Resources for Prospective Students

If you’d like some guidance on the prerequisites needed for your intended program, we’re here to help. We offer virtual advising meetings with our admissions teams for all prospective students.

• Schedule an Advisory Appointment with our Davie / Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, FL team
• Schedule an Advisory Appointment with our San Juan, PR team

We have introduced changes to our application process for the 2024 cycle. The NSU supplementary application is no longer required. Please review the following instructions carefully to ensure a smooth application experience:

NSU's Silverman College of Pharmacy participates in the Pharmacy College Application Service. Applicants must submit a PharmCAS application (Pharm.D. programs) or PharmGRAD application (Ph.D. and master's programs) electronically.

• Individuals who have expressed interest in the M.S. in Pharmaceutical Affairs program and have applied through PharmCAS are not required to submit a new application via PharmGRAD. Please complete this MSPA application.

Application deadlines vary based on program; applications are processed and accepted on a rolling basis, so apply early to reserve your spot.

PharmGRAD and PharmCAS both require you to submit official transcripts or foreign evaluations along with your letters of recommendation and proof of English proficiency. Application verification can take up to five business days, after which our admissions team reviews your materials.

Once your application materials are submitted, our Silverman College of Pharmacy admissions team will consider various factors when reviewing your application, such as “hard factors” like GPA, grades, and test scores, and “soft factors”, like essays, extracurriculars, experiences, recommendations, and demonstrated interest, to develop a comprehensive picture of applicants.

In other words, we prioritize assessing our applicants as whole people rather than solely focusing on academic achievements. Our soft factors and hard factors are weighed equally, as we believe that soft factors indicate the impact students will have on our campus, highlight their leadership skills, and demonstrate a commitment to NSU and the pharmacy industry.

If your experience seems like a match, you’ll be invited to interview via Zoom. We’d like to emphasize that the program does not guarantee interviews for all students who apply. In the same vein, not all students who undergo interviews will be accepted into their intended program. Assessment after interview evaluation may take an additional five business days.

The Pharm.D Advanced Standing program is open exclusively to international students and features a three-year accelerated track. Meanwhile, the Pharm.D Entry Level pathway is a four-year program designed for any student who is starting their pharmacy education from scratch, and leads to licensure.

To apply for the Advanced Standing pathway, you must hold a Pharmacy degree from a foreign university. Additionally, for applicants who graduated from pharmacy school 10 or more years ago, we have specific criteria:

• Option A: Completion of two upper-level (3000- or 4000-level) science courses OR one upper-level science course and one upper-level statistics course in the United States within the last 10 years.

OR

• Option B: Demonstrated practice as a licensed pharmacist for more than 50 percent of the time since pharmacy school graduation. Proof of employment, including dates and positions held, should be provided through a letter of recommendation from your employer.

You can find more information about the Pharm.D Entry Level program here, and more information about the Advanced Standing Program here.

While our institution does not offer application fee waivers or coupon codes, we would like to inform you about an alternative option through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS).

PharmCAS provides a Fee Assistance Program that aims to support applicants who may face financial constraints during the application process. We encourage you to explore this opportunity to alleviate any financial concerns you may have. By clicking on the link below, you can access comprehensive details about the fee assistance program, including qualification requirements and the fee waiver process:

PharmCAS Fee and Fee Assistance Program Information

In order to facilitate your application process, kindly ensure that all your admissions documents are submitted directly through the PharmCAS platform.

Once PharmCAS receives your official U.S. transcripts, a course-by-course verification process takes place. This process involves cross-referencing the courses listed on your official transcripts with the courses you entered in the "Transcript Entry" section of your application.

This crucial verification ensures accuracy and consistency. Any disparities identified between your reported course information and your official transcripts will be communicated to your chosen programs.

Should PharmCAS identify a notable number of course discrepancies or omissions, your application may be returned to you for necessary corrections or explanations. Make sure that all of your courses are entered accurately upon your initial submission and address any requested corrections as soon as possible to safeguard your prospects of admission.

For further insights into GPA calculations, GPA rules, grading schemes, or reviewing PharmCAS GPAs, review PharmCAS’ website.

If you need to review the status of your documents, please access your PharmCAS Portal. If you have any inquiries pertaining to missing admissions documents, we recommend reaching out directly to PharmCAS for assistance. Their dedicated team can be contacted through the following channels:

Contact Information:
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Telephone: 617-612-2050
Email: info@pharmcas.org

The Fall Academic Update (AU) window for the 2023-2024 academic year is officially open as of December 15, 2023, and will remain accessible until February 15, 2024.

It is imperative that applicants fulfill their responsibility by timely submitting fall transcripts and incorporating any new courses undertaken since their initial application submission to PharmCAS. Additionally, adjustments to in-progress and planned courses can be made during this period.

Key Dates:

• December 15, 2023: The Fall Academic Update commences. Verification of new courses will only occur once the Academic Update window opens and the applicant's initial file is verified.
• February 15, 2024: The Academic Update concludes.

Important Points to Note:

• Applicants are permitted to update their course history only once during the Fall AU window. Modifying courses initially reported as completed is not allowed, but the addition of new courses is permitted.
• GPA revisions are deferred until the verification of courses entered during the Fall AU.
• Applicants can input additional spring and summer courses and colleges attended at any time before the cycle concludes. PharmCAS will verify Spring 2024 coursework and generate new GPAs in WebAdMIT for all accepted applicants who complete the Spring Academic Update (AU) by the June 30 deadline.
• All applicants, regardless of their decision code, will receive an email notification regarding the Fall AU from PharmCAS on December 15, 2023.

For your initial application and to become eligible for an interview, you are required to submit letters of recommendation. Generally, programs at the College of Pharmacy require two to three letters, but will vary based on program. Furthermore, if you’re transferring from another college or university, you may need additional letters of recommendation. The course catalog and application process will walk you through program-specific needs, but generally:

• Students must provide letters on official letterhead with a signature.
• Recommendations should be obtained from the following sources:
  • Science professors who have taught you in science-related courses, who can speak to your classroom engagement, performance in class, and your understanding of scientific concepts.
  • Liberal arts professors who have taught you in a non-science academic discipline. Their recommendation will provide insights into your well-rounded education and critical thinking abilities.
  • Pharmacists or health care providers. This recommendation can come from a professional who can attest to your interest in pharmacy and your interpersonal skills within a healthcare context.
  • Pre-professional committee members. If your institution has a pre-professional committee, a recommendation from one of its members can provide an evaluation of your readiness for pharmacy school.
  • (Transfer students only). The dean, associate dean, or assistant dean of your original college of pharmacy. This letter indicates that you’re in good standing within your current or most recent academic program.

Within PharmCAS, there will be a series of “Campus Preference” questions that you can utilize to make your choices known. Please note that this step is essential for us to align your preferences with our available capacity.

• First and Second Choice: Please select both a first and a second choice for your preferred campus. We will initially process your application based on your first choice.
• Allocation: Our admissions team will process applications according to your first-choice campus. However, please be aware that each campus has limited capacity. If your first-choice campus reaches its capacity, we will inform you promptly.
• Second Choice Consideration: If your first-choice campus is full, we will reach out to you to inquire if you are still interested in your second-choice campus. Your response will guide us in managing your application accordingly.

Completing this step will help us streamline the admission process and ensure that we can accommodate your preferences as effectively as possible.