University of Alberta pharmacy admission requirements: 60 units of prerequisites, a 3.0 floor and a 3.6 competitive GPA

Alberta's FAQ says you cannot enter pharmacy straight from high school. The faculty needs set pre-professional courses taken at university or college level. Alberta says it is most common for high school students to apply to a Bachelor of Science to finish these courses. The Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences is another option it names.

So in Grade 12, your goal is a strong BSc offer. Work out your average with our Top 6 average calculator. For a related first year option, see our Alberta Kinesiology guide.

You need 60 units, including 6 units each of English, general chemistry, organic chemistry and human physiology. You also need 3 units each of math, statistics, cell biology, biochemistry and microbiology.

Courses can be complete or in progress when you apply. Everything must be finished by the June 15 transcript deadline. Plan a two year course map so the second year science courses fit on time.

Alberta needs an overall recent GPA of at least 3.0 to consider you. It says competitive applicants usually present at least a 3.6. The FAQ adds that students below 3.0 normally will not be considered.

Your recent GPA uses your most recent two full time years. A full time year means at least 18 credits in Fall and Winter only, so spring and summer courses do not raise it. Alberta does not publish an acceptance rate. See the Alberta admissions overview for the wider picture.

Your GPA rank is 75% of your admission score. A web based interview is 20% and a letter of intent is 5%. Alberta does not hold in person interviews. You get a link with video instructions in early March. The interview and letter are due around early April.

The letter of intent can be no longer than 600 words. Alberta's FAQ says Casper and similar assessments are not required at this time.

You do not have to take every course at Alberta. Prerequisites can come from the North Campus, the Augustana Campus, or other Canadian schools. Alberta checks transfer courses through Transfer Alberta and its own transfer credit search. International courses need detailed syllabi.

There is a grade rule. Transfer courses need at least a C minus to count, while Alberta's own courses need at least a D. IB and AP credit can meet some prerequisites, which can free space in your first year.

Alberta also advises against spring or summer courses in your final year before applying. Transcripts are due June 15, so late courses may not be graded in time.

Alberta says the letter is your chance to share your career goals, what you know about pharmacy, your work or volunteer experience and your personal qualities. It is only 5% of the score, but it still counts.

Keep it under 600 words and use real examples. Time in a pharmacy, a hospital or a care role gives you something true to write about. Once admitted, students must also finish the University of Alberta Indigenous Canada online course by December 31 of year one.

The faculty page lists applications opening October 1 and closing March 1, without naming a year. For Fall 2027 entry, plan on October 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027, and confirm with Alberta. Transcripts are due June 15. Offers come out between mid May and early July.

Entry is in Fall only, and offers cannot be deferred. If English proficiency proof applies to you, it is also due June 15. Compare other schools on our Canadian deadlines page.

Alberta admits between 130 and 140 students each year. It reserves 10 places a year for Indigenous applicants. It also reserves 10 places a year for applicants from rural Alberta communities.

For the rural places, you must have lived in a community at least 50 kilometres from Edmonton or Calgary for at least three years between ages 12 and 18. The years do not need to be in a row. You send proof of rural status with your application.

For the Indigenous places, you must be of First Nations, Metis or Inuit ancestry and send proof. Alberta also lists merit based entrance scholarships of up to $20,000 for eligible Indigenous students. Both reserved routes still need at least a 3.0 GPA.

The PharmD is a four year program of classes and practice. Years one and two include spring placements in community and hospital pharmacy. Year four has four eight week placements: community, hospital, patient care and an elective.

Alberta does not describe a co-op stream for the PharmD. The placements are part of the degree. Alberta lists its program as top 4 in Canada and top 50 in the world.

The Registrar's 2026-2027 fee page lists a Pharmacy core course at $1,703.88 per 3 credits for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. That matches the faculty's rate of $567.96 per credit for domestic students admitted Fall 2022 or later.

Year one has 36 credits. The faculty's 2025 estimate for year one was $20,446.56 in tuition and $31,469.39 in total, with $4,500 for books and $4,500 for placement costs. Your BSc years cost less. Alberta's sample for a general Arts year in 2026-27 is $7,200 in tuition plus $3,700 in books and fees.

Pharmacy at Alberta is usually two years of science, then four years of PharmD. Your child's recent GPA is what counts most, so a steady, full time course load in Fall and Winter matters.

Budget for the higher PharmD cost from the third year on. The Alberta university guide has more on student life, residence and costs in Edmonton.