Admissions

All standardized exams (e.g. PCAT, DAT, GRE, MCAT, OAT etc.) for entrance into the College of Pharmacy are recommended, but not required. 

The College of Pharmacy selects international pharmacy graduates for the program based on previous academic performance, GRE scores (recommended, not required), TOEFL/IELTS scores (if applicable), written applications, pharmacy experience, and letters of recommendation.

1. Prior to matriculation, College of Pharmacy applicants must complete and receive a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree or a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from an accredited institution. The college will evaluate all official transcripts to determine if the student has successfully completed the courses listed below with a grade of C or higher:

The college may require an applicant to complete additional prerequisite courses in order to strengthen his or her academic background.

2. Preferred cumulative GPA of 2.75, on a 4.0 scale. (This is the total accumulation of bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees.)

3. Applicants who graduated from pharmacy school 10 or more years prior must have either

2. 2. • Taken 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

2. 2. • practiced as a licensed pharmacist for greater than 50 percent of the time since pharmacy school graduation (proof of licensed pharmacist employment, including dates and position(s) held, must be provided via a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s employer.)

4.Three letters of recommendation, on official letterhead with a signature, from two science professors and either

• a liberal arts professor
• a pharmacist or health care provider
• a pre-professional committee member

5. Proof of English proficiency (required of nonnative English speakers)

• TOEFL: minimum score of 80 on the Internet-based test or 213 on the computer-based test
• IELTS: minimum score of 6.0 on the test module
• Duolingo: minimum score of 105 on the Internet-based test
• Candidates may also demonstrate English proficiency by successfully completing a Baccalaureate, professional or Master's degree in the United States, or two college-level English composition courses at a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• *Scores may be no more than two years old at the time of interview.
• *Countries exempt from English Proficiency Test: Great Britain, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, English speaking parts of Canada.

PART ONE: Apply with PharmCAS

Applicants apply for matriculation into the summer semester. NSU College of Pharmacy participates in the Pharmacy College Application Service. Applicants must submit a PharmCAS application electronically no later than May 1. The Office of Admissions processes applications on a rolling basis; therefore, it is in the best interest of the applicant to apply early.

1. Complete PharmCAS application
   NSU College of Pharmacy uses the PharmCAS centralized online application. Start yours here: https://www.pharmcas.org/
   
   
2. Request your transcripts
   Request transcripts to be sent to PharmCAS for all colleges and universities attended (Complete instructions can be found here – https://www.pharmcas.org/application-instructions/transcripts)
   
   PharmCAS accepts WES foreign evaluations. Other NACES foreign evaluation agencies should be sent directly to NSU. Please see address below.
   
   
3. Optional, PCAT or other standardized exams scores
   Complete instructions can be found here – https://www.pharmcas.org/application-instructions/standardized-tests
4. If applicable, English Proficiency test scores
   Complete instructions can be found here – https://www.pharmcas.org/application-instructions/standardized-tests
   PharmCAS accepts TOEFL scores. EILTS or Duolingo scores can be sent directly to NSU. Please see address below.
   
   
5. Preprofessional letters of recommendation
   Letters should be on proper letterhead and signed with a pen. Complete instructions can be found here – https://www.pharmcas.org/application-instructions/evaluations

PART TWO: NSU College of Pharmacy Online Supplemental Application

1. Complete secondary application
   An invitation to apply will be emailed by NSU College of Pharmacy after  your PharmCAS application is verified.
2. Nonrefundable application fee of $50
3. Submit additional supplemental updates and documents requested by NSU College of Pharmacy admissions

Supplemental information or application updates can be submitted to:

Mailing Address (Domestic)
Enrollment Processing Services
NSU College of Pharmacy
3301 College Avenue
P.O. Box 299000
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33329-9905

Electronic transcripts should be emailed to: electronictranscripts@nsu.edu

Other documents should be emailed to: amsqc@nova.edu

NSU will generate an NSU ID number, after the applications are processed. Please include your NSU ID number on all correspondence. 

Applicants who have completed foreign coursework outside of the U.S. will be required to send their official transcripts to a NACES approved evaluation agency and request an official foreign evaluation report to be sent to NSU. Please request the foreign evaluation report to include a course by course evaluation with overall GPA calculation.

National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
www.naces.org

World Education Services
(212) 966-6311
www.wes.org

Interviews are part of the admissions process. An interview does not guarantee admissions. The Office of Admissions reviews all applications to determine if the applicant will be granted an interview. Interviews will be in person and via Zoom. Applicants in the tri-county area are encouraged to attend the in-person interview. However, all applicants will be reviewed equally regardless of the interview format choice.

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email invitation from the Office of Admissions. A confirmation email will provide an agenda and other important information. Please make sure to arrive on time, dress professionally, and be prepared.

The Interview Day experience includes:

• Meeting the NSU College of Pharmacy admissions counselor
• Information regarding the admissions committee decision process
• Overview presentation of the program, facilities, and student support
• Private interview with faculty members
• Tour of the college facility by student ambassadors
• Campus bus tour (optional)

Core Performance Standards for Admission and Progress

The Nova Southeastern University Health Professions Division is pledged to the admission and matriculation of qualified students and wishes to acknowledge awareness of laws that prohibit discrimination against anyone on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy status, national or ethnic origin, nondisqualifying disability, age, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, military service, veteran status, or political beliefs or affiliations. Regarding those students with verifiable disabilities, the university will not discriminate against such individuals who are otherwise qualified, but will expect applicants and students to meet certain minimal technical standards (core performance standards) as set forth herein, with or without reasonable accommodation.

In adopting these standards, the university believes it must keep in mind the ultimate safety of the patients whom its graduates will eventually serve as well as the efficacy and safety in the learning environment. The standards reflect what the university believes are reasonable expectations required of health professions students and personnel in performing common functions. Any exceptions to such standards must be approved by the dean of the student’s particular college based upon appropriate circumstances. The holders of health care degrees must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. To carry out the activities described below, candidates for Health Professions Division degrees must be able to integrate consistently, quickly, and accurately all information received, and they must have the ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data.

Candidates for degrees offered by the Health Professions Division must have, with or without reasonable accommodation, multiple abilities and skills including intellectual, conceptual, integrative, qualitative abilities; interpersonal communication; strength and mobility; motor skills; and hearing, visual, tactile, sensory, behavioral, and social attributes. Candidates for admission and progression must be able to perform these abilities and skills in a reasonably independent manner.

For more information check the Student Handbook.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

It is the responsibility of international students and scholars to ensure that their visa status allows for the issue of a Social Security number.  A U.S. social security number is mandatory to receive an intern license in the Pharm.D. program, which is a requirement for placement on pharmacy practice experiences. Without a pharmacy intern license, a student cannot complete the curriculum or the requirements of the Pharm.D. degree program.

International students in the Ph.D. program, who are paid teaching assistants, will need to obtain a U.S. social security number for employment with the university. 

It is the responsibility of the international applicant to contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) for information on immigration regulations and student visa requirements.  For more information visit https://www.nova.edu/internationalaffairs/students/