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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-01-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001720772</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Coelho Mary Theresa</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTL, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4131 PARKLAKE AVE. SUITE 225</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RALEIGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27612</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>See Remarks</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-01-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>55000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-01-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>55000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>55000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.73</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-01-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>107109</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2029-01-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>107109</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>107109</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Restricted Stock Units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) were issued to the Reporting Person on January 17, 2019, pursuant to a grant under the Issuer's 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the &quot;Plan&quot;). The award is subject to time-based vesting and will vest in equal portions on: (i) January 15, 2020; (ii) January 15, 2021; and (iii) January 15, 2022.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Upon vesting, each RSU entitles the Reporting Person to one share of the Issuer's common stock. The Reporting Person has been granted the right to elect to defer actual payment of a vested RSU award, subject to compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The exercise price of the stock options issued to the Reporting Person is the volume-weighted average price of the Company's common stock for the 30-day period ending on January 16, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The stock options were issued to the Reporting Person on January 17, 2019, pursuant to a grant under the Plan. The award is subject to time-based vesting and will vest in equal portions on: (i) January 15, 2020; (ii) January 15, 2021; and (iii) January 15, 2022.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mary Theresa Coelho</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-01-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
