English for Academic Purposes

Choosing Your EAP Program | Online or Face-to-Face*

  • Are you starting a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate at Dalhousie or any English-speaking university?
  • Have you been conditionally accepted into a Dalhousie academic program but do not meet the English language requirements?
  • Are you an advanced student seeking to improve your English skills?

The EAP courses consist of 24 hours a week of instruction. The courses can be taken 100% in a HyFlex modality (online or face-to-face).

What will you learn?

  • Write academic texts, including research essays and reports
  • Carry out research using the Dalhousie library and digital resources 
  • Apply strategies for more effective reading of academic texts
  • Better understand and take notes in university lectures
  • Prepare and deliver effective academic oral presentations 
  • Participate in seminars, tutorials and academic debates 
  • Develop advanced grammar and vocabulary skills, and the ability to edit and proofread your own writing


EAP Program Placement

The EAP Placement Test is used to make sure every student is in the level where they will learn the most. Please enquire at els@dal.ca about our class placement equivalents. Registering for the EAP Placement Test takes place when you apply to the EAP Program. 


Learn more about all the levels of the EAP courses

EAP Foundations 1 (288 hours over 12 weeks)

EAP Foundations 1 is a pre-intermediate course at the A2 level that is an introduction to English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

This course offers students opportunities to:

  • develop their ability to understand and express themselves orally in formal and informal situations in the university context and understand short texts of a variety of styles and disciplines.
  • expand their general and specialized vocabulary and write accurate sentences and paragraphs.
  • develop these language skills and abilities while starting to explore the topics, practices and behaviours associated with academic success at university.

    CEFR Level A2 (What does this mean?)
  • Length: 12 weeks
    Tuition Fee (text included): $5,200 (CAD). 

    Course Delivery Method: 
  • 100% online
  • Face-to-face on campus

Course Materials: Course texts are included in the fee. They include digital course books as well as supplementary texts, and materials, including authentic materials for listening and reading. Audio-visual and multimedia material, such as videos, audio recordings, and web-based content is also used.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Winter 2025 January 6 to April 3, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Spring 2025 April 7 to June 26, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Fall 2025 September 8 to December 4, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)

Both delivery methods include scheduled and self-paced content. Learn more about online and face-to-face delivery.

EAP Foundations 2 (288 hours over 12 weeks)

EAP Foundations 2 is an intermediate-level course at the B1 level with a focus on building a solid foundation in English for academic purposes.

In this course students will have the opportunity to:

  • learn to apply their English skills to academic tasks as they deepen their knowledge of English and develop their ability to use it in a university context;
  • be introduced to the research process and learn to write well-structured, accurate essays and other texts;
  • form strategies for reading and listening comprehension of short academic texts and lectures and improve their speaking abilities when discussing their area of study and other topics;
  • broaden their knowledge of the topics, practices and behaviours associated with academic success at university.

CEFR Level B1 (What does this mean?)

Length: 12 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $5,200 (CAD). 

Course Delivery Method: 

  • 100% online
  • Face-to-face on campus

Course Materials: Course texts are included in the fee. They include digital course books as well as supplementary texts, and materials, including authentic materials for listening and reading. Audio-visual and multimedia material, such as videos, audio recordings, and web-based content is also used.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (included
Winter 2025 January 6 to April 3, 2025

$5,200 (CAD)
Spring 2025 April 7 to June 26, 2025

$5,200 (CAD)
Fall 2025 September 8 to December 4, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)

Both delivery methods include scheduled and self-paced content. Learn more about online and face-to-face delivery.

EAP Level 1 (288 hours over 12 weeks)

EAP Level 1 is an upper-intermediate course at the B2 level in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), helping develop students’ listening, speaking, reading, writing, research and academic skills in preparation for study at university.

The course focuses on key spoken and written academic genres and provides learners with opportunities to:

  • develop a range of listening skills and strategies:
  • participate in various speaking situations in the academic context;
  • develop academic reading skills;
  • improve writing ability over a range of academic genres.

The course also includes instruction on research and library skills along with academic behaviour, such as time-management, study skills for effective independent learning and knowledge of academic integrity. CEFR Level B2 (What does this mean?)

Length: 12 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $5,200 (CAD). 

Course Delivery Method: 

  • 100% online
  • Face-to-face on campus

Course Materials: Course texts are included in the fee. They include digital course books as well as supplementary texts, and materials, including authentic materials for listening and reading. Audio-visual and multimedia material, such as videos, audio recordings, and web-based content is also used.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Winter 2025 January 6 to April 3, 2025

$5,200
Spring 2025 April 7 to June 26, 2025

$5,200
Fall 2025 September 8 to December 4, 2025 $5,200

Both delivery methods include scheduled and self-paced content. Learn more about online and face-to-face delivery.

EAP Level 2 (288 hours over 12 weeks)

EAP Level 2 is a C1 level course that prepares students for undergraduate or graduate-level study in English.

It allows students to:

  • develop the ability to read effectively and comprehend high-level academic texts;
  • acquire a rich academic vocabulary;
  • apply listening and note-taking strategies to lectures on a variety of academic topics.

Writing and research skills are honed as students produce texts in several important written academic genres and develop speaking ability for presentations, discussions and debates. Students will have the opportunity to delve into the vocabulary and genres associated with their disciplines of study. Academic integrity, along with other academic behaviours, such as time-management, autonomous learning and collaboration, are also taught and practiced.

CEFR Level C1 (What does this mean?)

