Admission Requirements and Timelines
Saint Mary’s University welcomes applications from qualified international students. We will evaluate your application based on the curriculum you have studied in your home country.
The Thinking of Applying pages of this web site give lots of information about how to apply, when to apply, what to include with your application, and how to check on your application status. In particular, see the Frequently Asked Questions about applying to a Saint Mary’s University. We have also provided definitions of the Terminology that may be different from what you are used to.
If you have attended high school, college or university outside of Canada, look below for additional information to help you to ensure that you meet all the requirements – and that you apply in time to meet deadlines and to qualify for scholarships.
Plan ahead to meet deadlines and benefit from university services
Verify Academic Admission requirements
Verify language proficiency requirements
Request credit for previous studies
Plan Ahead to meet deadlines and benefit from university services
You can start academic studies at Saint Mary’s University in September, January, May, or July, but most students start in September at the beginning of the new academic year. New international student orientation programs are offered in September, January and May.
Important factors to consider in planning for the start of classes in September will be:
What are key deadlines if I want to be considered for entrance scholarships and/or space in the University residences?
March 15: all complete applications are assessed for entrance scholarships
March 15: all complete applications for Residence are guaranteed a place in one of the residences on Saint Mary’s University campus
Don’t wait until you complete your high school or post-secondary courses before applying. Submit your application using your most recent official grades, and make sure that your final grades are submitted when they become available. Be certain to include a list of all courses in which you are currently enrolled.
What are key timelines if I want to enroll in particular courses?
Mid-May: all accepted new students set to begin their studies in September or January can register in courses for September and the following January semesters. It is possible to change your mind, or to register in courses right up to the first week of classes, but by that time your choices will be limited to courses where space is still available.
How long will it take to secure my study permit and, if necessary, temporary resident permit for Canada?
This will depend on your country of residence, and where you need to apply. You can find country-specific information by visiting the web site of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
As soon as you receive your official letter of acceptance from Saint Mary’s University in the mail, begin the process of applying for your study permit. Even if the Canadian embassy processes your application quickly, you will still need time to make travel bookings, transfer funds, and make other arrangements for living in Canada.
International Students Admissions Timelines
Apply |
Apply to Residence |
Apply for Study Permit |
Have final grades sent to Saint Mary’s |
Register for Classes |
Attend Orientation |
Start classes |
Any time |
Before May 1 |
As soon as possible |
By July 15 |
Starting in April, up to 1st week in Sept |
Late August |
September |
Any time |
Before November 1 |
As soon as possible |
By December 1 |
As soon as you are admitted, April – 1st week in Janl |
Early January |
January |
Any time |
Beginning February 1 |
As soon as possible |
By March 1 |
Beginning of March |
Early May |
May |
How long will it take to make financial arrangements?
Again, your personal circumstances will determine if you will open a Canadian bank account, transfer funds directly into your student account at Saint Mary’s, or make some other arrangement. Whatever you choose, plan ahead for money transfers to take a little longer than you expect.
Verify Academic Admission Requirements
When reviewing your application, the Admissions Office will check to see if:
- you meet the minimum requirements for beginning a university degree .
- you have successfully completed certain high-school or post-secondary pre-requisite subjects required for the degree program you have chosen (English or Pre-Calculus Mathematics, for example).
In this process the Admissions Office is not concerned with your citizenship or visa status – but with your academic performance throughout your high school and/or post-secondary studies .
Canadian High School
If you are attending a high school in Canada, your application will be reviewed according to the requirements specified for each province, detailed in Admissions Requirements.
American High School
If you are attending high school in the United States of America, or following an American patterned curriculum, you must have completed the following program requirements with an average of C or higher.
- Bachelor of Arts: English (College Prep.) and 4 additional college preparatory courses
- Bachelor of Commerce: English, Math, plus three additional college preparatory courses
- Bachelor of Science: English, Pre Calculus Math, 2 college preparatory Science courses plus one additional college preparatory course
- Division of Engineering: English, Pre Calculus Math, college preparatory Physics, college preparatory Chemistry one college preparatory course
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
Saint Mary’s University recognizes the challenge and dedication required of students who are enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program. That’s why Saint Mary’s offers a generous IB benefits program to reward you for your hard work and community involvement.
