Dalhousie Computer Science admission requirements: courses, minimum grades, co-op and tuition

Dal asks for Grade 12 academic English, Grade 12 academic math and three more acceptable university-prep courses. Pre-calculus math is recommended. In Ontario, the English course is ENG4U, ETS4U, EAE4U or NBEU4U. Academic math is MDM4U, MHF4U or MCV4U, and pre-calculus is MHF4U or MCV4U.

You don't need a programming course. Plan your courses with our course planner.

Dal lists minimum final grades: 70% overall, 65% in English, 65% in pre-calculus math or 70% in other math, and 60% in other subjects. It says many programs are competitive, so meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.

Dal does not post a higher competitive average or an acceptance rate for Computer Science. Our Dalhousie acceptance rate page covers what Dal does publish. Check your marks with our Top 6 average calculator.

Co-op is optional. Dal says you can earn up to 12 months of paid work terms before you graduate.

Dal's 2026-27 fee schedule adds a co-op program fee of $562.38 and a co-op orientation course fee of $337.84 for students in co-op.

The program page lists majors in Human-Computer Interaction, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms and Scientific Computing, Software Development and Digital Innovation. You can add honours, co-op, minors, certificates or a double major.

Computer Science is not on Dal's list of programs with a set deadline for September 2027. Dal considers those applications until classes start, where space is available. High school applicants are told to apply early to meet the February 15, 2027 entrance scholarship deadline and the May 15, 2027 residence guarantee deadline.

To accept an offer, pay your deposit by May 1, 2027, unless your letter says otherwise. First-year course registration opens in June 2027.

Dal charges tuition per course, by the faculty that teaches it. Its 2026-27 schedule lists Computer Science at $341.50 per billing hour, which is $1,024.50 per course or $5,122.50 for a 15-hour term. A full fall and winter year is about $10,245 in tuition, by our arithmetic.

Fall term with fees is listed at $6,397.55 and winter at $5,597.76. Read our Dalhousie guide for more on costs and awards.

The BCS is a direct-entry program, so you start in Computer Science in first year. Dal lists September and January start terms. You don't need to know how to code before you arrive. The program page says it suits students with or without programming experience.

Sample first-year courses are Communicating with AI, Practical Data Science, Introduction to Computer Science and Introduction to Computer Systems. Year 2 adds Data Structures and Algorithms, Software Development, Foundations to Artificial Intelligence and Introduction to Interface Design and UX.

Later years include Algorithm Analysis, Programming Languages, Network Computing, Software Engineering and Foundations of Data Science. There is also a course on social, ethical and professional issues. Dal says its academic calendar is the official reference for full degree rules.

Dal works out your average from five academic Grade 12 courses. For Computer Science those are English, math and three other academic subjects. Its general requirements page says Computer Science may use a competitive average. That means the bar in a given year can sit above 70%.

Dal does not publish what that competitive average was. Aim well above the minimum where you can, and keep your math mark strong.

Fall applicants apply for entrance awards through one form, the General Entrance Award application. You fill it in through your application portal after you apply to Dal. For 2027-28, it opens October 1, 2026 and closes February 15, 2027.

Dal says it offers more than 2,000 entrance awards a year. Values range from about $1,000 to $80,000, counting awards that renew for up to four years. Some are based on marks, some on financial need, and some on a mix of merit, leadership and need.

To be eligible you normally need an 80% average, or 26 predicted IB points. Dal uses the five courses required for your program. Awards are based on your Grade 12 first-semester final grades. Marks that arrive later are not used to reassess an award.

Before the deadline you must apply to the program, pay the $70 application fee, complete the award form and send your first-semester grades. Ontario students can give their OUAC number instead of a transcript. Dal says you don't need reference letters, a resume or test scores for these awards.

The Faculty of Computer Science offers the WeAreAllCS African Nova Scotian and African Descent Student Entrance Scholarship. It is worth up to $10,000 over two years: $5,000 at entry and $5,000 in second year, depending on your marks.

Most awards go to students who have at least a 70% average, apply to the BCS or the Bachelor of Applied Computer Science, and identify as being of African descent. Preference goes to African Nova Scotian and Black Canadian applicants. Canadian and international students can apply. The faculty says one application puts you in for every Computer Science scholarship you qualify for.

Dal's co-op office charges a one-time fee of $338 for the required co-op orientation course. It then charges $563 for each four-month work term. Dal's 2026-27 fee schedule prints these as $337.84 and $562.38, so the co-op page figures are rounded. The fee applies even if you find your own job, and it is not refunded if you don't find one.

Computer Science adds its own fee of $334 per work term. Dal says this is because Computer Science work terms are graded and count as an elective. Paying the fee does not guarantee you a co-op job. If you are not doing a scheduled work term, tell the co-op office before the job competition starts to avoid the charge.

Dal points students who are missing a requirement to UPrep. These are online, self-paced courses that can help you earn a prerequisite, such as pre-calculus, or raise a mark before you start your degree.

Check with Dal that a UPrep course will count for your application before you enrol. If you are still in high school, taking MHF4U or MCV4U in Grade 12 is the simpler route.

If you get an offer but can't start that term, you may be able to defer for up to one year. You first return the reply form and pay the non-refundable deposit. The deferral form then appears in your application portal.

Dal notes that deferral may not be possible in some competitive programs. If you plan to take high school or post-secondary courses during the gap, you can't defer. You must reapply instead.

Dal decides on five Grade 12 courses and posts minimum grades, not a cut-off.

Applying before February 15 matters for scholarships. Compare other schools on our computer science requirements across Canada page.