Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

I. Requirements for Pre-Pharmacy Students at the University of Kansas

Individuals seeking admission as Freshmen to the University of Kansas that desire to pursue the doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program apply to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at http://www.admissions.ku.edu/apply and indicate 'pre-pharmacy' as their major or interest area. If preferred, you may download and complete the form offline and submit the application form by mail. Pre-pharmacy students will be assigned faculty advisors from the University Advising Center while completing their pre-pharmacy course work. However; all students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment for co-advising services in the Office of the Dean of the School of Pharmacy (2010 Becker Dr., Room 2050, (785) 864-3591) whenever they have questions concerning specific course requirements, appropriate electives, or any other concerns in regard to their preparation for application to the professional program.  It is suggested that pre-pharmacy students meet with an advisor in the School of Pharmacy at least once each semester.

The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is home for the KU Pre-Pharmacy Club which meets monthly during the academic year and is a source of information about careers in the pharmacy profession and pre-pharmacy and pharmacy education programs and requirements at KU.  Interested students should contact the KU School of Pharmacy Deans Office (pharmacy@ku.edu) and provide their full name and email address to be placed on the email distribution list for the KU Pre-Pharmacy Club to learn more about their activities and the dates and times of their meetings.

II. Overview of the KU School of Pharmacy Admissions Process

Admission to the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is determined by the School of Pharmacy Admissions Committee consisting of faculty members of the School of Pharmacy and associate dean representatives from the Office of the Dean. An applicant file is created for each applicant at the time of receipt of an application. Consideration is given to a student's overall grade point average (GPA), a GPA based on all science course requirements in the pre-pharmacy curriculum, and results from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). Historically the average grade point of entering classes has been 3.5 or higher. The average composite PCAT score is around the 65th percentile. Good scholarship is very important and is considered a predictor for success in the pharmacy curriculum.

Effective with the fall 2011 semester the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy will offer our Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program on two campus locations simultaneously. The KU School of Pharmacy home campus is located in Lawrence. We offer a single degree program which is synchronous and all classes, those meeting on the Lawrence campus and those meeting on the Wichita campus, will meet at the same time. The classes and all courses will be presented via synchronous distance learning technology and students on both campus locations as well as KU School of Pharmacy faculty based in Wichita, Lawrence or at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, will have visual contact and the ability to easily interact with one another verbally. Opportunities for student participation in required and elective course work, professional student organization activities, and community service and professional development programs will be available to all students equally. Applicants will indicate on the Applicant Profile document their preference for admission to the KU School of Pharmacy Lawrence or the KU School of Pharmacy - Wichita Campus. The campus location preference is not a factor considered in the evaluation of applicant.

Applicants submitting an application for admission to the KU School of Pharmacy must also complete and submit supplemental application information which is also utilized in the admissions process. The supplemental application forms are available on-line at the School of Pharmacy website and may be accessed through a link on the final page of this document. Good communications skills, emotional maturity, leadership ability, professional attitude, an understanding of the pharmacy profession, an understanding of the expectations of society applicable to health care professionals and an interest in service to community are factors that are weighted heavily in the application process. Job shadowing and/or work experience in a pharmacy or health care practice setting is also a beneficial experience for applicants and a consideration of the admissions committee. Competitive applicants will be requested to sit for an interview with the admissions committee as part of the admissions process.  The admission process is highly competitive and is dependent upon the number of applications received and the qualifications of the applicant pool. The admissions committee begins their consideration of applications in February of each year. Multiple meetings of the admissions committee are held throughout the spring semester. The application deadline is February 1 and determinations for admission are generally made during the period of March through May.

III. Fall 2012 Semester Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Applicant Requirements

Individuals seeking admission to the KU School of Pharmacy for the 2012 fall semester should submit an application when they have completed or will have completed, prior to the 2012 fall semester, the 68 credit hours of required pre-pharmacy courses. The required pre-pharmacy curriculum may be completed at the University of Kansas or at any accredited institution. The specific pre-pharmacy course requirements may be viewed at our website, http://www.pharm.ku.edu under Pharmacy Program, Curriculum.

Admissions are made only for the fall semester of each academic year. The application deadline for fall 2012 admission is February 1, 2012, but applicants are encouraged to submit their application materials well in advance of the application due date. It is preferred and encouraged that applications be submitted during the period of October 1 through December 31 of each year.

All required application materials (Applicant Profile, Letters of Recommendation, Official Transcripts, etc.) must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of the KU School of Pharmacy with a post-mark of not later than February 1, 2012.

Fall 2012 Application / Admissions Timetable

Application Deadline Feb. 1, 2012
Open Application Period 10/1/2011 thru 2/1/2012
Preferred Application Filing Period 10/1/2011 thru 12/31/2011
Applicant Interviews March & April 2012
Admissions Decisions Late March thru May 2012

IV. The following requirements must be satisfied by ALL applicants to be eligible to submit an application seeking admission for the Fall 2012 semester.

