Saint Mary's University

Saint Mary's University (abbreviated as SMU ) is an educational institution of the state type that has been active in research and academic activities in Canada since the beginning of 1802. Currently, the university has its own small campus in the city of Halifax.

• International students — 28% of the student body.

Saint Mary's University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

For full-time undergraduates, the standard course load per term is 15 credit hours in Arts, the Sobey School of Business, and Science, and 18 credit hours in Engineering. A load of at least 9 credit hours per term is considered full-time, while fewer than 9 credit hours is considered part-time.

Through Self-Service Banner, students can search for courses, register for classes, and view class and exam schedules, transcripts, and grades. Academic advisors help students choose courses. Waitlists are available for most courses. When a place becomes available, the student receives a notification through their university email and has 24 hours to register.

Faculty of Arts students can complement their studies with fieldwork, community service, co-op, and research opportunities.

• undergraduate applicants select first- and second-choice majors from the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, or Sobey School of Business,
• the Faculty of Arts has 11 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs,
• the Faculty of Arts offers programs in the humanities, social sciences, and environmental studies. Students can choose majors, minors, honors programs, concentrations, and specialized certificates.

• Saint Mary’s University has students from 117 countries.

Students can join interest-based societies and sports clubs. Cultural groups include the Aboriginal Society, African Student Society, Caribbean Society, Chinese Student Society, Latin America Society, Muslim Society, and Saudi Students Society.

Each month, SMU Café introduces students and recent graduates to alumni with similar career interests and goals. They can talk in person or online.

In the 2026 Maclean’s rankings, Saint Mary's University placed among the top five primarily undergraduate universities in Canada.

Saint Mary's University sports facilities include the Homburg Centre, Dauphinee Centre Arena, and fitness spaces. The university also offers several on-campus housing options.

University Security operates around the clock. Its staff provide safety, security, and crime prevention services, first aid, lost-and-found assistance, and responses to fire and security alarms.

Registration for the fall and winter terms begins in April, while registration for the spring and summer terms begins in March. The final schedule is usually published about one month before registration opens.

The application fee for international applicants is 100 CAD. Payment is required before the application can be processed.

Applications are usually processed within 2–3 weeks. Smapse specialists will guide you through every stage of the admissions process.

Admission of students each year makes a special commission. At the same time, both local residents and visitors from different countries always apply to the places of students to the same extent. In its decision, the commission relies on several indicators. The main one is the past academic performance of each applicant. As the statistics show, about 70 percent of applications receive approval. And, nevertheless, the situation may differ depending on faculty.

Each academic year at the university is divided into two semesters. Education for future bachelors and masters is not so expensive. The higher education institution pays a scholarship to the most successful students, which makes it possible to recover part of the tuition fee.

• Admissions Scholarships are awarded competitively for academic achievement. Entrance Awards also consider academic performance, financial need, and community and extracurricular involvement,
• domestic and international high school applicants with an average of at least 95% or an International Baccalaureate score of at least 36 are encouraged to apply for the Presidential Scholarship, Presidential International Baccalaureate Scholarship, and Santamarian Scholarship. Renewal after the first year requires a GPA of at least 3.70 across a minimum of 24 credit hours,
• Sobey School of Business awards 10 renewable entrance scholarships each year, each worth a total of 50,000 CAD over four years. The Sobey National Innovator Scholarship provides 20,000 CAD in the first year and 10,000 CAD in each of the following three years. Applicants need an entrance average of at least 90% or an International Baccalaureate Diploma score of at least 36, along with a 750-word essay, a résumé, and a letter of recommendation,
• the university awards eight David Wang Scholarships each year. Each provides 5,000 CAD annually, up to a maximum of 20,000 CAD per student. The scholarship is intended for Grade 12 students enrolled in Canadian curriculum high schools in China with an entrance average of at least 80%. Renewal requires a GPA of at least 2.5 and full-time study.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision