Study Pharmacy
Dive into the realm of pharmaceutical advancements—pursue a pharmacy education abroad, contributing to global health and innovation.
Pharmacy - A Career Combining Your People Skills and Love for Medical Science
If the workings of medicinal drugs, how they are developed, the interplay of one drug with another, and their effect on living beings intrigue you, read on for an exciting career option in Pharmacy that is challenging, satisfying, and rewarding in equal parts.
Yes, pharmacy is a multi-pronged discipline that deals with every aspect of natural and synthetic drugs used by medical practitioners to cure various ailments. Pharmacy professionals, known as pharmacists, work in varied settings like community clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, R&D laboratories, and related industries like pharma, biotech, cosmetics, etc., depending upon their expertise. Pharmacists are significant cogs in the giant wheel of modern healthcare, helping people achieve the best results from their medications.
Now that we have deciphered the importance of pharmacy as a discipline and a profession, let us see how you can get the knowledge and expertise to embark on this career. To work as a pharmacist, you must obtain a license in the intended country of practice. The licensing process involves completing an accredited degree like MPharm or PharmD, topping off with mandatory internships under supervised practice settings, and clearing a registration or licensure examination. In most countries, you can start pursuing your pharmacy education after high school, but countries like the USA and Canada require students to undergo a pre-pharmacy program after secondary school before taking up the accredited pharmacy course.
Pharmacy courses abroad combine traditional classroom lectures, academic research, laboratory experiments and practical training to learn all about drugs, medications, clinical practice, legal and ethical issues in pharmacy, and crucial professional skills like patient interaction. You can also choose a specialization area like new drug development, patient care, infectious diseases, and so on. Assessment modes term-end written exams, practical tests, project report presentations, and dissertations.
Why Study Pharmacy Courses Abroad?
The course curriculum of pharmacy abroad focuses on interdisciplinary teaching, as a result, you can learn alongside the students of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Biomedical Science. Since the pharmacy profession involves working with an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, this experience prepares you for work.
Take advantage of the state-of-the-art clinical practice and formulation laboratories, teaching facilities and the best-in-field teacher-practitioners in charge of mentoring you at the top-rated degree providers of pharmacy abroad.
An essential component of pharmacy courses abroad is the hands-on training through the duration of the program at various primary care, community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy units. These traineeships form a sound foundation of practical experience to help you land a promising internship before licensure.
Getting out of your comfort zone to study pharmacy in abroad can not only open up the international job market for you but also help you stand apart from your peers in your home country.
The studying pharmacy abroad experience helps you gain new perspectives through interaction with your peers from diverse cultures, a better understanding of international best practices in the domain, and growing a global network of professional contacts. All these and more, help you grow professionally and personally.
Turn your Study Abroad Dream to Reality
General Eligibility Criteria to Study Pharmacy Abroad
UK
A-levels or equivalent with Chemistry and Biology. Some Universities may require UKCAT or BMAT scores.
USA
High school diploma with Chemistry and Biology PCAT Score
Canada
High school diploma with Chemistry and Biology PCAT Score.
Australia
High School Diploma with Chemistry and Biology Valid scores of either UCAT or UMAT.
Germany
Variable entrance requirements; Language Proficiency Test Scores required for international students
France
French Baccalaureate or equivalent
Ireland
School Leaving Certificate with Specific Subject Requirements
New Zealand
A-levels or equivalent with Chemistry and Biology. Some Universities may require UKCAT
UAE
Varies by institutions. Generally, requires a relevant academic background for Master’s and Doctorate programs.
Europe
Eligibility and entrance tests to study pharmacy abroad vary by the destination and the university
UK
A Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy or a related field. Work Experience may be required. Some programs may ask for GRE or PCAT scores.
USA
A relevant Bachelor’s Degree. GRE Score may be required
Canada
A relevant Bachelor’s Degree. Some programs may require the PEBC Evaluating Exam Score.
Australia
A Bachelor of Pharmacy or equivalent. GAMSAT score may be required
Germany
Variable entrance requirements; Language Proficiency Test Scores required for international students
France
A relevant Bachelor’s Degree.
