Final-year students urged to apply for registration online now

16 Nov 2015

Final-year students who will soon complete an approved program of study can go online now to apply for registration before they graduate.

The online graduate application service on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website smooths the path from study to work by enabling final-year students to apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their course.

Graduates of pharmacy study must make an application for provisional registration and an application for approval of supervised practice. They cannot start supervised practice (internship) until both of these applications have been received and approved by the Board.

Graduates of approved programs of study must make an application for provisional registration to undertake a Board approved period of supervised practice in order to be eligible for general registration as a pharmacist in Australia at the end of the internship period.

After applying online, it is important that all supporting documents are posted to AHPRA as soon as possible - see Next Steps Checklist. Certain applicants will need to apply for an international criminal history check (ICHC) before submitting their application for registration.

Graduates must meet the Board’s registration requirements to be a registered pharmacist. 

Registration standards that relate to the new graduate are: 

• criminal history 
• English language skills, and 
• professional indemnity insurance.

A short, animated video for graduates will be published on the Board’s website soon. It outlines the standards that must be met to become registered and also the professional standards expected of the profession to stay registered.

A revised Intern pharmacist and preceptor guide (to replace the currently published Intern Guide and Preceptor Guide), and revised FAQ for pharmacy interns and preceptors, will also be published on the Board’s website soon.

There are six simple steps to registration for graduates:

1. Students apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their program at Graduate applications on the AHPRA website. 
2. Applicants fill out an online application (if eligible) or download an application form. 
3. Applicants send supporting documents to AHPRA by mail to complete the application. 
4. Education providers advise AHPRA when applicants are eligible to graduate. 
5. AHPRA finalises assessment, confirms registration, publishes new graduates’ names on the national register of practitioners and sends out registration certificates. 
6. New graduates registered with the National Board are eligible to start work as soon as their name is published on the national register.

For more information

• Go to Graduate applications on the AHPRA website for FAQ and links to more information 
• For registration enquiries or difficulties in accessing the online application form: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) 
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200