Dalhousie degree in this category

• Non-degree applicants submit an application, official transcripts and fee for course-by-course study. Course prerequisites, capacity and faculty/instructor permission still apply; registration is not guaranteed and the category is not credential admission.

Students remaining registered at another university

• Visiting students obtain home-university permission, equivalent prerequisites and undergraduate admission for transferable courses. Permission does not guarantee transfer back to the home institution.

Students actively enrolled at another higher-education institution

• Undergraduate visiting researchers need a host faculty invitation, home-institution support, research related to the home programme and health insurance. They register part-time, take no courses and earn no research credit under this status.
• The public policy permits up to twelve months, with special extensions considered. This research status is separate from admission to one of the held full-degree programmes; private invitation, immigration and funding decisions remain individual.

Applicants missing a subject or qualifying grade

• UPrep offers non-credit English, Academic Math, Pre-calculus, Biology, Chemistry and Physics preparation accepted for specified Nova Scotia Grade 12 equivalents. Anyone may take these courses; admission may be reviewed with a midterm grade but remains conditional on the final required result.
• The published pathways page also identifies specific Acadia, NSCC, Saint Mary’s, StFX, Ontario VHS and TVO/ILC upgrading equivalents. The actual course code, paired-course requirements and programme subject minimum still govern; no blanket recognition of every external course is inferred.

Eligible First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants

• ISAP is a separate one-year Agricultural Campus access route for First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants not meeting normal prerequisites. It requires Indigenous connection evidence, a valid high-school diploma, English 12 Academic at least 65%, a personal statement and two independent references. Successful completion permits an application to a chosen degree; it is not guaranteed admission to every programme.

Eligible Indigenous or African Nova Scotian pathway applicants

• The separate eight-month full-time TYP supports African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students. Its current public page says 2027–28 applications open January 2027 and detailed online application/document instructions will be published December 2026. Those future unpublished conditions remain unknown; older forms are not recertified as the new cycle.

Alberta secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Language Arts 30-1 Required Academic Math (one of) Applied Math 30 Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-2 Math 30-1 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-1 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

British Columbia secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Studies 12 English 12 First Peoples Francais Langue Premiere 12 Required Academic Math (one of) Foundations of Math 12 Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 Statistics 12 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Manitoba secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Language Arts 40S English 42S English 40U Required Academic Math (one of) Applied Math 40S Pre-Calculus 40S Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pre-Calculus 40S *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

New Brunswick secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English 121 English 122 Anglais 22411 Anglais 22411E Francais 10411 Francais 10411E Required Academic Math (one of) Trig & 3-Space 121/122 Adv. Math with Intro to Calculus 120 Foundations of Math 120 Pre-Calculus 120A Pre-Calculus 120B Math 30411B Math 30411C Math 30421C Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Adv. Math with Intro to Calculus 120 Pre-Calculus 120A and 120B *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Newfoundland and Labrador secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject (one of) Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English 3201 English 4201 Required Academic Math (one of) Math 3204 Math 3205 Math 3207 Academic Math 3201 Advanced Math 3200 Intro to Calculus 3208 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Math 3207 Advanced Math 3200 Intro to Calculus 3208 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Northwest Territories secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Language Arts 30-1 Required Academic Math (one of) Applied Math 30 Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-2 Math 30-1 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-1 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Nova Scotia secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English 12 English 12 African Heritage Required Academic Math (one of) Math 12 Advanced Math 12 Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 Statistics and Data Science 12 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Nunavut secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Language Arts 30-1 Required Academic Math (one of) Applied Math 30 Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-2 Math 30-1 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pure Math 30 Math 31 Math 30-1 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Ontario secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) Contemporary Aboriginal Voices (NBEU4U) English (ENG4U) Studies in Literature (ETS4U) Anglais (EAE4U) Required Academic Math (one of) Data Management (MDM4U) Advanced Functions (MHF4U) Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Advanced Functions (MHF4U) Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Prince Edward Island secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English 621A Required Academic Math (one of) Math 621A Math 621B Math 611B Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Math 621B Math 611B *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Quebec (CEGEP) secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) English 12* English 603 French 601 Academic Math 12* Math 201-HSG: Intro to College Math Math 201-NYA: Calculus I Math 201-NYB: Calculus II Math 201-NYC: Linear Algebra Math 201-103: Calculus I Math 201-203: Calculus II Chemistry 12 202-NYA: General Chemistry 202-NYB: Chemistry of Solutions Physics 12 203-NYA: Mechanics 203-NYB: Electricity and Magentism 203-NYC: Waves, Optics and Modern Physics Biology 12 101-NYA Biology I *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Saskatchewan secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Language Arts 30 Required Academic Math (one of) Math B30 Math C30 Calculus 30 Foundations of Math 30 Pre-calculus 30 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Math C30 Calculus 30 Pre-calculus 30 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Yukon secondary/CEGEP applicants

• Subject* Courses (one of) Required English (one of) English Studies 12 English 12 First Peoples Francais Langue Premiere 12 Required Academic Math (one of) Foundations of Math 12 Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 Statistics 12 Or Required Pre-calculus (one of) Pre-Calculus 12 Calculus 12 *Depending on your program of interest you will require Academic English and either Academic Math or Pre-calculus Math.
• Select the English, Academic Math or Pre-calculus equivalency required by the actual programme, not every alternative listed.

Applicants using non-Canadian qualifications

• The complete university-published country chart contains 197 distinct country/curriculum credential entries. Use the linked primary chart for the exact qualification; programme subjects, grades, English requirements and individual offer conditions still apply.
• A listed qualification is not an admission guarantee. Unlisted or ambiguous qualifications need Admissions review. The chart’s Equatorial Guinea Kankor entry and duplicate Danish HTX abbreviations appear inconsistent; confirm them rather than assume a corrected credential.
• All chart entries were reviewed and retained in the research evidence. This compact group links the full native table; it does not replace any previously held programme-specific condition.