The Faculty of Management and the MBA Program strive to build an engaged and inclusive community. Our admissions process ensures each cohort is diverse in educational and lived experiences. We assess candidates based on:
Educational Background: We review your education level, GPA, professional development, and certifications. Requirements vary by pathway.
Professional Experience: Evaluation criteria differ by pathway. Full-time Corporate Residency and JD/MBA pathways suit early-career professionals with under five years of experience, while the part-time Career Advance pathway is for mid-career professionals with over five years of experience.
Community Involvement: We consider your contributions to community and society as reflected in your resume.
Personal Motivation: We assess your career goals, aspirations, and readiness through various tools to understand your motivation for pursuing an MBA.
Pathway Fit: We ensure you choose the pathway that aligns with your personal and professional goals.
Review the admission requirements and application process thoroughly, as each pathway has distinct deadlines and requirements.
Discover your Pathway
The Dalhousie MBA program has two pathways to degree completion. To find the best fit for your goals, submit a Dal MBA Fit Assessment. This will provide an early indication of the pathway that suits you.
Before completing the assessment, review our admissions page and pathway requirements.
Choosing to pursue an MBA is a significant decision. To determine if the Dal MBA program is right for you, contact our recruitment team, attend a fair, or join a Virtual Information Session.
For any questions you may have as you move through the process of applying, please reach out to mba@dal.ca. We do our best to respond to inquiries in a timely manner but please allow 1-3 business days for our admissions specialist to respond to your inquiry.
Check your email junk folder and ensure mba@dal.ca is marked as "safe" so that you don't miss our emails.
For a smoother application process, we recommend using an email address other than iCloud. iCloud accounts may block emails from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the MBA Office, which could prevent you from receiving important updates.
Before completing Dalhousie’s Online Application, please ensure you meet the minimum admissions requirements for your desired pathway. Applications must be completed and submitted in full prior to the deadline to be considered for admission to the program. Late applications will not be accepted.
The application fee is non-refundable and must be paid before your application is processed. Methods of payment are included on the online application.
If you need assistance with your online application form or paying the application fee, please contact the Registrar's Office:
Admissions@dal.ca
+1 902 494 2450
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Corporate Residency Pathway
This pathway has one intake only each year, in mid-June.
Applicant Deadline
Date
International Applications
December 15, 2024
Scholarship Consideration
February 28, 2025
Domestic Applications
April 30, 2025
Note for those interested in our Joint JD/MBA Pathway: You will need to submit a separate application and be accepted to both the Corporate Residency Pathway and the Schulich School of Law (Schulich School of Law Admission Info).
Career Advance Pathway
This pathway has two intakes each year, in September and January.
A review of an applicant's file will only begin once an online application is complete, the application fee is paid, and all supporting documents have been received.
Document Submission Options
All documents submitted electronically must be sent to mba@dal.ca in PDF format. This is the recommended form of submission, unless mailing paper documents is the only option.
Documents can be sent by mail to the address below. Please note that processing times will be slower for mailed/paper documents.
Dalhousie MBA Office - Admissions
Kenneth C Rowe Building
6100 University Avenue, Suite 3010
Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2
To avoid delays in processing, please ensure all required documents are sent directly to our office. Sending documents to other departments, like the Registrar’s Office or the Faculty of Graduate Studies, can cause delays and might lead to missing your application deadline.
Required supporting documents
Transcripts
Corporate Residency Pathway
Career Advance Pathway
Applicants must hold a four-year bachelor’s Applicants must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree recognized by Dalhousie University and have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of B (or 3.0) or better in the final two years (or 60 credits hours).
Applicants who apply under the Equitable Admissions Policy whose GPA is between 2.7 and 3.0 will also be considered.
Applicants should possess a four-year bachelor’s degree in any field from an institution accredited by Dalhousie University.
If you do not have a four-year degree but have at least 10 years of relevant professional experience, you may be eligible for admission through our Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. For additional information or questions about the PLA process please contact mba@dal.ca.
For applicants applying to the MBA Career Advance pathway through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process, the Admissions Committee requires that a full standard application file be submitted (online application, application fee, supporting documents) in addition to the PLA package (document attached and more information below) by the deadline for which they are applying.
Important transcript details
We require one official copy of transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary institutions (transfer credits, study abroad, additional degrees, incomplete programs, etc.)
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required. Transcripts are only considered official when they are sent directly from issuing institutions to our office.
CRMBA applicants who are in the final year of their undergraduate degree may apply but must have graduated before starting the program. The final transcript must show a conferral date prior to the program’s June start date.
Notarized transcripts cannot be accepted.
Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by an English translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript.
Transcript grading keys must be included with the transcript.
Degree and graduation certificates must be included if the transcript does not indicate the type of degree and date granted.
Official transcripts are not required for any courses or degree you have completed at Dalhousie University unless courses were taken through the Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development. For these, our office will request the transcripts for you.