Ireland
A relevant Bachelor’s Degree. May require HPAT Score
New Zealand
A relevant Bachelor’s Degree. May require GAMSAT Score
UAE
Varies by institutions. Generally, requires a relevant academic background for Master’s and Doctorate programs.
Europe
Eligibility and entrance tests to study pharmacy abroad vary by the destination and the university
UK
A related Master’s Degree.
USA
A related Master’s Degree
Canada
A related Master’s Degree
Australia
A related Master’s Degree.
Germany
A related Master’s Degree.
France
A related Master’s Degree.
Ireland
A related Master’s Degree.
New Zealand
A related Master’s Degree.
UAE
Varies by institutions. Generally, requires a relevant academic background for Master’s and Doctorate programs.
Europe
Eligibility conditions and entrance tests vary by country and institution.
Types of Pharmacy Courses Abroad
Full - Time
Almost all pharmacy courses abroad require participants’ full-time involvement to complete all necessary curriculum components. You’ll attend classroom interactions with practicing pharmacists, discuss case studies and hypotheticals, carry out laboratory experiments and participate in group activities like research projects and workshops, besides engaging in supervised practical sessions. Assessment is based on coursework, term-end examinations, group projects, research work and presentations.
Part-Time
Professionals in the healthcare industry may opt to study pharmacy in abroad in part-time mode while balancing a related job. The curriculum, weightage of the coursework, practice session requirements, and assessments remain the same as in a full-time pharmacy course. The only difference in part-time pharmacy courses abroad is the extended duration taken for program completion.
Dual Degree
Ambitious students often jump at the opportunity to sign up for double degrees that combine a pharmacy qualification with another program. Such programs give participants a differentiating edge in the competitive job market besides broadening their career scope. The unique five-year double degree in chemical engineering and pharmaceutical science offered by Monash University, or combinations such as an MBA with PharmD at the University of Buffalo, or a JD with PharmD at the University of Maryland, and more opens up multiple career paths for participants.
Course Fees to Pursue Degrees in Pharmacy Abroad
The tuition fee required to study pharmacy abroad is different for each country, institution, and program, across the study levels. Here’s an estimate of the average annual cost of attendance of pharmacy courses abroad at the most popular study-abroad destinations.
Country | Average Annual Tuition Fee |
UK | £20,000 – £40,000 |
USA | $25,000 – $60,000 (Public Universities); Higher for Private Institutions |
Canada | CAD 10,000 – CAD 45,000 |
Australia | AUD 30,000 – AUD 50,000 |
Germany | Free/low tuition at Public Universities; Private Universities charges between €5,000 – €20,000 |
France | €200 – €1,000 (public universities); Private Universities charge higher fees |
Ireland | €15,000 – €35,000 |
UAE | AED 60,000 – AED 120,000 |
New Zealand | NZD 30,000 – NZD 45,000 |
Europe | €1,000 – €20,000* |
*Please note that tuition fees for pharmacy courses abroad vary widely across European nations. Generally, countries like Spain and Italy have lower course fees than the UK and other Scandinavian destinations.
Duration of Pharmacy Courses Abroad
- Undergraduate Programs – 4 -6 years
- Postgraduate Programs – 2 – 4 years
- Doctorate Programs – 3 -5 years
Top Universities to Study Pharmacy in Abroad
UK
- University of Nottingham
- University of Manchester
- University of Bath
USA
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Canada
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- University of Alberta
Australia
- Monash University
- University of Sydney
- University of Queensland
France
- University of Strasbourg
- University of Paris-Sud
- Aix-Marseille University
Germany
- Heidelberg University
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- Freie Universität Berlin
Ireland
- University College Cork
- Trinity College Dublin
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
New Zealand
- University of Auckland
- University of Otago
UAE
- Gulf Medical University
- Dubai Pharmacy College
Scholarships to Study Pharmacy Abroad
United Kingdom
- Faculty of Science Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students at University of Strathclyde. Scholarships value £5,000 - £7,000. Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to candidates who hold an offer of admission and demonstrate excellent academic performance (current and/ or previously gained) and any relevant extra-curricular or professional experience
- The Chevening Scholarships are fully-funded awards for students from select nations signing up for postgraduate studies across disciplines at a UK university. To be considered eligible, applicants must have a minimum work experience of two years and hold an unconditional admission offer into their chosen program.
