What ATAR Is Needed For Pharmacy In Australia?
Have you dreamed about a career in pharmacy and being able to make a big contribution to healthier communities? Luckily, there are pharmacy programs across the country. Although, you’ll need to know the ATAR for pharmacy so that you can plan your studies accordingly.
There are two common pathways to becoming a pharmacist in Australia and depending on which pathway you choose, it will take a minimum of either 5-6 years to become a registered pharmacist. Regardless of which option you go with, students must complete a 48-week internship before becoming fully licenced pharmacists. In general, the ATAR for pharmacy in Australia is usually in the mid-70s – mid 80s, however some minimum ATARs are into the 90s for guaranteed entry.
If your child needs a little extra help in achieving the minimum ATAR for pharmacy required to get into the school of their choice, our professional tutors can help.
What ATAR is needed for pharmacy in Australia?
Pharmacy is all about science, math and communication so focusing on chemistry, biology and English in high school will be a must for pharmacy school hopefuls. All of these subjects – along with maths, are used in calculating a student’s ATAR score so it’s important to aim for the best grades possible in these high school courses. This beginner’s guide to understanding ATAR is a great reference for those wanting to dig deeper into discovering how the ATAR score is calculated. However, entry minimum ATARS for any given program do fluctuate from year to year depending on how many students apply to each school. For this reason, it’s important that students give it their all and strive to achieve the highest ATAR they can possibly get – and if they are struggling with any of their high school subjects – A Team Tuition can help.
What is the minimum ATAR for pharmacy at Australian Universities?
Although there are pharmacy schools scattered around the country, there aren’t that many universities in total in Australia that offer this undergrad program. Recently the lowest ATAR for pharmacy in Australia has been in the 70s, but many schools require a higher score. Some schools base entry off of selection ranks instead of an ATAR score by offering adjustments to your base ATAR score. More information on how selection ranks are calculated can be found by contacting each individual university.
Below is a summary of undergrad pharmacy programs throughout Australia and their corresponding entry requirements.
What ATAR is needed for pharmacy in New South Wales and Canberra?
There are 4 universities in New South Wales and one school in Canberra that offer options to study an undergrad pharmacy degree. The minimum ATAR for pharmacy at these schools ranges from 72 all the way up to 90 for guaranteed entry. If your child has their sights set on a particular school and wants to boost their high school grades, our professional tutors in Sydney and Canberra are ready to help.
University of Sydney School of Pharmacy
Recognised as one of the leading schools for pharmacy education in Australia, the University of Sydney School of Pharmacy is well respected globally for both research and innovation.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours optional)
- 84 selection rank, minimum ATAR of 90 for guaranteed entry
- 4-year program
Bachelor of Pharmacy and Management (Honours optional)
- 5-year program for this dual degree
- Minimum ATAR of 90 required for guaranteed entry
University of New England
As the first university in Australia to offer a Pharmacy degree online, students are able to do most of their coursework online but will be required to attend The University of New England campus for mandatory intensive classes on campus each trimester.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- Guaranteed entry with a minimum ATAR of 80
- 4-year program offered both online and on campus
University of Newcastle
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- 72.05 selection rank
- 4-year program
Charles Sturt University
- 75 selection rank
- 4-year full time program – or part time equivalent
University of Canberra
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours optional)
- 80 selection rank
What is the minimum ATAR for pharmacy in Victoria?
In Victoria, three universities offer bachelor degrees in this field with the minimum ATAR for pharmacy in this state landing in the high 70s. Three of these programs are honours courses and one is combined with a Masters of Pharmacy so competition is likely to be tough to get in. If your child is concerned that they won’t have the grades they need to secure their spot in one of these schools, A Team Tuition can help them gain the confidence, motivation and higher grades that they need.
La Trobe University
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- 83.75 minimum ATAR required (including adjustments)
- 4-year program
Monash University
Monash University’s pharmacy degrees have long been considered some of the best in Australia and they are the only school to offer a combined Bachelor/ Masters of Pharmacy dual degree.
