OPRA Exa‌m Fees 2026-27: Complete Cos​t Breakdown for Pharmaci​sts

Introduction

The Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA) is the Knowledge Stream exam for pharmacists who qualified outside Australia. The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) runs it. Before you start, you need a clear picture of what the pathway costs, what is refundable and what each step needs. This guide brings the eligibility check, exam, refund rules and Skills Assessment Outcome into one place. Every fee and rule comes from the APC website.

Elite Expertise is an independent education provider. We do not make APC eligibility decisions. Always confirm fees and dates on the APC website before you pay.

Who Can Take the OPRA Pathway?

The Knowledge Stream applies if you completed your pharmacy qualification in any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.

Your qualification must also meet these conditions:

• It must include the pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences knowledge that forms the foundation of the pathway to general registration in Australia.
• It must be equal to 4 years of full-time study if you completed it after 1 January 2006.
• It must be equal to 3 years of full-time study if you completed it before 1 January 2006.
• Evidence of registration is not required.

If any of this is not true for you, this pathway does not apply. Check the APC skills assessments page for other pathways.

Source: APC Knowledge Stream page

How Much Does the OPRA Exam Cost in Total?

The Skills Assessment Outcome has two parts: passing the eligibility check and passing the OPRA exam. You pay for each step as you reach it.

APC fees on the OPRA pathway (AUD)

These figures are APC fees only. Fees charged by other bodies are not included.

Source: APC skills assessment fees page

What Is the OPRA Eligibility Check Fee and What Documents Do You Need?

The eligibility check costs AUD 810. It is the first step. You must complete it, and receive an email from APC saying you are eligible, before you can register for the exam.

Key facts

• APC aims to respond within 5 working days after it receives all your documents. Allow up to 4 weeks.
• The eligibility check has no expiry.
• Lodge your application at least 8 weeks before the exam registration closing date. APC cannot guarantee it will be assessed in time for your preferred exam.
• If APC asks for more information, you have 6 months (180 days) to send it. After that, your application is closed. You must re-apply and pay the fee again.
• The fee is non-refundable.

Documents you need to upload

• Passport: Upload the full image, including the top and bottom pages. If you do not have a current passport, APC accepts only certain Australian or New Zealand ID documents instead.
• Official photo-bearing document: An official ID with your photo.
• Birth certificate: If you do not have one, you can give a second photo-bearing document.
• Qualification certificate or letter of completion: It must be for a pharmacy qualification, show the full degree and include the issue date. If you have more than one qualification, combine them into one file.
• Academic transcript: All pages in one document, showing all subjects and exam results for every semester.
• Optional documents: Evidence of registration, an agent authorisation form and evidence of a name change.

Rules to remember

• You do not need to certify your documents.
• You do not need to show proof of English competency for the eligibility check.
• Translate any non-English documents in full. Use a translator accredited by NAATI. APC does not accept extract translations (except from an Australian Government department) or translations by anyone else.
• Upload your original and translated documents only through the Candidate Portal. Do not email or post them.
• Your name must appear the same way on all documents. If it has changed, upload proof of the change.
• Work experience verification is currently not available.

What Is the OPRA Exam Fee and What Is the Exam Like?

The OPRA exam costs AUD 2,245 per attempt.

The exam assesses whether you have the knowledge and understanding of the biomedical, pharmaceutical and clinical sciences behind pharmacy practice in Australia. It is a computer-delivered multiple choice exam.

OPRA exam at a glance

APC publishes an exam guide with sample content and an exam day preparation page covering IDs, breaks and what to bring. Use both to prepare.

What Are the OPRA Exam Dates and Test Centres?

APC runs the exam in set sessions, and registration closes about one month before exam day. The November 2026 session (23–25 November 2026) is already closed for registration. Here are the next sessions.

OPRA exam dates for 2027

You can sit the exam in Australia and in many other countries.

Test centres in cities that candidates often ask about include:

• India: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi and Noida
• Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi
• Nepal: Itahari
• Sri Lanka: Colombo
• United Arab Emirates: Dubai

Seat availability varies by centre. Centres can fill up or be unavailable for some sessions, and venues can change at short notice. If your preferred centre is full, choose another one. Seats can open up when other candidates cancel, so check the portal again.

How Do You Register and Pay for the OPRA Exam?

• Check you are eligible. You must have completed the eligibility check and received APC's email saying you can sit the exam.
• Register in the Candidate Portal. Registration opens at 9am and closes at 5pm AEDT/AEST. APC cannot accept late registrations. Book early because some locations fill fast.
• Request special accommodation if you need it. A health practitioner must complete and sign the Special Accommodation Request Form before you register. APC emails you the outcome within two business days. Your appointment date and time may change to allow for your request.
• Pay the fee when you register. If payment is not received, your seat is released.

Payment rules

• All prices are in Australian dollars.
• APC accepts Visa or Mastercard credit or debit cards, plus Google Pay and Apple Pay at checkout.
• Your card must be issued by a bank in your country of residence.
• Pay only through the APC Candidate Portal. APC sends a reminder email about 5 days before your exam.

Can You Reschedule, Cancel or Get a Refund?