For students who have been conditionally accepted into certain programs at Dalhousie University, while students are enrolled in EAP Level 2, they are permitted to enroll as a special student at Dalhousie and take one undergraduate credit course at the same time. The credit course must take place outside of EAP 2 class hours. For more information or to enroll in the EAP Level 2 Bridging Program option, please send a message to els@dal.ca and/or indicate this option when registering for EAP 2.


Length: 12 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $5,200 (CAD). 

Course Delivery Method: 

  • 100% online
  • Face-to-face on campus

Course Materials: Course texts are included in the fee. They include digital course books as well as supplementary texts, and materials, including authentic materials for listening and reading. Audio-visual and multimedia material, such as videos, audio recordings, and web-based content is also used.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Winter 2025 January 6 to April 3, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Spring 2025 April 7 to June 26, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Summer 2025 June 2 to August 21, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Fall 2025 September 8 to December 4, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)

Both delivery methods include shceduled and self-paced content. Learn more about online and face-to-face delivery.

EAP Foundations 1 Summer Special (192 hours over 8 weeks)

CEFR Level A2+ (What does this mean?)

Length: 8 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $3,500.

The class times depend on your choice of online or face-to-face delivery. Learn more about online delivery here. 

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Summer 2025 July 7 to August 28, 2025 $3,500 (CAD)

EAP Foundations 2 Summer Special (192 hours over 8 weeks)

CEFR Level B1+ (What does this mean?)

Length: 8 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $3,500 (CAD).

The class times depend on your choice of online or face-to-face delivery. Learn more about online delivery here.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Summer 2025 July 7 to August 28, 2025 $3,500 (CAD)

EAP Level 1 Summer Special Course (192 hours over 8 weeks)

Length: 8 weeks
Tuition Fee (text included): $3,500(CAD). 

Class Times: The class times depend on your choice of online or face-to-face delivery. Learn more about online delivery here.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Summer 2025 July 7 to August 28, 2025 $3,500 (CAD)

EAP 2 Academic Connections

Are you aiming to start your degree program in September, but do not have a high enough English level? This program will let you start your Dalhousie degree program in September. Study EAP and up to four credit courses from your major. Click here to Learn more.

Term Dates Tuition Fee (text included)
Summer 2025 July 7 to December 4, 2025

$5,200 (CAD)

Please contact els@dal.ca with any questions or if there is any change to your registration in the EAP Program.


Please contact els@dal.ca with any questions or if there is any change to your registration in the EAP Program.

Registration Information

If you have an IELTS of 6.0 or TOEFL iBT of 60 or Pearson Academic score of 51 or CAEL CE 50, you will be placed directly into EAP Level 2.

A (pdf/jpeg) copy of your test report can be submitted anytime before the first day of class. Any standardized English exam test report is not acceptable once a student has been placed in a level in the EAP Program and the course has begun. 

If you don’t have an IELTS score of 6.0 or above OR a TOEFL score of 60 or above, you must write the Placement Test at Dalhousie to determine which level you will begin in. Registering for the EAP Placement Test takes place when you apply to the EAP Program. 

Applicants to Dalhousie Faculty of Graduate Studies who successfully complete ECLC UAP 500 with 80% or above can enter EAP Level 2 without taking an EAP Placement test.

EAP Placement Test Format

The online test is approximately 2 hours long with a follow-up interview.

Your test scores and writing will be reviewed by an instructor and you will be placed into one of the 4 levels in the EAP Program. No moving of levels is permitted.

Once a student has been placed in a level in the EAP Program and the course has begun, they cannot use an IELTS or TOEFL test score to skip a level. The only way a student could use a test score in this way would be to present an IELTS 6.5 (for an undergraduate program) or IELTS 7.0 (for most of the graduate programs) and therefore gain full acceptance into their degree program and no longer have to finish the EAP Program if they choose to do so.

For any questions, please contact els@dal.ca.

Low Scores

If you take the placement test and your score is too low to enter our lowest-level course (EAP Foundations 1), we will make arrangements for you to study at another language school in Halifax. The Dalhousie University EAP Program does not offer an A1 level course. This doesn’t affect very many students; fewer than 10 students per year find themselves in this situation.

Dalhousie English Test

A special placement test may also be written to gain entrance to Dalhousie University's graduate programs. Can you answer yes to either of the following statements?
 

  • I have an IELTS or TOEFL test result that is very close to the required score for entrance into my Dalhousie academic program and I think I can do better.
  • I do not have an IELTS or TOEFL test result but I think my English is at the level required by my Dalhousie academic program.

Next Step:

Contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies at graduate.studies@dal.ca or your departmental graduate coordinator to ensure you are eligible to take the test.

Upcoming Course Dates and Fees

  Course(s) Dates Tuition
Winter 2025 All Levels January 6 to April 3, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Spring 2025 All Levels April 7 to June 26, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Summer 2025 EAP 2 only June 2 to August 21, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Summer 2025 All levels except EAP 2

July 7 to August 28, 2025 $3,500 (CAD)
Summer 2025 EAP 2 Academic Connections July 7 to December 4, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)
Fall 2025 All levels September 8 to December 4, 2025 $5,200 (CAD)


* All EAP courses are offered in HyFlex Mode

HyFlex Mode: This is a combined class where some students join the class face-to-face on Dalhousie campus and some students join the class online via Teams. Students in this mode study synchronously 4 hours per day and complete 2 hours of content asynchronously per day (Monday–Thursday).