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Applicants are required to have an equivalent course for each of the prerequisites listed below.��Course descriptions and codes listed are for the ��ݮ��Ƶ examples of acceptable prerequisite courses. To see a list of examples of other acceptable courses at ��ݮ��Ƶ and other Ontario universities (and a select number of Canadian Universities), view our��Examples of Acceptable Courses��web page.

Science and math

Detailed descriptions of the required courses listed below can be found on the��Undergraduate Calendar.

English��

Any ENGL course that requires a significant amount of reading, critical thinking, analysis, and writing. The following are considerations when choosing a course to fulfil the English requirement:

• The course must be offered by the English Department.*
• Must have writing assignments, exclusive of exams, that comprise a minimum of 30% of the final course grade.
• High school English courses (such as IB, AP or British A-level) cannot be used to satisfy this requirement, but instead may��be used to fulfil one of the two half-credit Social Science/Humanities requirements.

*COMMST or Social Science/Humanities courses may be used to satisfy the ENGL course requirement, however the course must meet the criteria listed above. In addition, honour’s thesis and master’s thesis courses may also be considered for meeting the requirement.

Social Sciences and/or Humanities��

Any two Social Sciences and Humanities courses are required. The following are considerations when choosing a course to fulfil this requirement:

• Courses should focus on society and how humans interact and develop as a culture. They should not focus on natural sciences, mathematics, computing, or finance.
• Courses can be introductory (100-level) or advanced level (200+ level).
• No more than one in English may be used to satisfy this requirement.
• You may combine one term/semester of Humanities with one term/semester of Social Sciences, or two terms/semesters in the same discipline or subject area.

Important notes

• In Stage 1 of the Pharmacy application process, we do not require official transcripts to begin reviewing your application - unofficial documents will suffice.
• For those currently in studies, a transcript must be submitted with final fall grades and winter enrolment.
• Transcripts are required from all post-secondary schools attended.
• High school transcripts are not required for admission (you can disregard the high school upload field in your Quest account). The exception is for students who received transfer credit for IB, AP or A-level courses. If you fall into this category, please upload an unofficial copy of your exam results to your high school upload link in Quest.
• Current and former ��ݮ��Ƶ students are not required to submit official transcripts because we have access to your ��ݮ��Ƶ record (including any applicable transfer credit information).
• Transcripts must be received by the Registrar’s Office before the deadline.

• For directions on how to upload unofficial documents to Quest, please visit the How do I upload my application documents webpage.

Please visit the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s��English Language Requirements��webpage to determine if you are exempt from submitting an English language test. This webpage also details which test scores are accepted and the required minimums.�� ��

The AIF provides the Admissions Committee with insights into your personal qualities, extracurricular accomplishments, and motivation for a career in pharmacy.

How to complete the AIF

The Pharmacy AIF consists of 8 questions and is accessible by visiting the “Pharmacy” tab in the AIF, found in Quest.

We strongly encourage you to read through all the details below to complete the AIF.

Tips Before Beginning

• You will want to use a laptop or desktop computer to fill out and submit your AIF, as mobile phones are not compatible with the platform.

• Thoroughly read the instructions on the Welcome page and review Questions 1 to 8 on the Pharmacy tab. We recommend you write out a rough draft of your answers and save them for your records in a program such as Microsoft Word or OneNote.
  • Most pharmacy applicants will see only the Welcome and Pharmacy tabs. However, if you have previously applied to the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ for an undergraduate program you may see the About You – Part A/B tabs on your Quest account, please disregard them and complete only the Pharmacy page.
  • If you have applied previously and cannot access this year’s AIF, please email sci.admission@uwaterloo.ca for assistance.
• Please be aware that no amendments can be made to the AIF after you submit it. All of your information should be��correct and up-to-date before pressing the Submit button.

