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This pathway shows you how to apply for a Skills Assessment Outcome so that you can register and work as a pharmacist in Australia. It applies if you completed your pharmacy qualification in any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA.
You'll need this outcome issued to:
This process applies if you completed a pharmacy qualification in any country that is not:
Your qualification needs to incorporate the knowledge of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences that form the foundation of the pathway to general registration in Australia.
The qualification must also be the equivalent of either:
As well as holding a pharmacy qualification, you must be either:
If any of the above criteria are not true for you, this pathway does not apply to you. See Skills assessments.
Skills Assessment structure
The process for requesting a Skills Assessment Outcome has 2 parts:
There is no expiry on the eligibility check.
Time frames
Make sure you lodge your application at least 8 weeks prior to the registration closing date.
Cost:
These are the documents you will need for your Eligibility Check application.
Before you start, translate any non-English documents into English. It must be a translation of the full document.
We will not accept an extract translation of the document unless it is provided from an Australian Government Department, such as the Department of Home Affairs.
You must use a translator who is accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). We will not accept documents that have been translated by anyone else.
You will need to submit both original and English-translated documents.
When you apply for an Eligibility Check in the Candidate Portal, you will include the following:
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Passport |
If you do not have a current passport, you can complete your application with an alternative Australian or New Zealand identification document. The only accepted alternatives include:
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Official photo-bearing document |
We require an official ID as proof of identity. This must be an ID document issued by an overseas or Australian authority. It must include your photo. |
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Birth certificate |
We require a birth certificate as proof of identity. If you do not have a birth certificate you can provide a second photo-bearing document (see above). |
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Qualification certificate or letter of completion |
You must include your qualification certificate or letter of completion if your certificate has not yet been issued.
If you have more than one qualification, please combine them into one file. |
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Academic transcript |
The academic transcript issued by the education provider must:
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Evidence of registration |
You must provide evidence that you're eligible to register as a pharmacist in the country you completed your qualification. Provide one of the following:
To obtain this evidence, contact your pharmacy registration authority, not your university. If the document is to show ‘eligibility to commence the registration process’, it must refer to both you and your university by name. |
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Agent authorisation form (optional) |
If you want to nominate someone to communicate with us on your behalf, upload the original APC Agent Authorisation Form. Both you and your agent must sign the agent’s authority. |
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Evidence of name change (optional) |
Your name must appear the same way on all your documents. If you have changed your name, you need to upload proof of any name change in the portal. If your name is spelt incorrectly in any of your documents, you will need to have them corrected by the organisation who originally issued them. Documents that prove a change of name include:
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We are currently improving this process to better align with and support your career prospects. We therefore are not currently accepting work experience applications.
You may be able to provide evidence of your work experience directly to the Department of Home Affairs
For more information on the criteria that your qualification needs to meet, see our Assessment Standards.
For specific details about the required documents, see our Skills Assessment Documents Policy.
You do not need to:
If you leave out any documents or provide incorrect information, the process will take longer than usual.
The eligibility check is the first step in your journey to receiving a Skills Assessment Outcome and becoming a pharmacist in Australia.
Cost: AU$810
Timeframe: 8 weeks
Step 1
You must have completed a pharmacy qualification in any country that is not:
Your qualification needs to incorporate the knowledge of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences that form the foundation of the pathway to general registration in Australia. We'll assess it to check that it does. If it doesn't, we cannot accept it.
As well as holding a pharmacy qualification, you must also be either:
If any of the information above is not true for you, this process does not apply to you. See Skills Assessments.
Step 2
You'll need to provide us with documents to:
Ensure that your name is displayed the same across all documents. If you have changed your name you will need to provide evidence of this in your application.
See your document checklist in the tab above.
You may want us to communicate with another person, such as a migration agent or family member, instead of you. This is not required - it is optional if you choose.
If you want to nominate someone else to work with us, download and fill in our Agent Authorisation form. Both you and your nominated agent must sign it.
Your nominated agent must use a different email address to yours.
You'll need upload the completed form in the Candidate Portal.
If you nominate someone else, we'll only talk to your authorised agent about your application.
Step 3
We cannot guarantee that your application will be assessed in time to register for your preferred exam. It may help if you lodge your application at least 8 weeks prior the registration closing date.
Your card must be issued by a bank in your country of residence. If you have paymnt issues please contact us.
Step 4
It will take us about 8 weeks to complete your eligibility check.
If you provide the wrong documents or leave any out, the process will take longer than usual.
We may email you to tell you we need more information.
If we ask for more information, you have 6 months (180 days) to get this to us.
If we do not receive the correct information from you within 6 months, our system will close your application. If this happens, you'll need to re-apply and pay the fee again.
We'll tell you (or your agent) by email whether or not you can sit the KAPS exam.
The KAPS (Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences) exam tests your knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical sciences. Passing it ensures you have the skills and knowledge to practise safely in Australia.
Duration of exam: Minimum 4 hours. There are 2 papers, each with 100 questions.
Cost: AU$2290 - Learn more about exam fees.
Eligibility: Ensure you are eligible to sit the exam by applying for an Eligibility Check.
Step 1
The KAPS exam includes 2 papers. You will need to sit them both on the same date.
Ensure you've submitted your Eligibility Check at least 8 weeks prior to the registration closing date for your preferred exam.
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Exam Dates |
Registration period |
Results released |
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15 - 17 July 2024 |
26 March - 11 June 2024 |
30 July 2024 |
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25 - 27 November 2024 |
6 August - 14 October 2024 |
10 December 2024 |
Seat availability varies between test centres. Test centres can reach full capacity or may not be available for certain sessions.