Rescheduling. You can reschedule your exam in the Candidate Portal, but only during the registration period.

Cancelling. You can cancel and request a refund for any reason. APC must approve the request, and a cancellation fee applies to all refunds. You cancel in the Candidate Portal. APC does not accept phone requests. You need to give a reason. If you cancel on or after the scheduled exam date, you need supporting documents.

• Eligibility check (AUD 810): No refund
• Skills Assessment Outcome (AUD 300): No refund
• OPRA exam (AUD 2,245): Partial refund of 80% of the exam fee, less a cancellation fee, if approved

Other refund rules

• You can cancel before your exam date and receive a partial refund.
• If you could not attend on the day, you can ask for a partial refund. APC must receive your request no later than 2 weeks after the exam session ends, with supporting documents.
• If a technical problem or centre closure stops your exam and APC cannot reschedule it, you can apply for a refund. The same 2-week deadline applies.
• If you start the exam but become seriously ill and cannot finish, you can apply for a partial refund with supporting documents.
• Exam appointments cannot be transferred or swapped. A cancelled exam fee cannot be moved to another session.
• To move to a later session, request a refund and then re-book during that session's registration period. The cancellation fee applies.
• Refunds go back to your original payment method, minus the cancellation fee.

The APC fees page lists a AUD 100 cancellation fee for cancelling about 5 days before the exam date. Check the live fees page and the refund policy for the exact amount that applies to you before you cancel.

Source: APC Candidate Refund Policy

What Happens After the Exam? Results and Re-Sits

• APC emails you when results are ready. You view and download them in the Candidate Portal.
• Your result says passed or unsuccessful. APC does not provide exam scores or feedback on your performance, as this is a registration exam.
• If you are unsuccessful, you may re-sit as many times as you need. Register for the next exam period and pay the full exam fee again.
• APC offers an appeals process for matters other than the calculation of results. There is no appeal fee. Read the appeals policy before you sit the exam, so you know its scope.

What Is the Skills Assessment Outcome Fee?

When you pass the OPRA exam, you can request your Skills Assessment Outcome in the Candidate Portal. The fee is AUD 300 per request, and it is non-refundable.

• You use the outcome to apply to the Department of Home Affairs to support a visa application.
• The Department of Home Affairs sets how long your outcome stays valid for visa applications. APC cannot change that period.
• You can request another Skills Assessment Outcome issuance if your outcome has expired and an outside organisation no longer accepts it, or if something significant has changed since APC issued it. An updated skills assessment request costs AUD 610 per request.

What Other APC Fees Come Later?

After you pass OPRA, you apply to the Pharmacy Board of Australia through Ahpra for provisional registration and approval of supervised practice. You must complete a period of supervised practice before you can receive general registration. APC suggests calling Ahpra to talk about your circumstances.

APC's own fee for this stage is the Intern Written Exam at AUD 790 per attempt. You can book it once you hold provisional registration from the Pharmacy Board. Registration fees are set by the Pharmacy Board, not APC, so check the Board's fees page for those amounts.

How Do You Work Out the Fees in Your Own Currency?

APC publishes every fee in Australian dollars, and APC does not publish conversion rates. Your card must come from a bank in your country of residence, so your bank converts the payment into AUD at its own rate on the day you pay. Check the rate and any card charges with your bank before you pay.

How Can You Avoid Scams?

APC warns candidates not to give personal documents or make payments for APC services or exams outside the Candidate Portal. The only way to apply for an eligibility check or book an exam is through the portal on the APC website.

If you use a migration agent, make sure they are registered with OMARA (Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority). If you are unsure about anything, contact APC at info@pharmacycouncil.org.au.

How Can Elite Expertise Help You Prepare for OPRA?

You pay AUD 2,245 for every attempt, so good preparation protects your budget. Elite Expertise offers OPRA exam coaching with structured study plans, mock exams and guidance from pharmacists working in Australia. Book a free consultation, and we will help you plan your study time around the exam dates above.

Conclusion

The OPRA pathway costs AUD 3,355 in APC fees on a first attempt: AUD 810 for eligibility check, AUD 2,245 for OPRA Exam and AUD 300 for the Skills Assessment Outcome. Only the exam fee can be partly refunded, and every re-sit costs the full exam fee again. Gather your documents early, lodge your eligibility check at least 8 weeks before registration closes, and pick the exam session that gives you enough time to prepare. Pay only through the APC Candidate Portal, and check the APC website for the latest fees and dates before every payment. With a clear plan and good preparation, you can give yourself the best chance of passing on your first attempt.

Key Takeaways

• The OPRA eligibility check costs AUD 810 per request, and it has no expiry.
• The OPRA exam costs AUD 2,245 per attempt. It has 120 questions and lasts 2.5 hours.
• The Skills Assessment Outcome costs AUD 300 per request.
• Your total APC cost on a first attempt is AUD 3,355.
• The eligibility check and Skills Assessment Outcome fees are non-refundable. The exam fee can be partly refunded if you cancel.
• You can re-sit the exam as many times as you need, but you pay the full exam fee each time.
• The Intern Written Exam, which you take later in your journey, costs AUD 790 per attempt.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)