A Guide to Study Pharmacy in USA: Best Universities, Admission Requirements, Costs & More for Pharmacy Colleges in USA

Every pharmacy schools in USA offers courses designed with academics and pharmaceutical sciences. There are multiple universities in USA for pharmacy courses where you can pursue bachelor's, masters or any vocational programs. Some of the reasons why to study Pharmacy courses in USA are

• Top Universities: US is home to the highest ranked pharmacy universities and colleges globally in terms of its infrastructure and the quality of education. Many pharmacy universities in USA like University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh ranks in top QS World University Rankings globally and in Subject Rankings.
• Growth: With the investment in medical and health care research industry, developments are rising in the country. According to reports, the phramacy market in USA is expected to be 861.67 billion USD with a growth rate of 6.3% CAGR by 2028 within the mainstream health care sector.
• Best Salary: Healthcare professionals are in huge demand globally. A phramacist in US are highly paid. A licensed phramacist in the US can expect to earn an annual wage of around 128,570 USA last year. The lowest 10 percent of them earns less than 76,840 USD and the highest 10 percent earns upto 164,590 annually.

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The complete course of pharmacy degree in US universities is designed with a combination of supervision and discussion, classroom lectures, research and practical works. Most of the colleges integrate basic and applied pharmaceutical sciences with hands-on laboratory research experience. The research internships and capstone projects on biopharmaceutical are the hallmarks of the program. The curriculum at pharmacy colleges in USA covers covers different subjects including

• Principles of Drug Discovery and Development
• Bioanalytical and Pharmacological Methods
• Pharmaceutical Biochemistry
• Molecular Spectroscopy and Imaging
• Analytical Technologies for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Pharmacotherapeutics of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

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These are some of the subjects you have to study in pharmacy courses. Now let's have a look at the list of pharmacy colleges in USA:

There are various pharmacy schools in USA that accept international students offering a detailed structured curriculum with top-notch academics. Here we curated a list of best pharmacy universities in USA offering different courses for students to become certified professional in the pharmaceutical sciences.

• University of Michigan Ann Arbor
• University of Minnesota
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Southern California
• Northeastern University

Let's discuss each one of the university below:

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

The pharmacy programs at this university focuses on the various aspects of the science behind the drug development process. It will covers the biological and psycho-chemical components related to the pharmaceutical sciences, drug delivery, drug molecule movement in the body, and drug product performance and development, including biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics.

University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota is one of the top public research universities in USA offering a wide range of pharmacy courses in different levels. Its pharmacy programs deal with the research in the development and testing of drug product, including investigating interactions of drugs with complex biological systems and the physical and chemical formulation of drugs for delivery purposes.

University of Pittsburgh

The pharmacy course in the University of Pittsburgh is concentrated on the study of the design of pharmaceutical dosage forms and their interaction with the human body. The course content includes various topics such as physical pharmacy, bioanalysis, drug delivery and targeting, drug metabolism, drug transport, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

University of Southern California

University of Southern California pharmacy programs is designed to provide a strong foundational education in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. The pharmacy undergraduate program of the university includes flagship majors in pharmacology and drug development that uniquely spans the entire spectrum of clinical practice, drug discovery, regulatory science and health economics.

Northeastern University

The pharmacy programs North East infuses a graduate style mentorship and experiential learning in the context of an intensive scientific curriculum with specialized opportunities. The course deals with the foundation in the science of drug discovery, delivery, evaluation, and development. Its programs delve you much deeper into a variety of disciplines such as pharmaceutics and the allied fields of toxicology, nanomedicine and chemical biology.

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The admission requirements to study pharmacy in USA are quite similar and basic. You must have to fulfil the following eligibility criteria for the program.

• Educational Qualifications
• English Language Tests
• GRE or GMAT Scores
• Work Experience
• USA Student Visa

Let's discuss it in detail:

Educational Qualifications

The educational qualifications are the most important ones in terms of admission. If you have completed your 12th, you need to provide your higher secondary certificate with at least a 70% score to study for a Bachelor in Pharmacy in USA.

