Transfer applicants

To receive transfer credit your course must be relevant to your new program of study. Before you proceed, review the Academic Calendar to see if your courses can be applied to your Dalhousie degree.

To locate your specific program in the Calendar, please click the link above and follow these steps:

• Select your appropriate level of study (i.e. undergraduate, graduate, etc.)

• Select the Faculty that offers your program.

• Select your program/major from the drop-down menu on the right-hand side of the page. Depending on the program, you may need to select a specific Faculty or School before you see your program / major listed

• Please note: Arts & Social Science and Science students intending to major in a particular subject will need to click on their faculty name twice. Once in the list of all undergraduate faculties and again on the next page to view the various majors offered by that Faculty.

Review the Transfer Credit Equivalency Table (login required) to see which of your courses have been pre-approved to transfer to Dalhousie. 

Pre-approved equivalencies that fit within your degree requirements will be added to your academic record during the initial assessment (see Step 5).

If you have completed coursework that has not been pre-approved, you may be eligible for a departmental assessment (see Step 6).

Once you've reviewed your eligibility to be considered for transfer credits, you must apply for admission into Dalhousie. 
 
Remember to indicate that you've previously studied at the post-secondary level when filling out the application form. You must include all previous post-secondary institutions attended. 
 
If you are successful and receive an offer of admission, you must confirm your admission. Transfer credit request forms will not be accepted unless the deposit has been paid.

Submitting transcripts

Transfer credit assessments are typically based on the most recent transcript submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Transcripts submitted for admissions consideration can be used during the transfer credit assessment. In-progress courses will be granted pending transfer credits until a final transcript is provided. 

Official English translations are required for any transcript not provided in English or French. The translator must be certified, which should be indicated with a stamp or seal and signature on the documentation.

Transcript reassessments

If you choose to submit an updated transcript that includes new courses after submitting your initial or departmental assessment forms, you must complete a transcript reassessment form for the document to be reviewed for potential transfer credits. A transcript reassessment will extend the processing time for your request. 

Carefully read the instructions below before starting your Initial Assessment Request Form. 

Submit this form if you:

• Have an acceptance letter that indicates you are eligible for transfer credit consideration

• Have previously completed academic work at the university, college or CEGEP level
• Have been accepted to an undergraduate program (other than those listed below) 

Do not submit this form if you:

• You are a high school student who has only completed higher-level course work (i.e. IB, AP, etc.). Visit Transfer Credits for further instructions.

• Have been accepted to Social Work, Dental Hygiene, the Diploma in Health Services Administration, a professional program or a graduate program. Please contact the appropriate Faculty for more information about how to request transfer credits.

• Have been accepted to Nursing under advanced-standing entry. You will be automatically assessed for transfer credits.

• Have been accepted as a non-degree/visiting applicant.

• Are a student at the University of King's College. Transfer credit assessments are coordinated directly by the King's Registrar's Office. Please contact Tara Wigglesworth-Hines at tara.wigglesworthhines@ukings.ca for more information.

What to expect

During the initial assessment, we will determine which courses are eligible for transfer credit consideration. Any courses with preapproved equivalencies on the Transfer Credit Equivalency Table will be added to your academic record if they fit within your degree requirements (see Step 1).

Courses that do not appear on the Transfer Credit Equivalency Table may not have been assessed by Dalhousie in the past. These courses may be eligible for a departmental assessment.  Your eligibility for a departmental assessment will also be determined during the initial assessment (see Step 6).

If you've completed coursework that doesn't appear on the Transfer Credit Equivalency Table (login required), you may be eligible for a departmental assessment. You'll be notified via email if you are eligible, and you will then be required to complete a Departmental Assessment Request Form. The form, along with further instructions on submitting official course information, will also be sent to you via email.

Submitting course information

Official English translations are required for any course information not provided in English. The translator must be certified, which should be indicated with a stamp or seal and signature on the documentation. Exceptions are made for non-English language and culture courses taken in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish, which the department can evaluate.

Most departments will accept course descriptions to review for potential transfer credit, but the following departments require a course outline or syllabus.

• Anatomy                   

• Architecture 

• Commerce

• Computer Science 

• Engineering

• Food Science 

• French

• Health 

• Health and Human Performance

• Health Promotion 

• Indigenous Studies

• Journalism 

• Kinesiology

• Leisure Studies 

• Management

• Microbiology and Immunology 

• Physiology

• Planning 

Possible outcomes of a departmental assessment

Once you return the completed form and the correct course information, the request will be forwarded to the department for review. You may receive one of three possible decisions:

1. You may be given an exact equivalent credit for a Dalhousie course.
2. The course may be assigned a general transfer credit equivalency. For example, an English course may be granted an ENGL 199X transfer credit. This means the course is equivalent to a first-year university-level English course but does not correspond exactly to any first-year Dalhousie English courses.
3. The course may be evaluated as "no credit," meaning it is not equivalent or comparable to any Dalhousie courses.

During the departmental assessment, approved transfer credits will be added to your academic record. Students will be notified via email when departmental assessments are complete.