The pharmacy sector is a growing industry globally. For an internationally trained pharmacist who wishes to become a registered pharmacist in Australia, it’s very important to know about the complete procedure. The first step in the whole process in understanding everything about the licensure exam in Australia for international pharmacy graduates. The Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment (OPRA) exam is introduced in March 2025 by replacing KAPS Exam. The OPRA Exam is conducted by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC).
This exam is a foundation for overseas pharmacists to demonstrate their knowledge and skills will match the Australian standards. This exam will assess the students to show their ability and quality to work in the Australian healthcare sector which will eventually improve the patient safety effectively.
This examination is the first step in the journey of an overseas pharmacist who wishes to migrate to Australian or New Zealand to settle and work there as a registered pharmacist.
Lets understand the OPRA Exam?
The Overseas Pharmacists Readiness assessment exam is a test conducted to evaluate the readiness of overseas pharmacists to work in a safe, effective and ethical way in patient care with Australian standards.
It is a single paper exam which consists of 120 questions. It is a computer based online examination. The questions are designed in such a way that evaluates the required skills of a candidate like clinical problem solving and analytical things.
Lets learn about some key factors of the OPRA exam:
- A candidate with a B. Pharm, M. Pharm, PharmD from a recognised university is eligible for OPRA Exam
- The time taken to complete the examination is 2.5 hours
- There is no work experience required to attempt the examination
- The exam fee is AUD 2190.00
- Candidates need an active registration with the home country pharmacy council
- Candidates can attempt the exam unlimited times within 3 years validity period
- There is no official age limit for the exam, but for the visa in Australia the age limit is 45 years
What are the major components of the OPRA Exam syllabus?
There are several changes made by the council in the exam pattern and syllabus. Previously the KAPS exam focused on theoretical knowledge, whereas the OPRA exam focuses more on a practical approach. The APC structured the exam in such a way to evaluate the knowledge and skills of candidates in a practical way. Questions are mail on a case study based scenario.
There are 5 major core content areas of OPRA Exam:
- Biomedical science: 20% of questions
- Medicinal chemistry and biopharmaceutics: 10% of questions
- Pharmacokinetic & Pharmacodynamics: 10% of questions
- Pharmacology and toxicology: 15% of questions
- Therapeutics and patient care: 45% of questions
It’s very evident that the focus of examination has changed to therapeutics, patient care and decision making skills, ensuring that candidates are capable of working in a challenging pharmacy setup.
Exam Pattern and structure
This examination is conducted as an online exam with a computer based setup. OPRA Exam Syllabus consists of 120 multiple choice questions, that deals with real-life scenarios
Each question will determine whether the candidates have critical thinking and clinical problem solving skills.
The new structure will help overseas pharmacists to demonstrate their skills and ensure that they are capable of working in Australia which is matching the healthcare standards of the country.
The time taken for examination to complete is 2.5 hours
What are the fees involved in the OPRA Exam process?
There are 3 major fee requirements for the whole OPRA exam process. From the starting step of document evaluation to the last certificate of outcome letter to get a provisional registration or visa purpose, candidates must have some arrangement to cover the cost.
There major cost needed are:
| For skills assessment (document evaluation) | AUD 810.00 |
| The OPRA Exam | AUD 2190.00 |
| For the skills assessment outcome letter | AUD 300.00 |
What is the passing criteria for the OPRA exam?
One of the biggest changes in the OPRA exam scoring is an introduction of a new method-the Rasch methodology. This method was used to score the Australian Intern Written and oral examinations.
This method of scoring will do with the comparison between the analysis of the difficulty in each question and the ability of each candidate who responds.
This method results in more accurate and fair evaluation. This scoring method is widely accepted and reliable compared to that of traditional scoring. There is no negative scoring.
What are the preparation tips for overseas pharmacists?
To successfully clear the OPRA exam requires a clear strategy and focused preparation. Some preparation tips for candidates include:
- Start with the skills assessment process early to avoid delays caused by missing or incomplete documents.
- Thoroughly review the five key content areas of the syllabus and focus on clinical case-solving.
- Practice case-based questions regularly, as it’s the important part of the exam format.
- Manage your preparation by balancing strong areas with weaker subjects such as pharmacokinetics, ethics, and therapeutic calculations.
- Always refer to the official APC website for updates instead of relying on secondary sources.
- Most importantly, consider expert guidance from a coaching institute, as structured preparation can significantly increase your chances of success
Conclusion
The OPRA Exam 2025 is the first step for overseas-trained pharmacists who wish to work in Australia. This exam focuses on clinical knowledge, patient care, and ethical decision-making, it ensures that international students meet the highest quality of pharmacy practice.
While the process requires dedication, financial planning, and right preparation, successfully clearing the examination is highly rewarding. To get a pharmacist license to practice in one of the most respected Australian healthcare systems in the world, the OPRA exam is the stepping stone. By choosing expert guidance through Elite Expertise, candidates can start this challenging journey with confidence and significantly improve their chances of success.