Qualifications and Training

Practising pharmacists are qualified and registered

A practising pharmacist in New Zealand is qualified, registered, and competent in their area of practice. A pharmacist’s annual practising certificate symbolises that:

they hold a qualification that has been approved by the Pharmacy Council
they have met standards of clinical, cultural, and professional competence
they maintain and extend competence by engaging in continuing professional development
they possess relevant and contemporary practice experience
they maintain ethical conduct
Council has no concerns regarding their fitness to practice

The registration process for the three scopes of practice — intern pharmacist, pharmacist, and pharmacist prescriber — varies according to where the applicant completed their education and what qualifications and experience they have.

New Zealand or Australian pharmacy graduates have prescribed qualifications

Graduates who have studied in New Zealand or Australia have prescribed qualifications.

Intern pharmacist

To register as an intern pharmacist, applicants must hold one of these qualifications.

Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Auckland
Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Otago
Australian pharmacy degrees from Schools of Pharmacy holding Australian Pharmacy Council accreditation.

Pharmacist

Pharmacy graduates with New Zealand or Australian qualifications must meet prescribed requirements.

New Zealand pharmacy graduates

New Zealand pharmacy applicants must have all the following.

Bachelor of Pharmacy, from the University of Auckland or the University of Otago
Completion of the intern training programme run by the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand
A pass in the Pharmacy Council Assessment Centre OSCE examination.

We consider practising pharmacists who qualified in New Zealand before the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree was introduced to have an equivalent qualification.

Australian pharmacy graduates

Australian pharmacy graduates must have all the following.

Australian pharmacy degrees from Schools of Pharmacy holding Australian Pharmacy Council accreditation
Completion of the intern training programme of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand
A pass in the Pharmacy Council Assessment Centre OSCE examination.

Read about the registration process for overseas applicants

Pharmacist prescriber

A pharmacist prescriber must have completed the accredited postgraduate programme. This qualification is being updated during 2021.