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Candidates are accepted under the general regulations of the . Meeting minimal requirements does not ensure admission.

Application deadline is February 1 for September admission. All materials listed below must be received by the deadline date.

• All applicants must be licensed to practice as a registered nurse (active practitioner) in a province in Canada or in a foreign country.  
• Applicants for the MScN program must have a 4-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent and normally a minimum “A- “standing (3.7 grade point average). Students with a 3.3 GPA or higher are encouraged to apply, as all aspects of an application are given equal consideration.
• Undergraduate-level classes in research and statistics are required.
• A resume and statement of career goals are required of all applicants.
• THREE references are required, with the contact details of each referee provided when completing the online application:
  • Two (2) letters of academic reference (e.g., former professor or a thesis supervisor)
  • One (1) letter of professional reference (e.g., current employer). For any questions regarding academic references, the applicant should contact the Graduate Programs Coordinator at graduate.nursing@dal.ca.
• A personal interview with the Associate Director Graduate Studies, School of Nursing, or their designate(s) is required.

NOTE: Upon entry, each student will be assigned a thesis supervisor. MScN students will be matched with a faculty member’s research area. However, it is highly recommended that, if possible, applicants will have contacted a faculty member prior to application, who can agree to be their supervisor . 

Official English Proficiency Test Score Results

For international applicants whose first language is not English, minimum scores for English proficiency are:

• IELTS 7
• TOEFL 92 (internet based) 
• MELAB 85 
• CanTest 4.5 overall, with no band score lower than 4.0 
• PTEA 65 overall, with no band score lower than 54 
• MET C1-level and 4-skills test required 64 (with no skills area below 53)  
• CAEL 70 overall, with no band score lower than 60

The MScN is comprised of five 3-credit hour courses and a thesis, for a total of 27 credit hours. Graduate nursing students work with their thesis supervisor to develop a research question, acquire research preparation in all aspects of discovery, and to select the theory course that will best align with the identified area of research. Through seminar discussion, presentations, preparation of academic papers and the conduct of research, students acquire the knowledge, skills and attributes that are the bas is for leadership as academics or as clinician scientists.

The MScN program may be undertaken as full-time or part-time study. Requirements must be completed within the guidelines set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (full-time, 2 years; part-time, 4 years).

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To begin your application, complete the  and pay the $115 application fee. Payment must be received before your application is processed. Methods of payment are included on the online application.

Deadline for Applications

Effective for the 2026/2027 academic year (ie. September 2026/January 2027 entry and moving forward)

• Deadline for receipt of the complete application package for September admission to all graduate nursing programs (MN, MScN, PhD Nursing): February 1

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all application materials have been received.

Applicants must include the contact information for three referees via EREF on the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Application Portal

• One (1) current employer – MUST be a direct supervisor/manager (not a charge nurse or colleague. Must be a current manager – ie. a Health Services Manager).
• Two (2) academic references.

CLICK HERE FOR AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SELECTING YOUR REFERENCES

The following additional documents must be submitted electronically through the Dal Application Portal

• A current resume that clearly states all your education and professional clinical practise. 
• Statement of intent (interest) in a 2-3 page, double-spaced essay, discussing the following points: Tell us about your goals How will the School of Nursing, Graduate Program help you achieve these goals? What are the strengths you would bring to the program and to the profession? Explain any gaps or deficiencies in your academic record, or any other factors you wish to have taken into account.
•  in addition to your CV and statement of career goals. Please use this form to identify your practice areas of interest, program option, provide current nursing registration details and your reasons and objectives for pursuing graduate studies in nursing.
• Official or unofficial transcript(s)
  • For your initial application to graduate studies, we only require your unofficial academic transcripts for each post-secondary institution you have attended. Please include degree certificates if degree conferral is not stated on your transcripts. 
  • Email your unofficial transcripts to graduate.nursing@dal.ca
  • Transcripts should include your first and last name, degree, program type and name of degree issuing university.
  • If you are accepted for admission, your final and official transcripts will be required within 90 days of the start of your program. · If you are accepted for admission, please follow these instructions to arrange for official transcripts to be submitted.