If you are currently enrolled in the IB Diploma, you can apply to Saint Mary’s with your anticipated or predicted results. For undergraduate admission, we require a minimum IB Diploma score of 24 with grades of 3 and above in pre-requisite subjects.
An IB Diploma score of 28 and above will qualify you for our renewable entrance scholarships. A final score of 30 and above will grant you 30 credit hours toward your degree program.
Click here to view the IB Higher Level course equivalencies at Saint Mary's University.
If you are completing Higher Level Certificates and achieve final grades of 5, 6, or 7, you will be eligible to receive up to 18 credit hours toward your degree program at Saint Mary’s. Click here to view the IB Higher Level course equivalencies at Saint Mary's University. The Admissions Office will add one bonus point to your scholarship average for each of your IB Higher Level classes.
British Patterned System of Education
If you are studying in a British patterned curriculum, Advanced Level/CAPE/AICE/ GCSE/IGCSE or Ordinary Level, you must meet the following program requirements:
Passing grades in at least five subjects, two of which must be at the Advanced level, and satisfying the specific subject requirements of the degree program . Alternatively, students who achieve above average results in a minimum of five ordinary "O" level courses will also be considered for admission.
Students who achieve a final grade of A, B or C in approved Advanced Level (A Level) courses will be eligible to receive advanced standing credit for each approved A Level course. Clicking this link allows you to view specific A Level courses that are the equivalent to courses available at Saint Mary's University.
Advanced Placement (AP)
If you’re enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses in your high school program, Saint Mary’s will reward you for these challenging, advanced level courses. We will recognize up to 18 credit hours toward your degree program for AP classes in which you score final grades of 4 or 5. The Admissions Office will also add one bonus point to your scholarship average for each of your AP classes. Click here shows specific AP courses which are the equivalent to courses available at Saint Mary's University.
If you are resident in any other country, select from the list below for country-specific minimum admission requirements. If your country is not listed here, please contact us at international@smu.ca. We would be happy to provide you with the appropriate admissions requirements based on the curriculum in your home country.
Verify English language proficiency requirements
If your first language is not English, and you have not attended an English language secondary school, you must demonstrate that you have the English language skills necessary to be successful in Saint Mary’s University degree programs. You must arrange to have results sent to Saint Mary’s from an official testing agency. The acceptable standards for admission to Saint Mary’s University are:
- An average of 4.5 on the CanTEST, administered by Saint Mary’s University or the University of Ottawa, with no individual score below 3.5
- Successful completion of the highest level of English for Academic purposes program at the TESL Centre, Saint Mary's University
- A minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service
- A minimum score of 80 overall iBT TOEFL with at least 20 in each of the four sub-tests: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking
- University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations CAE (Certificate of Advanced English) with a grade of A, B, or C
- A minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- A minimum score of 60 on the Canadian English Language Assessment (CAEL).
What if your language scores are good, but not high enough to qualify for Saint Mary’s University admission? The Admissions Office may offer you 'conditional admission', based on your plans to continue studying English before beginning your degree program. The TESL Centre on our campus provides Intensive English Program which can prepare you for academic coursework. This can be very helpful because, with an offer of conditional admission, you can apply for your study permit (visa) and make plans to travel to Halifax.
Request credit for previous studies
If you have studied previously at a university or college, Saint Mary’s University may accept your courses as substitutes for courses in one of the degree programs offered at Saint Mary’s University. That means that you would have to complete fewer courses to obtain your degree – a savings in both time and money. The maximum amount of credit you can obtain for previous studies is 50% of a degree program, or 60 credit hours for a four-year degree. The Transfer Student pages of this website include more information about this process.
In brief, to take advantage of this opportunity you need to make sure that your former institution sends an official transcript of grades, along with detailed descriptions of your courses, to Saint Mary’s University to be assessed for 'advanced standing'. This will allow us to assess whether the courses you completed can be considered equivalent to those offered at Saint Mary’s University. It is important to submit this documentation as early as possible, because decisions about transfer credits may affect your selection of courses to be taken in your degree program.