Halifax is the largest city in Atlantic Canada and one of the most genuinely loved student destinations in the country. Home to Dalhousie University, Saint Mary's University, NSCC, Mount Saint Vincent University, and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), it hosts a student population that punches well above the city's overall size — and that concentration gives Halifax an energy and community feel that students consistently describe as special.
Student housing in Halifax is concentrated in the South End (near Dalhousie's Studley campus) and near the Saint Mary's campus along Robie Street and Tower Road. The Halifax peninsula is compact and walkable, which means most students in purpose-built housing near campus can walk to class in under fifteen minutes. Canadian Student Living operates communities in Halifax to serve both the Dalhousie and Saint Mary's student communities.
Halifax's cost of living is among the most affordable of any mid-size Canadian city, and student housing costs reflect that. Compared to Toronto or Vancouver, students in Halifax find their rent dollar goes significantly further while still getting proximity to campus and quality amenities. All-inclusive purpose-built student housing is particularly practical in Halifax, where heating costs during the Atlantic winter can otherwise add unpredictability to a monthly budget.
Dalhousie University has particular strengths in medicine, law, dentistry, oceanography, and the health sciences — a reflection of Halifax's maritime identity. The ocean shapes everything here, from the research at the Oceans Institute to the lobster rolls on the waterfront. Students in environmental science, marine biology, and ocean engineering have access to research infrastructure that doesn't exist anywhere else in Canada.
The Halifax waterfront is one of the city's defining features, and it's extraordinarily accessible to students. The boardwalk along the harbour runs for kilometres and serves as a social and recreational hub year-round. Ferry service to Dartmouth across the harbour adds to the city's texture. The Peggy's Cove lighthouse, Lunenburg, and the Annapolis Valley are all within reach for day trips.
Social life in Halifax is shaped by the university community in a way that's more pronounced than in larger cities. The bars, restaurants, and live music venues along Argyle Street and in the North End are deeply familiar to students, and the city's size means you quickly build a sense of belonging that's harder to achieve in Toronto or Montreal. Orientation week at Dal is famously robust and sets the tone for a connected four years.
Transit in Halifax is handled by Halifax Transit, with buses covering the peninsula and connecting to Dartmouth and the suburbs. Most students on the Halifax peninsula find that a bicycle or their own feet cover the majority of their daily needs from May through October. For winter, Halifax Transit passes offer student discounts.
If you're looking for student housing in Halifax near Dalhousie or Saint Mary's, secure it early — the South End in particular has limited inventory and strong demand. Purpose-built, all-inclusive furnished student housing is the most practical entry point, particularly for out-of-province students arriving for the first time. Canadian Student Living's Halifax communities offer the combination of location, community, and professional management that makes the transition to university life as smooth as possible.