USA
- University of Minnesota Scholarships: The College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota extends scholarships in the range of one-time $1,000 to annually renewable $11,000 awards to all students, including international ones. A limited number of scholarships cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition fees.
- The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is a fully-funded scholarship to assist international graduate students, young professionals, and artists in their dream to pursue study and research in the USA.
Canada
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc Graduate Scholarship is for master’s or doctoral students joining the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Alberta University. The present award value is $2,400. Consideration for the award is by departmental nomination only.
Australia
- Monash University awards the Pharmacy International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship to incoming international students enrolling in either the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honors) or Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honors)/Master of Pharmacy. The award covers 50% and 25% of tuition fees for each year of the program duration for the two highest-achieving students and two second-highest achieving students, respectively.
- The Australia Awards Scholarship: International students pursuing a full-time undergraduate/ postgraduate program across disciplines at a participating Australian institution can avail of the Australia Awards Scholarship. The award is sponsored by the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Germany
- DAAD Scholarship: International students signing up for graduate studies at German Universities can apply for the DAAD Scholarships for Master Studies funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.
- The Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarship is for meritorious international students enrolling in any degree program across study levels at a German University. Applicants must be proficient in German irrespective of the language of delivery of their program.
Ireland
- The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship supports international students with proven leadership potential with a year’s tuition fee to pursue education in any discipline in the country.
UAE
- Gulf Medical University extends the Academic Excellence Scholarships for eligible students signing up for the Doctor of Pharmacy program.
Career progression After Completing Pharmacy Courses Abroad
After Undergraduate Studies:
Soon after completing undergraduate study in pharmacy abroad, your primary employers will be community and institutional pharmacies. You can be recruited for roles like community/ hospital pharmacist, physician associate, clinical research associate, medical scribe, pharmacy technician, healthcare policy analyst, and so on. With your knowledge of medicines, you could also work in pharmaceutical marketing as a medical representative.
After Postgraduate Studies
With a postgraduate qualification in pharmacy, you are most likely to be specialized in any one area of the discipline. Accordingly, and depending upon your prior experience, you can expect mid-level positions with pharma/ biotech companies, healthcare establishments, and government agencies. The roles that you could be hired for include clinical researcher, drug discovery consultant, clinical pharmacy, product/process development scientist, regulatory affairs officer, research scientist, pharmacologist, toxicologist, etc.
After Doctorate Studies
Pharmacy PhD holders usually are inclined towards research and academia. They can assume senior positions in pharmaceutical research, pharmacovigilance, policy-making in government agencies like the FDA, or teaching and research roles in HEIs.
Salary after each of the study levels in pharmacy abroad varies by country, position, and role. To give you a general idea, the average salary earned by pharmacists in the USA is $133,014, Australia $88,843, Canada $80,700, and UK $57,000 to $53,300.
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FAQs
Why Study Abroad With UniApplica?
UniApplica provides a comprehensive solution for all aspects of student needs, covering everything required for a successful academic journey.
The Doctor of Pharmacy is a master’s program leading to licensure in the USA and Canada. A PhD in Pharmacy on the other hand translates to a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy. The degree is earned after pursuing research in a related area, writing a thesis and presenting the same in front of the Research Grant Panel for the final awarding of the qualification. While the former is an essential pathway to practice as a pharmacist in both the USA and Canada, the PhD degree is an advanced qualification for individuals who wish to pursue a research career.
Besides transferable skills like professional communication, time management, and teamwork, you would gain an in-depth understanding of physiology and health issues, technical expertise and laboratory skills, general research and data analysis skills, and IT competencies.
The areas in pharmacy that you can study at the undergraduate level and choose to pursue as a specialization area during your master’s are:
- Pharmacology – the study of how drugs interact with a living body
- Clinical Practice – study of techniques and frameworks involved in direct patient care
- Microbiology & Immunology – the study of microscopic organisms
- Drug Development – the study of the processes involved in creating new drugs.
- Pharmaceutical Technology – study of modern technologies used in the pharmaceutical sector.
Please note that this is an indicative list of specialization areas in pharmacy and not an exhaustive one.
