Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, does not have one big scholarship for graduate students. It has a scholarship directory with dozens of awards. Some give 40000 Canadian dollars a year. Others give a 500 dollar travel grant. Each award has its own rules and its own deadline.
That is the main thing to understand. This guide shows the biggest awards for international students and the smaller ones too. It also explains how the application route works so you do not miss a deadline.
Quick Facts
Last Information checked: 24 October 2026
| Item | Details |
| University | Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Study levels | Thesis based master’s and doctoral degrees |
| Who can apply | Many awards are open to Canadian and international students |
| Biggest award | Killam Predoctoral Scholarship Level 2 at 42000 Canadian dollars a year |
| Smallest award | Travel Grant at 500 Canadian dollars |
| Types | Entrance awards and in programme awards |
| Deadlines | Different for each award |
| Nearest listed deadline | 31 October at 4 p.m. for several bursaries and scholarships |
The Eight Main Awards
| Award | Level | Value | Length | Type |
| Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarship | Thesis based master’s or doctoral | 40000 a year | 2 years | International students with Iranian students preferred |
| Dalhousie Research Excellence Scholarship | Doctoral | 35000 a year | Up to 4 years | Entrance |
| Killam Predoctoral Scholarship Level 2 | Doctoral | 42000 a year | Up to 3 years | Entrance or in programme |
| Dalhousie 1 Year Master’s Scholarship | Thesis based master’s | 20000 | 1 year | Entrance or in programme |
| Dalhousie Master’s Research Scholarship | Thesis based master’s | 20000 | 1 year | Entrance or in programme |
| The Vitamin Scholarship | Doctoral | 21000 a year | Up to 2 years | Entrance or in programme |
| The President’s Awards | Doctoral | An amount equal to tuition fees | Up to 2 years | Entrance or in programme |
| Chinese Scholarship Council PhD Scholarship | Doctoral | Not stated | Up to 4 years | Entrance for international students |
All values are in Canadian dollars. For the Chinese Scholarship Council award read the official page for nationality rules and funding terms.
Smaller Awards and Bursaries
- A.S. Mowat Prize. 1500 dollars one time for master’s students
- BHASHA Bursary. 1000 dollars for master’s or doctoral students
- Dr. Paul Anthony and Thelma Johnstone Bursary. At least 1000 dollars one time for master’s or doctoral students
- Harold A. Robertson Scholarship. 5000 dollars one time for master’s or doctoral students
- John and Lena Graham Commonwealth Bursary. At least 1000 dollars for international master’s or doctoral students
- Ken Saunders Bursary. 2000 dollars one time for master’s or doctoral students
- Mitacs Globalink Research Award. 6000 dollars for master’s or doctoral students
- Glendon Chase McCormick Scholarship. At least two awards of 4000 dollars for master’s or doctoral students
- FGS Emergency Bursary. Up to 1000 dollars for graduate students in a financial emergency
- Travel Grant. 500 dollars for thesis based master’s and doctoral students
Other listed awards include the Killam International Research Award and the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements. The list also has the Olivia Lewis and Michael Lonardo Graduate Scholarship and the Woman Life Freedom Scholarship. Each has its own rules.
How Awards Fit Together
- Killam can become honorary. Dalhousie says a Killam Predoctoral Scholarship becomes partly or fully honorary if you also hold other awards managed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. These include Dalhousie Research Excellence Scholarships Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarships Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarships and tri agency awards. Extra stipends from your supervisor or department do not change the Killam funding
- Killam extras. New Killam scholars who move to Nova Scotia get help with travel costs. Master’s and doctoral Killam scholars can apply for paid parental leave benefits
- Killam International Research Award. You need a Level 2 Killam Predoctoral award to be eligible
- Faculty and Graduate Studies awards. Some awards are applied for through your faculty. Others need a separate application to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Who Can Apply
Eligibility depends on the award. The directory includes awards for:
- International students who want to start a master’s or doctoral degree
- Students in thesis-based or research-focused degrees
- Graduate students already enrolled at Dalhousie
- Students who meet special rules such as nationality or gender identity
- Students who meet the academic and programme rules set for each award
Some awards are open to Canadians and international students. Others are limited to certain groups. Check the page of each award.
How To Apply
- Open the scholarship directory and list the awards that match your degree level.
- Check the admission rules of your master’s or doctoral programme.
- Find out how each award is applied for. Faculty awards go through your faculty. Graduate Studies awards have a separate form.
- Write down each deadline.
- Prepare your documents. Awards may ask for academic records, research information, references or a CV.
- Write a clear research proposal if the award needs one.
- Submit each application the way that award says. Do not assume all awards use the same process.
What two faculties asked for in the last cycle. The Faculty of Computer Science said you can apply for faculty scholarships even before you apply to the university. You can then reuse your research proposal in the admission application. It asked for a research proposal of up to 2 pages and a CV. It also said your supervisor must not write your proposal and that you must not use generative AI tools to create or improve your application. The deadline in that cycle was 16 January 2026. The Faculty of Management listed 1 February 2026 for its doctoral awards. Your faculty may use different rules and dates for 2027.
Mistakes To Avoid
- Treating the directory as one scholarship with one deadline
- Waiting until you have admission before you look for awards
- Missing the faculty deadline for the big entrance awards
- Letting your supervisor write your research proposal
- Using generative AI tools to write or polish your application where the faculty bans it
- Assuming Killam and other Graduate Studies awards add up
- Not checking the nationality or gender rules of a special award
- Forgetting to check the time zone of a deadline
Key Dates
- 31 October at 4 p.m.: Listed deadline for several bursaries and scholarships including the BHASHA Bursary
- 13 December at 4 p.m.: Listed deadline for certain awards
- 1 February: Listed deadline for the A.S. Mowat Prize
- 14 August: Listed deadline for the Olivia Lewis and Michael Lonardo Graduate Scholarship
- Faculty awards: Set by your faculty. Last cycle examples were 16 January and 1 February
These dates are not universal. Confirm the next cycle and the time zone on the page of each award.
The Bottom Line
Dalhousie has real money for graduate students including awards of 35000 to 42000 dollars a year for doctoral researchers. But the money sits in many separate awards with separate rules. Start with your degree level. Find out which awards go through your faculty. Then build a calendar with each deadline. The nearest listed deadline is 31 October.
