<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-06-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001103021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BDSI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001066040</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ODONNELL FRANCIS E JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTL, INC.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4131 PARKLAKE AVENUE, SUITE 225</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RALEIGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27612</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-06-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4105</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>172825</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-06-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1597</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.97</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>171228</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-06-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.03</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>151228</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares of common stock reported on this Form 4 were acquired by the Reporting Person in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units granted under the Registrant's Performance Long Term Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares of common stock were sold under a pre-planned 10b5-1 trading plan, and were sold to cover the Reporting Person's tax liability upon the vesting of RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On June 16, 2015, the Reporting Person sold an aggregate of 1,597 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock at a weighted average price of $7.97. The highest sale price for the Common Stock was $8.07 per share and the lowest sale price was $7.90 per share. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide the Company, any security holder of the Company or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares of common stock were sold under a pre-planned 10b5-1 trading plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">On June 16, 2015, the Reporting Person sold an aggregate of 20,000 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock at a weighted average price of $8.03. The highest sale price for the Common Stock was $8.19 per share and the lowest sale price was $7.87 per share. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide the Company, any security holder of the Company or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Francis E. O'Donnell Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-06-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
