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Studies & Degrees in Pre-Pharmacy

Pre-pharmacy is the undergraduate preparation for a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programme, the degree needed to work as a pharmacist in the United States. It is not a pharmacy qualification in itself. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), pharmacists typically need a Pharm.D. from an accredited programme, and these programmes typically require applicants to have at least 2 years of prerequisite undergraduate courses in subjects such as anatomy and physiology, physics and statistics.

The bachelor's degree in pharmacy is no longer offered in the United States, as the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) points out. That is the main difference from Spain and most of Latin America, where pharmacy is a first university degree entered directly after secondary school. In the US, the student first completes the pre-pharmacy courses at a college or university and then applies to the professional programme.

Qualifications and levels

PharmCAS describes the route as at least 2 years of specific undergraduate study followed by 4 academic years (or 3 calendar years) of professional pharmacy study. In practice, the majority of students enter a pharmacy programme with 3 or more years of college, and some schools require or prefer a bachelor's degree. Holders of a bachelor's degree must still complete the full professional programme.

  • Pre-pharmacy inside a pharmacy school: at Butler University, pharmacy students spend the first two years in a Pre-Pharmacy programme and then have a direct pathway into the university's Doctor of Pharmacy, contingent on satisfactory academic progress and completion of the admission process. The BLS also mentions programmes that admit high school graduates into a 6-year course.
  • Early or guaranteed admission: the College of Pharmacy at Ferris State University offers pre-admission to its PharmD to highly qualified high school students and to college students enrolled in pre-pharmacy coursework.
  • A track next to a major: at Tennessee Tech University, students on the Pre-Pharmacy career track typically major in Biology, Chemistry, Human Ecology or Interdisciplinary Studies and complete a bachelor's degree before applying.
  • Two years at a community college: the prerequisite courses can also be started at a community college and continued at a university or pharmacy school; applicants should check that each pharmacy school accepts those credits.

A major called "pre-pharmacy" is not required. PharmCAS reports that biology was the most common major among its accepted applicants last year, followed by chemistry, and that students also come from fields such as English, business or psychology, provided they complete the prerequisite courses.

Getting into a Pharm.D. programme

Most applications go through PharmCAS, a centralised service for applying to several Pharm.D. programmes; 134 schools participate. The required courses vary by school. The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), which older guides still mention, was retired on 10 January 2024.

International applicants should check each school first. PharmCAS warns that some US pharmacy institutions do not consider non-US applicants, and that private institutions generally offer them more places than state-supported public ones. Some schools do not accept pre-pharmacy courses taken at a foreign institution and may require them to be completed at an accredited US university, which is one reason to take pre-pharmacy in the United States. If English is not the applicant's first language, programmes may ask for official TOEFL scores.

Accreditation and licence

Pharm.D. programmes are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), which is recognised by the US Department of Education. Students must graduate from an ACPE-accredited programme to be eligible to practise pharmacy in the United States. After the degree, prospective pharmacists typically must pass two exams to obtain a licence and complete a number of intern hours set by the state.

Where to study pre-pharmacy

SpainExchange lists 26 active schools for pre-pharmacy: 25 in the United States and one in Canada. The US schools include community colleges and universities with their own pharmacy school, such as Butler University, Ferris State University, whose Doctor of Pharmacy is accredited by the ACPE, and Purdue University. The Canadian school is the University of British Columbia (UBC), whose Entry-to-Practice PharmD is a four-year professional programme. Teaching is in English.

When comparing schools, check which pharmacy programmes accept their pre-pharmacy courses, whether there is an early-admission agreement, and what advising and laboratory facilities are available.

Careers

Pre-pharmacy alone does not qualify anyone to dispense medicines. Pharmacists dispense prescription medications and inform patients about the drugs and their use; Purdue's pre-professional advising office describes them as medication experts. After the Pharm.D., those who want a clinical or other advanced position may complete a residency or fellowship, which typically lasts 1 to 2 years.

The BLS counted 325,200 jobs for pharmacists in the United States in 2025 and projects growth of 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings each year.

Frequently asked questions

Is pre-pharmacy a degree?

Usually not. It is a set of prerequisite courses, taken as a two-year programme inside a pharmacy school or alongside a major such as biology or chemistry. A pre-pharmacy major is not required for admission.

How long does it take to become a pharmacist in the United States?

At least 2 years of undergraduate prerequisites followed by a Pharm.D. that usually takes 4 years. Many students complete 3 or more years of college before entering.

Is the PCAT still required?

No. The PCAT was retired on 10 January 2024. Each programme sets its own requirements, which are listed in the PharmCAS school directory.

Can international students apply to US pharmacy schools?

Some schools accept them and others do not. Those that do require the same course prerequisites and tests as for US students, and may ask for an English test.