Acadia University

Several funding opportunities are available to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Acadia University spends about CAD four million annually on scholarships and bursaries for its students. Several external scholarship schemes are also available for international students.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Graduate Scholarships

Entrance Scholarships

• UG applicants are automatically considered for this award.
• If the university finds a student worthy, they contact the applicants, and the amount is awarded.

Research Nova Scotia (RNS) Scholars Awards

• This scholarship is granted to extraordinary students pursuing health research at Nova Scotia Universities.
• The award (a sum of money) is given to students enrolled in postgraduate or doctoral programs.

The Arthur Irving Academy Scholarships in Environmental Studies

• This scholarship is awarded to outstanding students who excel in their studies.
• The recipient receives an amount of CAD 1,500 for four years.
• Applicants must have at least a 90% average score to be eligible.

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

• This scholarship is open to Commonwealth nations’ students aspiring to study in Canada.
• The award is granted for a period of two years.
• A candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised university.
• The award covers the living, education, and travel expenses of the recipient.

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria for Indian Students

For Indian students to be eligible for an internal scholarship from Acadia University, the student must have secured at least 55% in the past coursework, while a score of 60% is a must to meet the eligibility criteria for external funding.

Acadia University is a highly diverse university that provides a vibrant learning environment and promotes quality education with cultural inclusion. Students from all parts of the world come to Acadia to pursue their dreams. At present, of the total 3,765 enrolled students, a substantial number is of international students representing 50 different countries. At the undergraduate level, it enrolled 3,574 students in 2023, out of which 11% were international students.

Nestled in Annapolis Valley of Wolfville, the 250-acre campus of the university features world-class academic, administrative, recreational, and housing facilities. Some of the features of the campus are given as follows:

• The university library holds an extensive and unique collection of print, digital, and multimedia resources. It offers group and individual study spaces along with facilities like scanning, photocopying, and printing.
• Athletic facilities on the campus include a swimming pool, dance studio, fitness center, sports therapy clinic, One gymnasium, squash and racquetball courts, walking tracks, and tennis courts.
• Over 1500 students stay in 12 on-site residences offering options like high-rise, heritage, basic double rooms, and deluxe suites equipped with modern amenities. 
• Facilities offered to students include local phone service, high-speed Internet, housekeeping, and in-house laundry. Other on-campus facilities include a convenience store, medical center, student lounge, and food outlets.

Acadia University offers a range of scholarships and awards to international students and some of these are given as follows:

• The Harrison McCain Scholar-Bursaries
• The Spicer-Hennessey Scholar Bursary 
• Chancellor's Scholarship
• Board of Governor's Scholarship
• President's Scholarship
• International Baccalaureate Scholarship

The initial entrance scholarships offered at the university mostly range between CAD 4,500 to CAD 10,000 per year and can be renewed each year based on the student's academic performance. 

The first-year tuition fees for international students at Acadia University is given as follows:

All applications need to be supported by official copies of all high school or college transcripts and other records of academic work. The transcripts should be certified by the school/college/institution and should either be sent to Acadia directly or sealed in an envelope and given to the student to send. Certified transcripts acceptable to Acadia will be used as a basis of admission. English proficiency report and other standardized exam score reports also need to be attached with the application form. Other documents required for application will depend on the programme and course, which usually include:

Reference letters (LORs)

Essay

Resume

Letter of Intent

Copy of passport

Financial statements

Portfolios, written, audio, or video sample

The admission criteria for international students in any programs differs depending on their country’s educational system. Thus, each international application is reviewed and processed individually.

Undergraduate Admissions

For Indian aspirants, a student must have a higher secondary certificate or Grade 12 certificate with a minimum of 60% from a recognised board. Apart from this, any one of these English proficiency exams scores are accepted:

English Exams Accepted

Minimum Score Required

TOEFL iBT

90 with no subtest score below 20

IELTS

6.5 with no subtest score below 6.0

Cambridge Academic

61 with no subtest score below 60

Cambridge (CAE)

Pass A, B, or C - 180 or above

(no subtest score below 173)

Graduate Admissions

Students applying for a graduate-level programme at the university must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree or an honors degree from a recognised university. It is mandatory for students to have scored at least 70% or 60 credit hours in the past two years of study. However, certain programs have additional requirements along with the basic eligibility criteria. Hence, students are advised to refer to the official website of the university. Indian aspirants need a minimum of 2.67/4.0 GPA or 70% marks in their field of study in the last two undergraduate years. Any one of these exams scores will be accepted:

English Exams Accepted

Minimum Score Required

TOEFL iBT

93 with no subtest score below 20

IELTS

6.5 overall, with no subtest score below 6.0

PTE Academic

61 with no subtest score below 60

Acadia University offers the Bachelor of Business Administration that includes the understanding of business fundamentals and the opportunity to pursue their career in the chosen area. The BBA course at the university are given as follows:

• The first year of the course includes of introductory level areas such as economics, statistics, communications, math, accounting and business. The course also provides the students with the tools and background knowledge that are required.
• The second year includes 8 required business courses that represents the major functional disciplines and CORE provides the students with understanding of the financial, marketing, and human realities of business. 
• During the 3rd and 4th year of the course, students will focus on the required part of the programme where they can choose between business and non-business electives according to their choice of interest.