We recommend you finish registering before you arrange your travel.
You can sit our exams in the following cities.
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Country |
City |
Argentina |
Buenos Aires |
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Australia |
Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Townsville |
Botswana |
Gaborone |
Canada |
Toronto and Montreal |
Egypt |
Cairo and surrounding areas |
Fiji |
Suva |
Finland |
Espoo and Helsinki |
Ghana |
Legon |
Greece |
Athens |
Hong Kong SAR |
Hong Kong |
India |
Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune and Noida. |
Jamaica |
Kingston |
Kenya |
Nairobi |
Malaysia |
Kuala Lumpur |
Nepal |
Birtamode |
New Zealand |
Auckland and Wellington |
Oman |
Muscat |
Pakistan |
Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and surrounding areas |
Peru |
Lima |
Philippines |
Manila |
Poland |
Krakow |
Qatar |
Doha |
Saudi Arabia |
Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh |
Singapore |
Singapore |
Spain |
Madrid |
South Africa |
Johannesburg, Cape Town |
Sri Lanka |
Colombo and Western Province |
Taiwan |
Kaohsiung, Taipei City |
Thailand |
Bangkok |
Türkiye |
Istanbul |
United Arab Emirates |
Dubai and surrounding areas |
United Kingdom |
London |
Zimbabwe |
Harare |
Step 2
To sit the exam, you must have:
Need some help? To determine the correct pathway for you, see I want to sit the CAOP or KAPS examination.
Registrations open at 9am and close at 5pm AEDT/AEST. Check these times in your local time zone with a time zone converter. They close about one month before exam day.
We cannot accept any late registrations.
Some locations fill up fast, so we suggest booking your exam as soon as possible when registrations open. You can choose an alternative test centre if your preferred centre is full.
Every test-taker is different. It is important we provide equitable access to testing. If you'd like to ask for special accommodation, you can select the option as part of the registration process. You will be prompted to upload your supporting documents.
We'll review your request and your documents. We'll then email you the outcome of your request within two business days. If your request is approved, we will direct you to Pearson VUE to arrange the request details.
Your appointment date and time may change to allow for your request.
Read more about special accommodation.
You will be prompted to upload a headshot. It can be 'selfie'.
Your headshot must be:
If you usually cover your head for religious reasons, or you wear facial jewellery, your photo can include these items.
You must pay the fee at the time of registration. If payment is not received your seat will be released.
Please note:
We'll send you a reminder email around 5 days before your exam.
Step 3
You can reschedule your exam in your Candidate Portal.
You can reschedule it to another date and time only during the registration period.
You can cancel and request a refund for any reason, however it is subject to our approval and will incur a cancellation fee. The amount you receive depends on when you cancel your exam.See partial refund amounts.
Read our refund policy carefully for details.
You will need to cancel your exam in your Candidate Portal.
Step 4
Familiarise yourself with the exam and be prepared for the day of your exam.
Step 5
We'll email you when your results are available. Refer to exam dates and locations for more information.
You'll be able to view and download your results from the Candidate Portal.
We release all results as 'Pass' or 'Unsuccessful' only. We do not release any scores.
Sometimes candidates need more than one attempt to pass the KAPS Exam. Don't give up! Talk to your friends, colleagues and family and work out how best to prepare for the next exam.
If you were unsuccessful in one or both of the exam papers, you will see a breakdown of your results in your Candidate Portal.
You may sit an unsuccessful paper again as many times as you need to.
If you passed 1 paper of the KAPS, you will have 2 years to pass the unsuccessful paper. If you do not pass this paper within 2 years, you'll need to register to sit both papers again.
You can register to sit the exam again during the next exam period. When it opens register in Candidate Portal. You will need to pay the full registration fee again when you register.
APC offers an appeals process for matters other than the calculation of results. The process is to ensure no candidate is disadvantaged by matters outside their control. Please read about our Appeals Policy before sitting the exam. The policy tells you about the scope of an appeal. Learn more about our appeals process.
When you pass the KAPS exam, you can then request a copy of your Skills Assessment Outcome.
Once you have a Skills Assessment Outcome from us, you can use it to:
Your outcome will be valid for 3 years from the date we issue it.
The Department of Home Affairs sets the validity period for your Skills Assessment outcome for visa applications. APC is unable to change the validity period.
If something significant changes after we issue your Skills Assessment outcome, you can ask us for an updated Skills Assessment.
When you pass the KAPS exam, you can apply to the Pharmacy Board of Australia (PharmBA) for provisional registration and approval of supervised practice.
After you’ve completed 75% of your supervised practice hours, you will then sit the Board registration exams: Intern Written Exam (with APC), Oral Exam (with PharmBA).
Some candidates contact professional organisations, family contacts, or extended networks to understand what opportunities exist at that time to find a supervised practice setting. Others may already have an offer to work in a pharmacy.
In any case, you must have your registration and arrangements approved by PharmBA before enrolling in and beginning supervised practice.
We suggest calling Ahpra to chat about your particular circumstances and goals.
The Australasian College of Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia provide learning courses that are designed to help overseas trained pharmacists prepare for a career in Australian pharmacy and understand the Australian pharmacy context.
These courses are not a requirement as part of registration. They are not mandatory. This means it is your choice, only if you would like the extra support.
Foundations of Australian Community Pharmacy
The Australasian College of Pharmacy
Introduction to pharmacy in Australia
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
These courses are run by organisations that are not affiliated with APC.
Learn about other pathways to getting your pharmacy qualification recognised so you can migrate to, or register as a pharmacist in, Australia
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