The criteria sets out the education, training and experience requirements you need to complete to register as a pharmacist.
To practise as a pharmacist in Great Britain, you need to register with us and meet our requirements for education, training and experience.
As a pharmacist, you’re responsible for providing safe and effective care to the public. Our job is to protect people and give them assurance they’ll receive a high standard of care when using a pharmacy.
If you want to practise as a pharmacist in England, Scotland and Wales, you must be registered with us. It’s a legal requirement.
You must also complete a certain level of education, training and experience to register as a pharmacist. When you renew your registration with us each year, you need to complete a declaration statement that you meet all of our standards for pharmacy professionals.
To practise as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, you need to have professional indemnity insurance in place that covers you for any risks associated with your area of work. Find out more about the appropriate indemnity cover you need to register with us.
Which route do I use to register?
The registration process and the information you need to provide depends on the country where you gained your qualifications.
Registration criteria
UK-qualified pharmacists
Find out how to register if you qualified in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Internationally- qualified pharmacists
If you qualified as a pharmacist outside of the EEA or hold an EEA pharmacist qualification which is not recognised in the UK, you will need to complete training before registration.
EEA-qualified pharmacists
If you qualified as a pharmacist in an EU country, you may be able to make an application to have your qualification recognised.
EEA-EFTA country- qualified pharmacists
If you qualified as a pharmacist in Iceland, Lichtenstein, or Norway, you can apply to have your qualification assessed.
Pharmacists with Swiss nationality
The UK and Switzerland are party to the Citizens’ Rights Agreement, which allows Swiss nationals to apply for registration with us, and for the applicant and any dependents or spouses, with acquired rights in Switzerland, to live in the UK.
The Citizens' Right Agreement ends on 31 December 2024.
If you are a Swiss national and want to apply to join the GPhC pharmacists' register, please email international@pharmacyregulation.org