For M Pharm in USA, a bachelor's degree in areas such as pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, molecular biology, chemistry or relevant subjects is favored. Other degrees with a grade of B or better is also considered. A GPA of a minimum of 3.0 is preferred.

English Language Tests

If you are an international student, you must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system. The minimum test scores should be between

• IELTS: 6.0 - 7.0
• TOEFL: 90 - 100

GRE or GMAT Scores

Since the entrance scores are not mandatory in the recent few years at most USA universities. Submitting it may add value to the application. The minimum scores for Pharmacy universities in USA of two popular test are

• GMAT- 625 - 700
• GRE- 180 - 230

Work Experience

The work experience is not essential based on the level of your course. However, some universities require work experience to pursue a master's or PhD in pharmacy-related courses in USA, having a minimum of 2 or 3 years of experience can be an advantage.

USA Student Visa

A valid student visa and passport are a must to study pharmacy in USA for international students. Make sure to apply for the USA student visa at least three months prior to the expected date of travel to the country.

For getting admission at the best pharmacy colleges in USA, you must have some essential documents for submission. A majority of them includes

• Academic Transcripts
• Institutional Certificates Original
• Scorecards of ELP and GRE or GMAT
• Statement of Purpose
• Two or three letters of recommendation
• Updated Resume or CV
• Personal Essay
• A valid copy of your passport
• Proof of Financial Resources

The admission process for pharmacy colleges in USA for international students opens in three intakes I.e. fall, summer and winter. You must check the university's official website to know the exact application deadlines. Here is a step-by-step guide you can follow to apply for admission:

• Shortlist the top US universities and make a list of the top 10 pharmacy colleges in USA.
• Visit each university website and check whether you meet the entry requirements for your desired program.
• Gather other information such as scores or the documents required to submit in the application form.
• Complete your application form and pay the application fees.
• Once you submit your application, log in to the admission portal of the university to check the status.
• After reviewing your application form and documents, you can get a confirmation letter from the university.
• Once you get the admission letter, make sure to apply for the student visa at the nearest embassy.

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Another factor to consider in studying Pharmacy courses in USA apart from the eligibility and requirements, is the cost of studying. Let's look at it below

The cost of studying pharmacy in USA is based on two factors, your course tuition fees and the living costs in the USA while studying. Let's discuss each one of them:

Tuition Fees

The tuition fees to study at pharmacy colleges in USA for international students varies with universities and the degree level you choose. On an average the annual tuition fees for different courses are

• Bachelor's: 22,000 USD - 62,000 USD
• Masters: 22,400 USD - 73,000 USD
• PhD: 28,000 USD - 55,000 USD

Cost Of Living

The cost of living in USA while studying will depend on your accommodation and preferences. The average cost to stay in any location in USA is between 1,200 USD to 2,700 USD per month. This may include your food, transportation, stationary and miscellaneous expenses.

Moving on from the cost of studying in USA, let's dive into the scholarships for the course:

Sometimes students find it quite difficult to cover up their university tuition fees with their living expenses in US. So, the best in this regard is to avail some of the scholarships offered to international students. These scholarships either be university type or from any external sources.

Here are some of the scholarships you can take to pursue pharmacy courses in USA for international students:

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The scope of pharmacy in USA is quite immense. You will have multiple career exposures after completion of your degrees from the top universities. Either you can pursue your higher education in USA or can go for jobs in various health care industries. Talking about higher studies, you can do some research or can seek specialisations in pharmaceutical management, sciences, pharmacology etc.

After from higher education, you can also look for jobs in various healthcare sectors. Some of the job roles of a pharmacy graduate in USA are given below

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If you are passionate enough about pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences with some knowledge about biochemistry, this course is only for you. After completing this course, you will surely end up getting a viable career in US and globally. Pharmacy Colleges in USA for international students offer top education in the city. To get a helping hand in your application and choosing the best university, connect with our Yocket Professionals now.