  1. All applicants must be eligible for admission to the University of Kansas.
  2. Completion of the required pre-pharmacy coursework. This includes documentation of enrollment in pre-pharmacy course requirements that will be completed during the 2012 spring semester and/or 2012 summer session.
  3. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall and in the pre-pharmacy science courses.
  4. Successful completion of the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). Results of the (PCAT) should be sent directly to the KU School of Pharmacy. It is preferred that applicants take the PCAT not later than October 2011. January 2012 PCAT scores are acceptable, but they may delay consideration of your application if that is the only PCAT score to be submitted. If the PCAT has been taken multiple times the highest composite PCAT score will be utilized in evaluation of your application. PCAT scores from exam dates prior to October 2009 will not be considered. You may receive additional information about the PCAT by calling 1-800-622-3231 or visit their website at http://www.pcatweb.info
  5. Completion and submission of the "Applicant Profile Form". The 'applicant profile' form is available on-line at the School of Pharmacy website and may be accessed through a link on the final page of this document. The Applicant Profile form should be returned to the School of Pharmacy in a timely manner and must be received by not later than February 1, 2012. The Admissions Committee will not review any individual application file until the Applicant Profile form is received.
  6. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation on standard reference forms provided by the KU School of Pharmacy. The letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the School of Pharmacy by the persons serving as a reference. The 'recommendation for admission' forms are available on-line at the School of Pharmacy website and may be accessed through a link on the final page of this document. The reference forms should be submitted in a timely manner and must be received by not later than February 1, 2012. The Admissions Committee will not review any individual application file until all letters of recommendation have been received.
  7. An application fee of $50.00 is required from all applicants. A non-refundable check or money order in the amount of $50, payable to 'KU School of Pharmacy' must be submitted with your completed Applicant Profile form directly to the School of Pharmacy, Office of the Dean, 2010 Becker Dr., Room 2050, Lawrence, KS 66047-1620. Individual applicant files will not be considered until the application fee is received.
  8. Competitive applicants will be invited to travel to Lawrence for an admissions interview. All individuals admitted to the program must have participated in the interview process. Interviews are typically scheduled during March and April.
  9. Applicants must have all of the required application materials completed and submitted to the KU School of Pharmacy by not later than February 1, 2012.
  10. All applicants that are Transfer Students must have official transcripts from all colleges/schools attended sent directly to the Office of Admissions of the University of Kansas with their Undergraduate Transfer Student Application, but not later than February 1, 2012.

V. Specific Application Procedures for Fall 2012 Applicants that are Transfer Students Enrolled at Academic Institutions Other than the University of Kansas in the Fall 2012 semester

The initial step for ‘Transfer Students’ (pre-pharmacy students enrolled at institutions other than the University of Kansas) seeking admission to the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is submission of a “University of Kansas Undergraduate Transfer Application” to the KU Office of Admissions. This application can be completed and submitted on-line at http://www.admissions.ku.edu/apply. If preferred, the application may be downloaded and submitted as a hard copy document by mail. The Transfer Application Form must be submitted, on-line or by mail, to the Office of Admissions for the University of Kansas. In addition to the KU School of Pharmacy's consideration of your application for admission to the professional program of the School of Pharmacy the KU Office of Admissions also conducts an evaluation of your application to determine that you are eligible for admission to the University of Kansas.

Transfer Student applications may be submitted to the KU Office of Admissions beginning on September 1 of each academic year. Transfer Student applicants are encouraged to initiate the application process early in the fall semester. You should also request that complete and official transcripts through the 2011 Spring semester or Summer session from all institutions that you have attended be sent to the KU Office of Admissions at the time you submit the 'Transfer Student' application. Do not wait until completion of the Fall 2011 semester to submit your transcripts. You should request that an official Fall 2011 transcript be sent to the KU Office of Admissions at the end of the Fall 2011 semester which will be incorporated into your applicant file.

The School of Pharmacy will not accept the supplemental application materials (i.e., applicant profile, letters of recommendation, etc.) required by the School of Pharmacy until October 1. The supplemental application forms are available on-line at the School of Pharmacy website and may be accessed through a link on the final page of this document. If you are unable to access the forms on-line you may contact the School of Pharmacy by email at rxadmissions@ku.edu and request that the forms be provided to you via attachments to an email response to your request.

In addition to the supplemental application materials required by the School of Pharmacy you must also submit copies of official transcripts from all colleges/schools that you have attended directly to the KU School of Pharmacy. This submission of official transcripts is in addition to the official transcripts required by the KU Office of Admissions with your Undergraduate Transfer Student Application to the University of Kansas.

VI. Specific Application Procedures for Fall 2012 Applicants Currently Enrolled at the University of Kansas in the Fall 2012 semester

Students/Applicants currently enrolled at the University of Kansas need to complete a 'Change of School' hard copy form available in the Pharmacy Deans Office, 2010 Becker Dr., Room 2050. The deadline for completion and submission of this form is February 1, 2012. However, it is strongly recommended that this form be completed and submitted to the Dean's office, preferably during October or November, 2011. The 'Change of School' form is essentially an application requesting consideration for admission to the professional program of the KU School of Pharmacy for students (pre-pharmacy students) currently enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or other academic units at the University of Kansas. Upon receipt of the 'Change of School' form the applicants will be provided with information on access to and completion of the supplemental application materials (Applicant Profile Form, Letters of Recommendation, etc.).

Individuals that have previously been enrolled and completed coursework at the University of Kansas, but who are NOT currently enrolled at KU or at any other institution should contact the KU Office of Admissions, (785)864-3911 for instructions on submission of an application for re-admission to the University of Kansas.

VII. General Information:

Complete School of Pharmacy program information is available online at: www.pharm.ku.edu, under PharmD Program Overview. Tuition information may be found at http://www.registrar.ku.edu/fees/index.shtml. The pharmacy professional curriculum is a total of 140 credit hours and averages 16.5 hours per semester plus summer enrollment of 4 credit hours in the summer sessions following completion of the 3P and 4P academic year. Transfer credit information may be found at: http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/credits/. This site will provide information with respect to coursework completed at other institutions and the equivalent course at KU.

The process for international transcript evaluation is: You must apply to the University of Kansas International Student & Scholar Services. The application form is available at http://www.iss.ku.edu/admissions or by calling (785) 864-2616.

The University of Kansas School of Pharmacy does not participate in the PharmCas applicant pool system administered by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

If you would like to set up an appointment to meet on campus with a KU School of Pharmacy advisor please call (785) 864-3591.

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