It’s just about time to start your academic journey with us here at NSCAD University, and we can’t wait to meet you! Before you arrive, it’s important to make sure you’ve taken care of some critical tasks. We’ve created a handy dandy check-list to help keep you on track! 

First things first!  

Don’t forget to follow @nscadstudentexperience on Instagram, which will be your one stop for all things Student Life on campus and important dates

1. Submit your final High School or Post-Secondary Transcript! 

• Now that your grades are finalized, NSCAD needs to receive an updated version of your official transcript.  Once we receive these final transcripts, they will be evaluated for any transfer credits. Please also provide us with any IB or AP transcripts that you may have if you were an IB or AP student in high school.   
• If you just graduated from a Nova Scotia public high school, NSCAD University will simply obtain a copy of your final transcripts through the Nova Scotia Department of Education. No further action is required.  
• For everyone else, you will have to ask your last institution attended to send your final official transcripts to us via email or mail.  
  • Most post-secondary students should be able to send their transcript to us through the MyCreds Portal.  
  • High schools and post-secondary schools can also send transcripts directly from the institution via email (admissions@nscad.ca) or mail to:  5163 Duke St. Halifax, NS, B3J 3J6.  
  • If you have already submitted your final transcripts please move on to step 2!  

2. Confirm you’ve registered for Winter 2024 courses! 

• Log into Self-Service and click on the calendar in your course plan to view your schedule and confirm you’re registered for courses. 
• If you’ve planned courses but weren’t able to complete the process by clicking the blue “Register”, reach out to registrar@nscad.ca for assistance. 
• If you haven’t registered yet, reach out to registrar@nscad.ca as soon as possible so we can help finalize your schedule! 
• If you’re having trouble logging into Self-Service, visit our Resources Page for guidance. 

3. Complete your WHMIS training through your Brightspace account!  

• This is a MUST! Whether you’ve taken WHMIS training before or not, in the interest of safety, all NSCAD students must have Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Training (WHMIS) certification to enter workshops and studios.   

• The WHMIS course is offered online to all students free of charge through their personal Brightspace account. You should now have access to Brightspace and can complete this training any time before the first week of classes.   

• Once you’ve completed this training, stop by the Office of Student Experience on the 2nd Floor of the Duke Building (5163 Duke Street) to pick up your WHMIS sticker for your ID card! Have your WHMIS completion confirmation email in hand to show us so we can issue the sticker.   

4. RSVP for Orientation! 

• An email was sent to your NSCAD email account during the week of July 15 with instructions on how to RSVP for New Student Orientation Day on Wednesday, September 4. 
• The RSVP form includes information we need from you in advance to arrange: 
  • your Student ID Card 
  • your Building Access Card 
  • your Library Barcode 
• It’s critical that you complete the RSVP before August 15 so we can prepare for your arrival! 
• For MDes, MAED, and MFA students: In addition to Orientation Day, Graduate Students will also be invited to a Graduate Student Orientation event. Keep an eye on your NSCAD email for further details.  

5. Update your new address and Emergency Contact Information!  

• Once you know your local address in Halifax, you’ll need to login to Self-Service and complete your student profile by submitting your address and emergency contacts. We’ll need your most current Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) address. We will use this address should we need to contact you by post (which we don’t do very often, but still need to do from time to time!)
• We also require contact information for two safe people we can connect with in case of an emergency: 
  • One contact should live in Nova Scotia – this can be a friend, roommate, coworker, residence staff, etc. 
  • One is a personal emergency contact – this can be anyone that you would like us to contact in case of emergency, within or outside of Canada.  

6. Instructions for International Students! 

• Review the International Student Pre-Arrival Guide for important information about arriving in Canada and at NSCAD! 

• For international students, IRCC sends compliance reports to the University each semester for updates on international student status. You must remain in full-time status to not violate your agreement with the Government of Canada.   

• You must send a copy of your current valid study permit to belong@nscad.ca or take a copy of your study permit to the Office of Student Experience (second floor at Fountain Campus, opposite the elevator) before September 30, 2024.