Bachelor of Pharmacy/ Masters of Pharmacy
- Minimum 78.95 ATAR or 84 for guaranteed entry
- Students will graduate with 2 degrees in the same amount of time as pathways only offering an undergrad degree
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- Minimum 81.95 ATAR required or 84 for guaranteed entry
- 4-year program
RMIT University
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- 78.10 ATAR
- 4-year program
What ATAR is needed to study pharmacy in Queensland?
Queensland students will have to compete for their spot at one of the four universities offering Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees in Queensland. If your child feels they may need a little extra boost in order to increase their chances of acceptance into the school of their choice, A Team Tuition can help.
Griffith University
Students will have an opportunity to gain practical experience in state-of-the-art facilities and carry out placements at the new Gold Coast University Hospital.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours optional)
- Minimum ATAR of 76
- 4-year program
James Cook University
Pharmacy students at James Cook University will be able to partake in over 600 hours of practical placement – the highest number of clinical placement hours for any undergraduate pharmacy degree within Australia.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- Minimum ATAR of 79.3
- 4 years full time – 6 years part time
Queensland University of Technology
QUT students will have an opportunity to learn in modern laboratory and simulation environments that mimic real life pharmacy related settings.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- Minimum ATAR of 80
- 4-year degree
University of Queensland
UQ’s pharmacy graduates have an employment rate of 100% (out of those who sought out employment within the industry).
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- 84 is the minimum Selection Rank
- 4-year program
What is the minimum ATAR needed for pharmacy in Western Australia?
In Western Australia, the esteemed Curtin University offers the only undergraduate course in Western Australia that leads to eligibility for registration as a pharmacist. Their Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours optional) 4-year degree requires a minimum ATAR of 80 so if your student needs help achieving top grades to meet this entry threshold, we can help.
What ATAR do I need to study pharmacy in South Australia?
In South Australia, the University of South Australia is the only university offering a pharmacy degree. This is South Australia’s only accredited pharmacy degree, providing the pathway to become a registered pharmacist. It is also only one of four universities in all of Australia to be a member of the prestigious National Alliance for Pharmacy Education (NAPE). With this being said, students may want to consider enlisting the help of a professional tutor to ensure that they get a spot if this is the school of their choice.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
- 4-year program
- Minimum selection rank 80.5 (85 for guaranteed entry)
What is the minimum ATAR needed for pharmacy in the Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory, Charles Darwin University offers a pharmacy degree with a unique focus on Indigenous health and rural and remote pharmacy care. Students in this program will complete their practical placements in rural hospital and clinical settings. Since it’s the only program in the Northern Territory, our highly experienced tutors can help your student reach their goal of securing their spot.
- Minimum ATAR 80 for guaranteed entry
- 4-year program
What ATAR for pharmacy is required in Tasmania?
Like in South Australia and the Northern Territory, Tasmania only has one school offering an undergraduate pharmacy degree. Since this is the only pharmacy program in this state, students will need to attain their highest ATAR possible to secure their spot. If your child needs help with any of their high school courses and is concerned about not being able to study pharmacy in Tasmania, contact A Team Tuition in Hobart – we’re always happy to help.
Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours
- Professional and Applied Honours options available
- Contact school directly for ATAR minimums
Can you study pharmacy without an ATAR?
There are still options for pharmacy student hopefuls even if they don’t have an ATAR – or a high enough ATAR to get into the school of their choice. Most schools offer alternate pathways including bridging courses, credit for relevant work experience, other Australian qualifications or overseas qualifications. There is also an option to apply for graduate entry into a pharmacy master’s program after taking a relevant undergrad degree and meeting all of the prerequisite subjects. In addition to having the right ATAR for pharmacy (or other eligible qualifications), students will need to complete a police check, a working with children check, first aid training, medical exams and immunisations before doing any practical placements.
How can I achieve the minimum ATAR for pharmacy in Australia?
Pharmacy is an exciting, well-paying career field that offers graduates a chance to make a big difference in their communities. Although many schools do offer alternative entry initiatives and alternate pathway programs and admission schemes, students should always aim to achieve the minimum ATAR required for the university degree of their choice. As pharmacy has a focus on mathematics and sciences, students will need to do their very best in these subjects.
If your child needs a little extra help with these subjects – or the motivation and confidence required to tackle all of the pressures of getting top grades in high school, A Team Tuition can create a customised program for your child today.