Topic:

• Why study Pharmacy in Australia?
• Career outcomes after graduation
• Course Options
• Entry Requirements
• Professional Accreditation
• Expected salary as a Pharmacist in Australia
• School Recommendations
• Interested in studying Pharmacy in Australia?

In Australia, Pharmacy programs typically offer a range of courses or majors that cover various aspects of pharmaceutical sciences, clinical practice, and healthcare management. The specific courses offered may vary between universities, but here are some common courses or majors that you might find in in Australia:   

• Medicines  
• Chemistry of Biological Systems  
• Anatomy  
• Genes and Disease  
• Organic Chemistry  
• Pharmacology  
• Cells and Tissues  
• Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics   

The cost of studying pharmacy in Australia can vary depending on the level of education and the specific university or institution. If you apply for a G8 Australian university, the tuition fee may be around 48,000 – 55,000 per year. However, the tuition fees of lower ranking universities should be more affordable, around 35,00 – 40,000 per year.   

Contact us at [email protected] or 07 3003 1899 to know the tuition fees for your preferred courses!   

• For the Bachelor’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed Year 12 or a Diploma course and attained IELTS Academic 6.5 – 7.0 (with no sub-score less than 6.5). Most universities also require students to fulfill prerequisites in Chemistry, Biochemistry or Mathematics.   
• For the Master’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed a Bachelor’s degree and attained IELTS Academic 6.5-7.0 (with no sub-score less than 6.5-7.0). Most universities also require students to fulfill prerequisites in Chemistry, Biochemistry or Mathematics.   

If you don’t meet entry requirement for your preferred course? Contact SOL Edu, one of the best education agencies in Brisbane, today! Our team will offer you free consultation and free application process.

Bachelor’s Level  

• Monash University 
• University of Sydney
• University of Queensland 
• Griffith University 
• Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 
• University of South Australia (UNISA) 

Master’s Level 

• University of Technology Sydney (UTS) 
• Griffith University 
• University of Sydney
• University of Canberra 
• University of Western Australia

Want to know which course/s best suit your expectation and situation? Contact SOL Edu at [email protected] or fill out the enquiry form! Our team will offer you free consultation and free application process.  

For immigration purposes, pharmacy degree holders need to pass a skill assessment assessed by one of approved authorities in Australia. To know which organisation/authority that you should submit your skills assessment for, you need to clarify what is your occupation. Below are two examples of skills assessment criteria.   

Category 1: Skills assessment assessed by VETASSESS  

If your occupation is Industrial Pharmacist (ANZSCO Code 251512), the authority to assess your skills assessment is VETASSESS. To have a positive skills assessment outcome, you need to meet the following criteria:   

(1)       For those who have completed a Bachelor or higher degree with a field highly relevant to the nominated occupation:   

• You must have at least one year of post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level,  
• your experience must be undertaken in the last five years,  
• you must work 20 hours or more per week, and  
• your job must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation.  

(2)       For those who have completed a Bachelor or higher degree with a field highly that is not relevant to the nominated occupation:   

• You must have at least three years of post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level. However, if you have an additional qualification of at least Diploma level in a highly relevant field, you are required to have two years of experience only.  
• your experience must be undertaken in the last five years,  
• you must work 20 hours or more per week, and  
• your job must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation.  

Please note that in case your employment has occurred before you get your qualification, then five years of highly relevant experience are needed, in addition to at least one year of highly relevant employment within the last five years.  

Category 2: Skills assessment assessed by Australian Pharmacy Council (APC)  

If your occupation is Hospital Pharmacist (ANZSCO Code 251511) and Retail Pharmacist (ANZSCO Code 251513), the authority to assess your skills assessment is Australian Pharmacy Council (APC). To have a positive skills assessment outcome, you must:  

• Have graduated from an accredited degree program in Australia or New Zealand. To demonstrate your qualification, you must show (1) your degree certificate/letter of completion if your degree has not been issued yet, and (2) your academic transcript.  

International students do not need to have worked as a pharmacist to apply for a skills assessment. However, if you wish to include your work history to support your visa/migration application, you need to provide a resume and the resume must include:   

• All working periods when you have worked as a registered pharmacist,  
• Employer’s name of organisation, contact details and address,  
• Commence and finish dates.  
• Please note that APC only considers your work experience if you have worked:   
• As fully registered pharmacist,   
• More than 20 hours per week,  
• For at least 12 months in the last 10 years   

Want to know if your qualification and work experience are eligible for a migration skill assessment? Contact SOL Edu today at [email protected] or fill out the inquiry form. Our team will reach out to you within 24 hours at the latest!   

Step 1: Apply for a 485 visa  

After completing at least 2 years pharmacy course, you are eligible to apply for visa 485 (Post-Higher Education Work stream). You are required to have at leastIELTS overall 6.5 with no band score under 5.5 in the past 1 year before you lodge your visa application.

Under visa 485, you can stay in Australia for 2-5 years depending on your degree and nationality. However, if you undertook and completed at least  2 years of study in a ‘Regional Area’ such as the Gold Coast, Adelaide or Perth, you can be eligible for an additional 1 or 2 years of the 485 Visa Thus, you will have more time to prepare yourself for permanent residence (PR) or a temporary visa that can lead to a PR. 

Step 2: Apply for a PR or a visa that can lead to a PR  

After successfully completing an accredited pharmacy course in Australia, you’ll find some pathways to facilitate your migration to the country. Depending on your occupation, you might be eligible for one or more of the following visa options:  

Skilled visas        

• 190 – Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) – is a permanent residence visa but you need a nomination from one of Australian states or territories to apply for this visa. Each state may have its own occupation list and additional requirements, so you must investigate if you meet all the state’s eligibility criteria before asking for a nomination.    
• 491 – Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491) is not permanent, but it can lead to a PR (visa 191). You must commit to stay and work in your nominating regional Australia for a minimal period of time and achieve at least 65 points to be apply for this visa.     

Employer Sponsored visas    

• 482 – Temporary Skilled Shortage (subclass 482) Medium Term Stream – allows you to stay and work in Australia for up to 4 years. To apply for this visa, you must have an employer who is willing to sponsor you. You will have a chance of getting a PR after a 482 visa.    

• 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) (subclass 494) is applicable for you if you have a regional employer who is willing to sponsor you. You must accumulate at least 3 years working and obtain a relevant skills assessment.   

Contact SOL Edu today at [email protected] to know which visa you are eligible for!