Pharmacy

No, Australian pharmacy schools do not require the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) as part of their admissions requirements.

Prerequisites vary by university; however, common prerequisites for pharmacy programs include chemistry, biology, higher-level math (calculus and advanced functions) and English. Your OzTREKK admissions officer will outline which prerequisites are required for each program.

As competitive averages vary by university, students who have over a 65% average in university studies are generally eligible to apply to Australian pharmacy programs; however, Monash’s minimum average is 70%.

For those coming from high school, the minimum average is approximately 80%. Contact OzTREKK to find out if your grades are considered competitive.

Australia does not have a Doctor of Pharmacy program. Canadians wishing to study pharmacy in Australia are encouraged to take a 4-year undergraduate program, which at this time is an equivalent format to Canada’s PharmD.

Graduate qualifications in pharmacy from Australian universities are recognized internationally. Currently, in order to return to Canada and gain licensing through the PEBC, there is a minimum education requirement of 4 years from an accredited pharmacy program. A master’s program format alone will not meet this requirement (as they are fewer than 4 years in length). OzTREKK recommends students take a 4-year undergraduate program (which currently is an equivalent format to Canada’s PharmD).

OzTREKK has had students graduate with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from an Australian university and successfully become accredited in Canada; however, every student is assessed on an individual basis. Visit the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada website for accreditation and certification information. Upon their return to Canada, graduates must also apply for certification through the provincial regulatory body in the province in which they wish to work.

Please note the above accreditation information is via former OzTREKK students’ experiences. We cannot know what the PEBC will require in 4 or 5 years from now or if the requirements will change, so if you are considering studying anywhere internationally, please stay in touch with the PEBC to ensure you will meet the requirements.

Steps for practicing in Canada

1. Visit Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada for information on licensure in Canada
2. Enrol in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada
3. Apply to the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada for Document Evaluation and the Evaluating Examination

Some programs will ask that you submit your application for credit at the same time as your general application, while others will require students to first have an offer. Check with your admissions officer which protocol you should follow based on the programs you are applying to.

To apply for credit, the universities require detailed course outlines for all the courses for which you wish to receive credit. These outlines should be detailed and include information about the course, the lectures, the professor’s contact information, and the weekly topics covered. Most universities also have a form that must be completed.

For pharmacy, all universities accept applications for credit except Monash University, which offers graduate-entry instead of single credits.