Tips When Completing Your AIF

• The Save - Page in Progress button is available if you wish to save your answers and/or modify them. Note: the admissions committee cannot access your answers until you have pressed the Submit - Page Finished button.
  ��
• When reporting pharmacy-related, non-pharmacy-related work experience and extracurricular activities:
  • If an activity is still in progress, you may leave the end date blank.
  • For Question 4, please disregard the Gr 10, Gr 11, and Gr 12 checkboxes. Instead, ensure to populate the start and end date of your activities for the Admissions Committee to consider.

• When filling out the Course Equivalencies Chart:
  • All prerequisite courses must be accounted for, including courses you are currently enrolled in, or are planning to take in a future term. The grade field is mandatory and must be filled out for all courses listed or you will receive an error when you attempt to submit the form. You may input your grades in alpha or numerical format depending on how your institution reports them on your transcript.
    • If the course is in progress, input the grade as IP.
    • If you are enrolled in a course for a future term, input the grade as EN.
    • If you are missing a course, input the grade as NA.
    • LABS: If your institution grades labs separately from lectures, you may indicate this by using a slash (e.g. course code: BIOL 130/130L and grade: 75/95).
    • If you are using a��course to fulfill two 0.5-unit electives, you may list the course in two rows.
    • If you are using a high school transfer credit to satisfy requirements, indicate IB, AP or A-level in the University column and input CR as the grade.
  • Note that if you wish to change any information previously saved in a chart, you must DELETE the row you wish to change and click SAVE. You then must ADD a new row at the bottom of the chart and click SAVE.
  • Please do not copy and paste information into these charts - you will receive an error message. If you receive an error, we recommend that you log out of Quest, clear your computer’s cache, log back in, and proceed with the deletion and addition of the row(s) in question.
• For further guidance, please contact sci.admission@uwaterloo.ca or visit the����ݮ��Ƶ AIF information��web page.

The��reference form��serves to help the Admissions Committee understand the applicant’s suitability for a career in pharmacy.

A section within the AIF asks you to provide the name and��contact information��of one person��who will��serve as your reference. This individual is required to be a member of a��.

References from pharmacists are likely to offer better insights into the applicant’s fit for the profession, and are therefore preferred. Those from other health professionals likely to be familiar with the role of pharmacists (i.e. physicians and nurses) are also acceptable, if they speak to the candidate's likely success as a pharmacist.

You must indicate��one��Reference Type��when completing your AIF.��When filling out the information for��your��reference, you do not need to use the Occupation pull-down menu items, as you have already chosen the Reference Type.

When you press the Submit – Page Finished button on the Pharmacy page, your reference will receive an email from ��ݮ��Ƶ that will direct them to submit your reference by the deadline indicated in the admissions timeline. It is your responsibility to ensure your reference submits the online form by this deadline. If your reference has not received their reference email within 3 business days of submitting your AIF, please email sci.admission@uwaterloo.ca.����

Your references will receive a confirmation email after they have submitted the form (normally within 3 business days), and will be provided with an electronic copy of their letter.

When the reference form has been received, the Documents section of your Quest account will be updated to show its receipt (normally within 3 business days).

IMPORTANT:��References must be submitted using the online reference system. Letters on stationery and hard copy forms are NOT acceptable.��Relatives are not accepted as references.

��is an online, open-response, situational judgment test that takes 90-110 minutes to complete. All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the January 2026 admissions cycle.

You will register for: Casper 2 (CSP – 10211)

Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s PharmD program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.��

Casper is administered by Acuity Insights.

How to sign up for Casper

• ��and register to complete Casper.
  • You will register for Casper 2 (CSP-10211) using your ��ݮ��Ƶ ID number��and a piece of government-issued photo ID.
    • Note: If you do not have a ��ݮ��Ƶ��ID number��yet, you can start the process, but you will have to update your file with your accurate ��ݮ��Ƶ ID number��by the distribution deadline.
  • Please register with the email address you are using for your application and check it regularly, as there may be updates to the test schedule.
• Select a Casper test date from the��, which have been approved in line with our admissions timelines.��
  • These are the only testing dates for applying to our program and no additional tests will be scheduled.��
• Register for your test��at least 3 days before��your preferred test date and time to allow time to perform a system requirements check and take the sample test in your account. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.
• Ensure you have selected University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Pharmacy for distribution before the distribution deadline listed on the��.