Transcript Submission Options
Electronic file-transfers from the issuing institution and from services such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, eScrip-Safe, MyCreds or TranscriptNetwork.
PDFs sent by email directly from the issuing institution. These emailed transcripts are sent to mba@dal.ca.
Official, paper version mailed to the Dalhousie MBA Office by the institution or the applicant(in a sealed envelope).
E-reference System (for academic references only): When filling out the online application, enter the university email addresses of your referees in the appropriate fields. This triggers our e-reference system to send a reference template to your referee’s inbox. The system is not triggered until after you have paid your application fee and can take 3–5 business days to be sent. To use the e-reference system, your referees must have a university, teaching hospital, or government email address. Other types of email addresses will not be accepted by the e-reference system (e.g., Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, or business addresses). Be sure to check the junk folder. Once you enter your referee information into the E-Ref system the information cannot be changed or removed.
Physical Mail: Reference forms must be signed and in a stamped and sealed envelope which is endorsed across the back seal by referee. Enveloped must stay sealed even when given to applicant to deliver/send.
E-mail: Reference forms may also be emailed by the referee to mba@dal.ca. The referee must use their work email.
Notes
Referees may submit an additional letter if desired but must complete the reference form using either the E-Reference system or the fillable/printable PDF document. Please ensure that all sections of the form, including the additional comments section, are fully completed.
References must be kept confidential from the applicant. References must be submitted directly by the referee; we cannot accept them from a personal secretary or assistant. Please do not CC the student of reference.
It is your responsibility to ensure references are submitted on time.
Resume
Corporate Residency Pathway
Career Advance Pathway
Current resume outlining less than 5 years of professional experience post undergraduate degree.
The letter of intent offers applicants an opportunity to express their value proposition. It is an important component of an application and used by the selection committee in their final assessment.
Your letter of intent should be single-spaced; 1.5 pages maximum.
Consider the following in preparing your letter of intent
Start with a thought-provoking opening that will draw the reader into your letter of intent.
What personal characteristics, attributes, or values do you have that may enhance your chances for success?
What are your career aspirations
Please explain any gaps in your work or academic history, such as extended periods of unemployment or periods of poor academic performance
Make this an honest portrayal of who you are.
Edit your document (especially for typos).
Include your letter of intent with your application package.
To complete the form, please list all quantitative-type courses (requiring the use of math concepts) you have taken in your undergraduate degree and the grade received for each.
Language Requirements
Language Requirements
English is the language of study at Dalhousie, therefore all applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate their capacity to pursue a graduate-level program in English before admission.
For a complete list of English Language tests accepted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website. Test Taker copies of English Language reports are not accepted; they must be official copies sent from the test centre.
Minimum IELTS overall score of 7.5
Minimum TOEFL score of 102
Note: The language competency test may be waived if the applicant has completed a degree that meets both of the following requirements:
The degree is from a recognized university where the language of instruction is English.
The university (or campus location) where the degree was obtained is in a country where English is an official language.;
Please contact mba@dal.ca if you are unsure whether you are required to provide this documentation.
Financial Letter of Guarantee (International Applicants Only)
International applicants are required to submit this supplemental form which includes a Letter of Financial Guarantee indicating an individual or organization who is accepting financial responsibility for tuition and living expenses or fully sponsoring a student during the full course of their studies.
Please complete the Letter of Financial Guarantee document and submit it with proof of funds (e.g., bank statements, certificates of deposit) to mba@dal.ca.
All applicants who meet the admission requirements and submit their application in full before the admissions deadline, will be provided with a link to the admission interview. This virtual interview will be conducted through the Kira Talent Platform and will be assessed by our Admissions Committee.
The Faculty of Management is committed to increasing the admission and number of graduates from historically underrepresented groups: persons of Aboriginal/Indigenous ancestry, members of racialized groups, persons of African descent, persons with dis/Abilities, former youth-in-care and persons belonging to minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity (SOGI) groups. To help support applicants to our program, we encourage applicants to self-identify in their online application and Letter of Intent.
Corporate Residency Pathway
Applicants may choose to apply under the Equitable Admissions Policy. Under this policy, students with a GPA between 2.7 and 3.0 who meet all other admission requirements may submit an Equitable Admissions Request Form for program consideration.
To be considered for admission through the Equitable Admissions policy, applicants must have submitted a complete application including all supporting documents and the Equitable Admissions Request Form by the admissions deadline for which they wish to be considered.
Career Advance Pathway
If a Career Advance Pathway applicant does not meet traditional application requirements, but has 10+ years of professional work experience, the applicant may choose to complete the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. Applicants are required to submit a full standard application and PLA package prior to the admissions deadline they wish to apply for.
The PLA admissions process also includes an interview. This will be scheduled by the admissions committee after the admission deadline.
Please reach out to mba@dal.ca for more information regarding the PLA process.
