Which exam do I sit, OPRA or CAOP?

Competency Stream for graduates of a recognised pharmacy degree in Canada, Ireland, the UK or the USA who are currently registered there (the CAOP exam); Knowledge Stream for pharmacy degrees from anywhere else outside Australia and New Zealand (the OPRA exam); a results certificate is needed before applying to the Pharmacy Board.

What do I need for the eligibility check?

A pharmacy qualification equivalent to four years' full-time study if completed after 1 January 2006 (three years before); no evidence of registration and no proof of English needed; processed within five working days of complete documents; no expiry.

What happens after the exam?

Applicants from countries other than New Zealand must pass an Australian Pharmacy Council examination, then complete the supervised practice the Board assigns; Knowledge Stream candidates complete an internship under the supervised practice standard (an APRO-60 approval if the exam pass is older than three years); Competency Stream candidates complete a shorter supervised practice under limited registration with an AASP-60 approval and a Board-directed assessment after 75% of the hours, then apply for general registration.

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🇦🇺 Australia · Pharmacists

How much does the OPRA exam cost, and what else does the APC charge?

The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) charges AUD 810 for its eligibility check and AUD 2,245 for the OPRA exam; a pharmacist with a recognised degree from Canada, Ireland, the UK or the USA who is registered there sits the CAOP exam instead, for AUD 2,100.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · APC ↗

Knowledge Stream: the OPRA exam

Step	Fee
Eligibility checkYou pay	AUD 810
OPRA examYou pay	AUD 2,245
Intern Written Exam, during the internshipYou pay	AUD 790
Total, before any resit	AUD 3,845

Competency Stream: the CAOP exam

Step	Fee
Eligibility checkYou pay	AUD 810
CAOP examYou pay	AUD 2,100
Total, before any resit	AUD 2,910

Good to know

Which exam do I sit, OPRA or CAOP?: Competency Stream for graduates of a recognised pharmacy degree in Canada, Ireland, the UK or the USA who are currently registered there (the CAOP exam); Knowledge Stream for pharmacy degrees from anywhere else outside Australia and New Zealand (the OPRA exam); a results certificate is needed before applying to the Pharmacy Board.
What do I need for the eligibility check?: A pharmacy qualification equivalent to four years' full-time study if completed after 1 January 2006 (three years before); no evidence of registration and no proof of English needed; processed within five working days of complete documents; no expiry.
What happens after the exam?: Applicants from countries other than New Zealand must pass an Australian Pharmacy Council examination, then complete the supervised practice the Board assigns; Knowledge Stream candidates complete an internship under the supervised practice standard (an APRO-60 approval if the exam pass is older than three years); Competency Stream candidates complete a shorter supervised practice under limited registration with an AASP-60 approval and a Board-directed assessment after 75% of the hours, then apply for general registration.

What to do next

Tell us about your pharmacy degree, where you are registered and your English, and we show which stream is yours and what is left, with each fee and how long it takes.

Sources

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