Ä¢¹½AV

We understand the value that residence offers to all students, both new and returning. Not only does it offer unparalleled convenience, saves valuable time, and is a great place to make friends, studies show that residence living supports academic success. Residences play a particularly important role in supporting student well-being and academic success during the transition from high school into university. That’s why Dal has established a residence guarantee for first year students entering directly from high school, including priority consideration for students who identify as Black and African Nova Scotia, Indigenous, and those with disabilities who may face barriers to full participation in university and campus life. This is an important initiative to continue to build a vibrant, inclusive, and well-supported community, especially during transition into university.

While we would love to offer everyone who wants one a place in residence, we don’t anticipate having the capacity to deliver on our new first year guarantee without limiting spaces in residence for returning students. We are also aware that first-year students – many of whom reside outside Halifax – may have a more difficult time finding suitable off-campus housing before coming to Halifax. By contrast, we know that in most cases, upper-year residence students have had time to explore the city, find roommates, and search for appropriate off-campus accommodations. To assist them with their search for suitable off-campus housing, students are encouraged to consult our Off-campus Housing website. On it they will find a link to our partner listing service, Places4Students, along with other valuable resources for new tenants.

For the upcoming academic year, there will be a cap on returning students of 250. An additional 100 spaces will be held in reserve for student leadership positions.

Current residence students will need to apply by early December (exact deadlines will be sent by email when applications open) and will be assigned space in residence first-come, first-served basis. All applicants will be notified in January when they return from the holiday break on the status of their application, and if they were successful in securing a residence room for the upcoming September. 

Yes, we would be happy to add you to our residence wait list. If there are any room cancellations, we will contact those on our waitlist in the order they applied for residence. 

To be put on our wait list, please contact us at residence@dal.ca by the beginning of February. It should be noted that being on the wait list does not guarantee that a room will be available. 

Please note, there will not be a cap for anyone wanting to return to residence on the Truro campus.

Yes.

The process for re-applying has not changed. To re-apply, log on to using your NetID and password, and follow the links to the Residence Application. Please note that there is a $50 application fee.

Residence life is an incredibly diverse and unique experience. The opportunities for creativity, success and exploration are endless. Sharing your space and your life with others is a humbling experience that can teach you a lot about who you are and who you want to become.

Check out our Life in Residence section to find out more about what you can expect and how to make the most of residence.

We aim to make living in residence as convenient as possible by including many of the essential furniture items you need. Each room on the Halifax campus includes:

• an extra-long twin-sized bed and mattress
• a desk and chair
• a closet or wardrobe
• bureau (or drawers under the bed)
• a mirror
• and curtains for the window

Some rooms on our Truro campus do have a double bed and students with those rooms will be notified. By providing these items, we hope it makes the move to residence a little easier and less costly than furnishing an apartment off-campus.

It’s essential that you feel at home during your time in residence. To make the transition as smooth as possible, we’ve created a list of suggested items to help with packing and to ensure you have everything you need for a comfortable stay.

Visit the What should you bring page for the complete list on what to bring and what NOT to bring. 

It’s very important that residence rooms and common areas are maintained to a high standard. Students should fill out a Maintenance Request Form online through their Residence Hub Page in Dal Online.

Maintenance lists are provided to our staff for repairs Monday through Friday, and requests will be completed in a timely manner. In the case of an emergency situation, like a water leak or broken window, these and other issues should be reported right away to residence staff or their front desk.

Each individual student finds their own balance between studying and the rest of life. Both halves of the modern student are an important part of their development. Residence is a great place to study and it’s easy to find a quiet space to tuck away and be productive. We have lots of dedicated spaces to study and complete assignments inside our residences and we also have very fast WiFi.

We do everything we can to make our residences (and campus) as safe and secure as possible. Community Assistants (Halifax) and Community Housing Leaders (CHLs), professional residence staff and security are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to any concerns.

Residence buildings have secured entrances along with staffed front desks and evening checkpoints in some locations.

Find out more about safety in our Health and safety section.

Every student living in residence is encouraged to make a personal connection with their Community Assistant (Halifax Campus) or Community Housing Leader (Truro Campus). These student leaders can be the first point of contact and referral to many services on campus, including academic advising, health services and counselling services.

Residence Life Managers are trained professional staff equipped to handle any crisis big or small with care and compassion. Professional residence staff both live and work in our residence buildings so they are easily accessible.

For safety-related issues or emergencies, contact Dal Security. For emergencies call 911 then Dal Security at 902-494-4109 (Halifax campuses) or 902-893-4190 (Truro campus)

There are so many different ways and plenty of opportunities to get involved and meet people on campus and in Halifax or Truro. Community Assistants and Community Housing Leaders organize events and educational opportunities.

Ä¢¹½AV has hundreds of clubs and societies covering many different interests and hobbies, plus an incredibly diverse offering of intramural activities. If you are having trouble meeting people, seek out something that matches your personality so you can meet others interested in the same thing. Find out more on the Get involved  page in our Life in residenceÌý²õ±ð³¦³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô.

If you have any dietary needs, like an allergy or intolerance, we encourage you to get in touch with the on-campus dietitian, Liz Muggah, at dietitan@dal.ca. (Halifax Campus only).

She is available to work with students to accommodate their dietary needs and ensure they are comfortable navigating our dining halls and enjoying their meals.

On our Agriculture Campus, you can reach out to our Assistant Director, AC Housing and Campus Connections, Caitlyn Hutchison, at residence.ac@dal.ca. She will be able to connect you with dining hall staff to meet your dietary requirements.

Make sure to check out our Parents, guardians, and families page for resources to help you stay informed about your student's residence experience and what to expect.

Students are permitted to have cars, however the availability of parking varies across campuses. On our Halifax campuses, there are a limited number of reserved parking spaces for residence students at the Risley Hall parkade. If you are interested in acquiring parking at Risley, contact reserved.list@dal.ca with your name, Ä¢¹½AV ID and telephone number. Please specify that you are looking to be considered for the Risley Hall parkade. Requests are approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

On our Truro campus, students who wish to bring a vehicle must park their vehicle in the overnight parking lot behind Chapman House. 

We know that family members can be anxious to book flights and make travel arrangements for their students for the holidays and end of term. While it can be difficult, we suggest students wait until the final examination schedule has been released before making travel plans. When confirming the details for your student’s trip home, an important thing to consider is that students are required to leave residence 24 hours after their last exam.

All packages being delivered via Canada Post are processed through Ä¢¹½AV's central mail room, which is closed from Dec. 24 - Jan. 2. All mail and packages received by the mailroom will be distributed when it re-opens. 

Packages being delivered via courier (Purolator, UPS, Fedex) may be delivered to the residence building, as the front desks will be staffed to receive them. 

If your student decides to stay in residence for another year, they will have to pack up their room during the summer months. However, we do offer summer storage. Students who are planning to return to residence can store up to five items (fridge plus four medium-sized boxes) at no charge. If your student does not return to residence, there is a $50/month charge.

°Õ³ó±ðÌý offers a variety of items for residence rooms. Check their website for product availability and pricing.