Study Bachelor of Pharmacy in Canada from Nepal

Can You Study Pharmacy in Canada from Nepal After +2?

Not as a straight bachelor’s degree, because Canada’s main pharmacy route is a doctor of pharmacy that you join after university study.

Students often search for a bachelor of pharmacy. In Canada, the schools on this page award a Doctor of Pharmacy, or PharmD, as the entry degree. You do not go from +2 straight into it. You first finish university science courses, and then you apply.

This guide is part of our study in Canada from Nepal series. For other degree levels, read our bachelors in Canada guide. If you have a different health interest, compare our bachelor of nursing in Canada guide.

If you like health science but not pharmacy, read our guide to nutrition in Canada.

Pharmacy is also a regulated job. That means a degree is not enough to work as a pharmacist, and you need a licence from a provincial college.

Which Canadian Pharmacy Schools Accept International Students?

Toronto and Waterloo consider international applicants, Alberta lists language rules for them, and UBC accepts only Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The University of British Columbia is clear. Its PharmD admission page says you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident by the deadline. So UBC is not an option for a student on a study permit.

The University of Toronto says international students may apply. There is no separate cap for them inside its class of about 260. The Toronto PharmD FAQ also says you need both a study permit and a co-op work permit, because the permit allows your clinical placements.

Waterloo says it considers applicants from every country, whatever their citizenship. See its international applicants page.

The University of Alberta says international students must meet its English and spoken English rules. It does not list a seat number for them. Read its PharmD FAQ.

Being allowed to apply is not the same as getting a place. Every school says that meeting the minimum does not mean you will be admitted.

What Are the Entry Requirements for Pharmacy in Canada?

You need university courses in biology, chemistry and maths, and an average of at least 70%.

Toronto asks for a cumulative university average of at least 70% and 8.0 full-course credits. The set courses are one credit of biology, one and a half of chemistry, one of maths with some calculus, and one of humanities or social science. Its academic requirements page lists them in full.

UBC asks for 60 university credits and a 70% average on the latest 60. Alberta asks for two years of pre-pharmacy courses. Waterloo asks for at least one year, and it wants course outlines for any course you took abroad.

So a +2 science student from Nepal first needs a degree or diploma step in Canada. A bachelor’s in science, health science or biology is a common base. Pick your first-year courses from the PharmD school’s own list.

Check your +2 grade with our NEB GPA calculator. Language scores follow each school’s rules, and our minimum IELTS and PTE for Canada page gives the usual range. Visa papers are in our Canada student visa requirements guide.

How Much Does Pharmacy Cost in Canada?

Toronto lists CAD 57,280 a year for international PharmD tuition, and you pay for your first science degree on top.

This amount is in Canadian dollars. Use our CAD to Rs forex converter for today’s value. The table shows what we could confirm on a school page.

These figures come from the same Toronto FAQ page. We could not confirm a PharmD fee for Waterloo or Alberta on an official page. Ask each school for its current fee table.

Your first degree before pharmacy has its own fees. For living costs, see our cost of studying in Canada guide, and for the funds you must show, our Canada proof of funds page. You can also read about scholarships to study in Canada.

How Do You Become a Licensed Pharmacist in Canada?

You finish an accredited pharmacy degree, pass the national PEBC exams, and register with the pharmacy college of your province.

The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada, called PEBC, runs the national exam. For Canadian graduates, the PEBC pathway lists identity and education checks, then a multiple-choice exam and a practical exam called the OSCE.

Each province then has its own college.

In Ontario, the Ontario College of Pharmacists sorts applicants by where they studied. Its legal status rule says citizens, permanent residents and temporary foreign workers with a valid work permit qualify. It does not list study permit holders, so plan to hold a work permit or PR when you register. You can read the rule on the legal status page.

Other provinces have their own colleges and steps. Check the college in the province where you want to work.

What Is the Difference Between a Pharmacist and a Pharmacy Technician?

A pharmacist has a university pharmacy degree, and a technician has a different course and a different role.

Technicians help pharmacists prepare and check medicine. They are registered by the provincial colleges too. Waterloo says technician programs do not count toward PharmD entry.

So a technician diploma is not a shortcut into the PharmD. It is a separate career. Check that a college program is accredited before you pay any fee.

What Can You Do If You Already Have a Pharmacy Degree from Nepal?

A pharmacy graduate from outside Canada follows a separate route and does not repeat the PharmD at every school.

The Ontario College of Pharmacists has a route for graduates of pharmacy programs abroad. PEBC says eligible graduates now go straight to its Qualifying Examination. They skip the old Evaluating Examination.

Waterloo says it does not assess pharmacy degrees from other countries. If your degree is not recognized, you may need another pharmacy degree. Ask PEBC and your provincial college first.

What Plan Helps If Pharmacy Seats Are Hard to Win?

Choose a first degree that you would be happy to finish even if you do not get into pharmacy.

A science, health science or biology degree keeps the pharmacy door open. It also leads to other jobs and to other health courses. Our bachelor of nutrition in Canada guide is one idea to compare.

Ask each school what the minimum average is, and how it treats students who studied abroad. Keep your marks high from the first term. Applying in more than one year is common, so plan your funds and permit dates for that.

What Jobs Can Pharmacy Lead To, and Can You Stay in Canada?

A licensed pharmacist can work in community pharmacies, hospitals and clinics, and the degree can lead to a post-graduation work permit.

Hospital, community, clinic and industry roles all need the right registration. You can work up to 24 hours a week off campus while you study, as the off-campus work rules explain.

Our post-graduation work permit guide covers the permit after your degree. Pharmacy does not give permanent residence on its own. Read PR pathways through education in Canada for the plain facts.

How Can Goreto Help You Apply?

Goreto counselors help you plan the science degree first, pick schools that accept international students and prepare your papers.

You can meet a counselor at our Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari or Pokhara branch. Visit get in touch to find the nearest office.