Students seeking provisional registration invited to apply online now

11 Oct 2017

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

In addition to making an online application for provisional registration, graduates must lodge a separate application for approval of supervised practice. They cannot start their supervised practice (internship) until both of these applications have been received and then approved by the Pharmacy Board of Australia (the Board) which can take place once the education provider has advised that the student is eligible to graduate.

Completion of a Board-approved period of supervised practice while holding provisional registration is one of the requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for general registration as a pharmacist in Australia at the end of the internship period.

After both applications have been lodged, graduates must check the national register of practitioners to confirm they hold provisional registration and that their supervised practice details have been recorded in the notations field on the register before undertaking any supervised practice.

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 arrangements.

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

Applicants apply online by setting up an account with AHPRA with a unique and personal email address only they have access to. This allows for progress on the form to be saved and resumed as required.

Applicants then complete the application form, upload their supporting documents and pay the registration fee.

A short, animated video for pharmacy graduates is published on the Board's website. It outlines the standards that must be met to become registered and some of the requirements that need to be fulfilled during the internship year.

A recording of a webinar presentation, From pharmacy student to intern pharmacist, is also available to watch.

Final-year students are encouraged to find out how to use the online graduate application by accessing the information on the AHPRA website under Graduate Applications.

How to apply for registration

There are three simple steps to registration for graduates:

1. Complete an online application for registration four to six weeks before completing their course.
2. Upload supporting documents when completing their online application.
3. Wait to be contacted by AHPRA.

What happens next?

AHPRA assesses the application which can only be finalised once the education provider provides advice that the student is eligible to graduate. AHPRA contacts the student if more information is needed and/or to confirm that registration has been granted.

New graduates registered with the Board are eligible to start work as soon as their name is published on the national register of practitioners and their supervised practice details have been recorded in the notations field on the register.

For more information

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