Waterloo’s PharmD program welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.
We’re thrilled that you are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist. The School of Pharmacy recognizes that everyone's lived experiences are
different, and aims to provide various pathways that reflect the diverse qualified applicants we receive each year.
Applying directly from an Ontario College
As we do not admit directly from the college level, college applicants must supplement their studies with at least one year at a university (i.e. a minimum of 4.0 FCEs). This is required as although some college applicants may be granted applicable university credit for purposes of meeting the Biology, Chemistry, Math and Humanities/Social Science subject requirements, all candidates must have a minimum total of 8.0 FCEs at the University institute level. You can review the admission requirements further on the PharmD application process webpage.
If you have questions about supplementing your studies at Waterloo and the possibility of transferring credits to one of our undergraduate programs, please consult the University of Waterloo Transfer student website.
Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacy Assistant programs do not meet the academic requirements for admission or transfer credit purposes to our PharmD program. Graduates of these programs must supplement their studies with University level study. However, completion of these programs does support the non-academic admission requirements of your application since the knowledge you have gained about the profession of pharmacy and your pharmacy related work experiences as well as connections made with pharmacists will be supportive.
Can I apply as a Pharmacy student or graduate?
Yes, however all applicants, including those enrolled in pharmacy programs at other institutions, are not enrolled with advanced standing and will be considered for year one of the program. This is because the program includes some very specific courses throughout the four-year curriculum that are only available as part of the PharmD program at the University of Waterloo.
Applying as a graduate from another pharmacy degree program
If you have graduated from a pharmacy program and wish to become licensed in Canada, follow the procedures as set out by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC). If your credentials are recognized you will be allowed to write the relevant Board Exams (Evaluating and/or Qualifying Exam). For more information on this process, please visit the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada website.
Am I eligible if I'm an international student?
Yes. We admit the most qualified applicants regardless of their place of residence. All applicants must take the equivalent of all courses listed in the Required Courses section of the website.
Candidates who have studied outside of Canada must be prepared to submit detailed course outlines/syllabi for any courses intended to satisfy the subject requirements. These are to be sent after submission of the online application where requested.
Evaluating courses from other institutions
Acceptable courses are determined through a detailed review of the course outline, or course syllabus. Course outlines should include a detailed course description, number of hours in lecture/lab, prerequisites, textbook, etc.
Waterloo Pharmacy does not evaluate international pharmacy degrees
If you completed a Pharmacy program that PEBC did not recognize you must complete another Pharmacy degree. To qualify for admission to our PharmD program, you must meet all published admission requirements, including academic requirements completed at a recognized institution.
PharmD English language requirements
Applicants must meet the English language requirements for the University of Waterloo and must complete one acceptable university ENGL course (0.5 credit). View Waterloo’s official English language policy, acceptable tests and required scores.
Thinking of a second career?
- You may be considered as a mature student if you have been away from University for some time, normally four years.
- Since the PharmD program is a second-entry professional program, all applicants (including mature students) are required to first complete a specific set of courses at the post-secondary university level. You can review the admission requirements further on the PharmD application process webpage.
- If you have not completed university studies, you can learn more about applying as a mature student to our undergraduate programs on the Applying as a mature student webpage. As a mature applicant, you will be required to have at a minimum the required Ontario Grade 12 U courses (or equivalents): Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, English and two of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, or Physics for admission consideration to the Faculty of Science. Once admitted, remember to review PharmD admission requirements on the PharmD application process webpage to come up with your application plan!
Prerequisite courses taken more than 10 years ago
Courses taken more than 10 years ago will be subject to review once your application has been submitted.
