University in Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
University profile
Saint Mary's University is a modern, secular and metropolitan university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada's East Coast, and the second largest university in the province. It is a primarily undergraduate institution with 5,511 undergraduate and graduate students (fall 2025 data) and a global community of students and more than 60,000 alumni from 117 countries. The campus lies in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq.
Academic work is organised into four faculties: the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Science, the Sobey School of Business, and Graduate Studies and Research. The university offers 54 undergraduate degree, diploma and certificate programs and 32 graduate degree, diploma and certificate programs, including a Diploma in Engineering and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies alongside the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science. The average undergraduate class size is 35, and almost 98% of full-time professors hold a PhD. The university is home to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.
The compact, walkable campus on Robie Street sits within one city block, a short walk from downtown Halifax. Newer spaces include the Sobeys Inspiration Hub and the Engineering Building. The campus also has the SMU Art Gallery, the Burke-Gaffney Observatory and North America's tallest solar-integrated residence tower. The Patrick Power Library serves as the main library.
Student life includes more than 50 active societies and clubs and 13 varsity teams, plus intramural sports, with an outdoor stadium, arena, courts and fitness facilities on campus, including the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness. Three residences (Vanier, Rice and Loyola) provide 700 beds. Support services include dedicated advising for international, Black and Indigenous students, the Fred Smithers Centre for Student Accessibility, mental health support, and the Writing Centre and Academic Communications for English-language support.
International students come from 117 countries, and the university recognises curricula including the American, British, Caribbean (CSEC/CAPE), CBSE, IB and West African (WAEC/WASSCE) systems for admission. Its vision is to be the university of choice for aspiring citizens of the world, and its stated values include academic growth, resilience, intercultural competence, community engagement and ethical wisdom. The campus holds a STARS Gold sustainability rating from AASHE.
Students who apply by February 15 for the September intake are assessed automatically for competitive, merit-based admissions scholarships. Students entering through a tuition reduction program (for example NSISP or CAIS) are not eligible.
New undergraduates entering directly from high school with a completed application and admission (or admissibility) by February 15 may apply through one Entrance Awards application (opens October 15, closes February 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m. AST). Part 2 is an optional personal statement of financial need; Part 3 is for the Major Renewable Scholarships.
Valued at $50,000 over four years: Sobey National Innovator Scholarships (Sobey School of Business) and Presidential Scholarships (Science, Engineering, Arts and Environmental Studies). Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents with an admission average of 93% or higher, or IB results of 33+/42, plus a 750-word essay on leadership and community involvement. Renewal requires a 3.70 GPA.
Graduates of Nova Scotia schools through NSISP pay the out-of-province domestic rate. Graduates of NBISP, NISEP, PEI-ISP, CAIS-accredited schools, CIS member schools, Sint Maarten schools and Munro Academy receive $1,000 CAD off per 3-credit-hour course (up to about $40,000), and United World College graduates receive the same reduction off the international rate.
Details: Scholarships and Awards; Tuition incentives for international students.
Entrance Awards Program (Admissions Scholarships, Bursaries and Entrance Awards) →
Browse the scholarships listed for Saint Mary's University and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Saint Mary's University →Applicants need a minimum 70% average, with no mark below 60%, in the required courses. Bachelor of Arts: English plus four additional academic Grade 12-level courses. Bachelor of Commerce: English, a Grade 12 mathematics course and three additional academic courses. Bachelor of Science: English, Pre-Calculus or Calculus, one Grade 12 science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Computer Programming) and two additional academic courses. Diploma in Engineering: English, Pre-Calculus or Calculus, Chemistry, one further science (Physics recommended) and one additional course. Bachelor of Environmental Studies: English plus four additional academic courses. Course codes differ by province; for example Ontario requires English 4U with MHF4U, MCV4U or MDM4U for Commerce.
Students who have completed Grade 11 and registered for Grade 12 courses, but not yet completed the first semester of Grade 12, may apply with at least a 70% average in the five required courses.
US-patterned curricula: grades of C (70%) or higher in college-preparatory subjects, with advanced standing for AP results of 3 or better. British-patterned (GCSE/IGCSE O levels, A levels): admission on completion of O levels or O levels with predicted or completed A levels; advanced standing for A-level results of A, B or C. Caribbean (CSEC/CAPE): CSEC grades 1-3 and CAPE grades 1-5. CBSE: second division or higher in Class X and XI with predicted Class XII results. IB: minimum predicted IB Diploma score of 24, with up to 42 credit hours for successful completion. West Africa (WAEC/WASSCE): grades of C6 and higher; the Bachelor of Science requires Further Mathematics, and applicants from Ghana are not asked for an English test.
Not required for graduates of an English-language secondary school. Otherwise accepted: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0 (also IELTS Online); TOEFL iBT 83 with no band below 20 (tests January 2026 or earlier), or 4.5 on listening with no other band below 4.0 (tests after January 2026); Duolingo English Test 115 with no sub-score below 95; Pearson PTE 58; CAEL 60 with no score below 50; Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 176 with no score below 169; Trinity ISE 96 overall with no skill below 90; or completion of a university preparatory English program at a recognised Languages Canada-accredited school, or three years in an English-language Canadian, British or American-patterned secondary school.
International students must provide a provincial attestation letter (PAL), arrange a Canadian study permit and pay an admission confirmation deposit.
Applicants need good academic standing and a C average. Courses must come from an accredited institution with a minimum grade of C; up to 50% of a degree (normally 60 credit hours) may be transferred, and at least half of the major or minor must be completed at Saint Mary's. Official transcripts from all institutions attended are required. Admission is rolling and credit assessment typically takes 2-6 weeks.
Fall (September 2026): domestic applicants August 1, international June 15. Winter (January 2027): domestic December 1, international October 15. Applications for 2027-2028 open October 1. The application fee is $65 CAD for domestic and $100 CAD for international students, paid by credit card. Applicants choose a first and second major, apply through the online application portal, upload transcripts as PDFs, and receive a decision in about 2-3 weeks. Graduate applicants apply separately through Graduate Studies and Research. Applications for the Entrance Awards and Admissions Scholarships are due February 15.
Halifax campus (923 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia): the university's single campus, contained within one city block, hosting all faculties and programs.
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