Pharmacy in Ukraine in English: tuition, KROK exams and registration in the UK

Why consider pharmacy in Ukraine

Pharmacy brings together chemistry, biology and medicine, and pharmacists work not only in pharmacies but also in the manufacture of medicines, in quality control and in pharmaceutical wholesale. In Ukraine you can study pharmacy in English straight after secondary school. At our partner universities a year of pharmacy costs USD 4,000 to 5,500.

• The programme takes 5 years and has 300 ECTS credits.
• Classes are taught in English, in international groups.
• Placements make up at least 30 ECTS credits.
• At one of our partner universities you can also study pharmacy online.

The programme: the whole journey of a medicine

Pharmacy in Ukraine is a single-cycle master’s programme. The national higher-education standard for speciality 226 “Pharmacy, industrial pharmacy” sets 300 ECTS credits and the qualification of Master of Pharmacy. As the professional qualification, the standard names pharmacist, clinical pharmacist and cosmetic pharmacist, depending on the university’s programme.

The subject of your studies is the whole journey of a medicine: its development, manufacture, quality control and wholesale and retail supply, together with pharmaceutical services and pharmaceutical care. In practice, you learn to:

• choose a suitable technology for making a medicine and prepare its documentation,
• determine the chemical and pharmaceutical properties of medicines and control their quality,
• weigh up the advantages and drawbacks of natural and synthetic medicines from different pharmacological groups,
• provide pharmaceutical care when a medicine is chosen and organise the supply of medicines to the public.

The programme ends with the unified state qualification exam and the defence of a qualification thesis.

The KROK state exams in pharmacy

Pharmacy students take the national KROK tests, just like medical and dental students, but in the version for their own programme. The tests are prepared by the testing centre of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, so every pharmacy student in the country sits the same test. Practice questions for the KROK 1 and KROK 2 exams in pharmacy are available on Medmigrant, our learning platform.

1. Year 3: KROK 1 A test in the basic subjects, together with an exam in professional English.
2. Year 5: KROK 2 A test in the professional subjects of pharmacy.
3. Qualification thesis You defend your thesis before a committee.
4. Degree You receive the degree of Master of Pharmacy.

How much does pharmacy in Ukraine cost?

Five of our partner universities teach pharmacy in English. This is the tuition for one year:

University	City	Pharmacy
Ternopil National Medical University	Ternopil	$4,000 (first year: $2,800)
University of Medicine and Social Sciences (UMSS)	Rivne, Kharkiv	$4,300
Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University	Kyiv	$4,300
Odesa National Medical University	Odesa	$4,500
Luhansk State Medical University	Rivne	$5,500

On top of tuition come accommodation, food, document translations and travel. We go through the current terms of each university with you during a free consultation.

Pharmacy online, with placements where you live

At the University of Medicine and Social Sciences (UMSS) you can study pharmacy on campus, in a hybrid mode or online. Current Ukrainian rules allow remote study, so you do not have to move to Ukraine straight away. Online students do their summer placements in the country where they live, and we help to arrange them. In our experience, such degrees are recognised without problems, for example in Poland and Romania. Before you start, we check with you how the General Pharmaceutical Council (or the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland) assesses this way of studying.

Some of the Ukrainian universities we work with also teach on campuses in Romania and in Poland. During your consultation we look at which mode suits you best.

Registering as a pharmacist in Great Britain with a degree from Ukraine

Ukraine is outside the EEA, so the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) does not register a Ukrainian pharmacy degree directly. Its criteria for applicants with qualifications from such countries describe a clear sequence of steps:

1. GPhC assessment The GPhC first assesses whether you are eligible to take an Overseas Pharmacists’ Assessment Programme (OSPAP) course. If you are, you must start the course within two years.
2. OSPAP course You complete the OSPAP course at a university in Great Britain.
3. Foundation training Then comes a 52-week programme of foundation training in Great Britain.
4. Registration assessment You pass the common registration assessment run jointly by the GPhC and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
5. Registration You apply to join the register. According to the GPhC criteria, you must register within four years of starting the OSPAP course.

Registering as a pharmacist in Ireland

In Ireland, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) has a separate route for qualifications obtained outside the EU, in up to three stages:

1. Stage 1: application You apply for recognition of your qualification. The fee is EUR 500.
2. Stage 2: holistic assessment The PSI looks at your education and experience as a whole. The fee is EUR 1,000. The result decides whether you need to take an exam.
3. Stage 3: exam, if required The exam is run by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin, in person: Part 1 is a multiple-choice test on pharmaceutical calculations and applied pharmacy practice, and Part 2 is an OSCE. The fee is EUR 2,250 for the multiple-choice part, EUR 2,750 for the OSCE or EUR 3,000 for both, and results come in four to six weeks.
4. Registration You then apply for registration. Your English is checked at this stage.

Start in Ukraine, finish in the EU if you wish

For many students the simplest route is to complete pharmacy in Ukraine: it is cheaper, and the formalities after graduation are manageable. If you would rather have an EU degree, you can start in Ukraine and transfer during your studies to an English-taught pharmacy programme in the EU, for example in Poland.

1. Completed years You pass each year and collect your syllabuses and transcript.
2. Several universities Together we choose several EU universities that accept transfers in that year.
3. Documents We prepare the application, translations and the comparison of curricula.
4. EU degree You complete pharmacy at an EU university and receive its degree.

We transfer students from universities outside the EU even into the fifth year. In our experience the transfer always works out, although not always to the university chosen first, which is why we always choose several. A pharmacy degree from an EU country follows a different registration route in Great Britain and Ireland, which we check with you. Ask about a transfer.

Frequently asked questions

How long does pharmacy take in Ukraine?

Five years. The programme has 300 ECTS credits and leads to the degree of Master of Pharmacy.

Can I study pharmacy in Ukraine online?

Yes, for example at UMSS, which teaches pharmacy on campus, in a hybrid mode and online. You do your summer placements in the country where you live, and we help to arrange them.

Can I work as a pharmacist in the UK with a degree from Ukraine?

Yes, through the GPhC route for qualifications from outside the UK and the EEA: an assessment for the OSPAP course, the course itself, 52 weeks of foundation training and the registration assessment.

And in Ireland?

You apply to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. After a holistic assessment, the PSI decides whether you also need to pass the exam run by the RCSI.

Do I need to speak Ukrainian?

No, our programmes are taught in English. Basic Ukrainian is still useful during placements and in everyday life.

Where should I start?

With a conversation about where you want to work after graduation, how you want to study and what your budget is. Based on that, we choose the university and the plan, with the recognition of your degree in mind from the start. Each of our partner universities has its own requirements, and we guarantee our applicants a place on the list of students.

Universities in Ukraine with pharmacy

Read also: Studying medicine in Ukraine: is it a good idea? and Studying dentistry in Ukraine in English: tuition, exams and registration in the UK. You will find more on the Ukraine page, on the Pharmacy page and in the university directory. Not sure which university to choose? Book a free consultation.