Technical requirements for Casper

To take the assessments, you will need a:

• Valid email address (the same one you will use to submit your application).
• Desktop or laptop computer, ideally using Windows or macOS.
  • Smartphones and tablets are not supported.
• Working webcam and microphone.
  • Wired inputs or your computer’s built-in microphone are recommended.
• Reliable high-speed internet connection with download speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 2 Mbps.

Learn more about��.

Accommodations

Applicants requiring testing accommodations to complete Casper should submit an Initial Request Form (Part 1 and 2) at least four (4) weeks prior to your scheduled Casper test date.��

Learn more about the��.

Help with Casper

If you have any questions, please contact the Acuity Insights team via the chat bubble on the bottom right of your Acuity Insights account or the��.��You can also review their collection of��.

Resources to help you prepare

*Acuity Insights is not affiliated with any test prep company, nor does Acuity Insights endorse any third-party services for preparing for Casper. Because Casper is designed to elicit authentic responses, applicants don’t need anything to prepare other than taking the free practice test in their Acuity Insights account or reviewing the information provided on the Casper site.

• Select applicants will move to the second stage of the admissions process. These applicants will be invited to participate in a virtual interview and to complete a Fundamental Skills Assessment.
• The assessment dates are pre-determined, and no exceptions will be made. Candidates are expected to be available as per the application timeline.
• The virtual interview will be hosted live in a synchronous fashion using theonline platform. Candidates will be interviewed by practising pharmacists and current pharmacy students in a panel-style interview. Candidates will be given a set date/time to participate in their interview. More details will be provided closer to interview weekend to applicants who were specifically selected and confirmed their interview offer.
• The Fundamental Skills Assessment (FSA) is a separate component of the virtual interview weekend that will test for reading comprehension, written communication, and basic mathematical skills. This will be an asynchronous virtual assessment completed using the����online platform. Candidates will be given a window of time to complete the FSA during the virtual interview weekend.

• Applicants who receive an invitation for an interview are required to submit an undated unofficial transcript at the end of the winter term.
• Note: official transcripts are required if candidates receive an offer of admission. Without an official transcript on file, the admission offer will be “conditional” until official transcripts are received, processed, and confirmed.
  • An official transcript is a complete academic record issued by your educational institution/Ministry of Education and they are��sent (electronic/mailed) directly to ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Registrar’s Office��by the appropriate agency.��Transcripts that are emailed,��faxed, and/or uploaded��will not be accepted as official.��

• For directions on how to upload unofficial documents to Quest, please visit the How do I upload my application documents webpage.

• For sending an official document, you may select one of one of four options below:
  • Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC):�� If you requested your transcripts through the OUAC (by checking “End of fall term”), you need not send/upload duplicate copies for the first transcript deadline.��If you selected “End of winter term”, you will need to upload an unofficial copy to Quest (see ‘Upload an unofficial transcript’ below). ��
  • ��(if your school uses it): ��ݮ��Ƶ is a registered organization with MyCredsTM. When sending transcripts through the MyCredsTM portal, please select "send my documents to a registered organization." Do not select "generate a link to my documents".
  • Mail official or unofficial documents to the Registrar’s Office, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ mailing address. Our mailing address is:
    • Office of the Registrar
      University of ��ݮ��Ƶ
      200 University Ave W
      ��ݮ��Ƶ ON���� N2L 3G1 CANADA
• Note: If you received transfer credit for IB, AP or A-level courses and receive an offer of admission, you will be required to contact the examining board to request results be sent directly to UW’s Registrar’s Office.