Key Takeaways
For all the overseas pharmacists who aspire to become a licensed pharmacist in Australia, OPRA Exam Australia is a mandatory step to complete The OPRA Exam syllabus covers all the major sections of pharmacy subjects which included pharmacy practice, pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, ethic and law The OPRA Exam pattern is a single paper with 120 MCQs comprise of case study based clinical scenarios The updated OPRA Exam fees in 2025 is AUD 2190.00 Rasch methodology is used as a scoring criteria for OPRA exam Elite Expertise is the world best online coaching institution for OPRA Exam, which proves its quality again and again with the unmatchable passing percentage For a pharmacy student who wishes to become a registered pharmacist in Australia, the first and foremost step is to clear the OPRA Exam. The Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA) exam is the assessment conducted by Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) to evaluate the knowledge and skills of internationally trained pharmacists, whether it will match the Australian Healthcare standard or not. OPRA exam was introduced in March 2025, by replacing the old KAPS exam (Knowledge assessment of pharmaceutical science) which had changes in syllabus and exam pattern. OPRA exam focuses more on clinical and practical application of knowledge. In this guide we will have a look on the details regarding:- OPRA Exam Australia eligibility
- OPRA Exam syllabus
- OPRA Exam fees and cost
- OPRA Exam format
- Passing criteria
- Preparation tips to clear
- About Elite Expertise
What is OPRA Exam Australia?
OPRA exam is conducted by the Australia Pharmacy Council for internationally trained pharmacy graduates who are seeking license or provisional registration in Australia and New Zealand to work as a pharmacist. This examination is considered as an initial part of the assessment pathway. It tests the foreign pharmacist’s readiness to work in the advanced healthcare system of these particular countries through practical, clinical & ethical scenarios.Key features of the OPRA exam:
- Candidates who have bachelor’s degree or higher is eligible
- Proof of active registration with the pharmacy council of your home country or eligibility to apply is mandatory
- Experience in the field is not mandatory
- It is a multiple-choice exam consist of 120 questions in a single paper
- Computer based online examination
- Cost of the examination is AUD 2190.00
- Validity of examination is 3 years
- There no limit for number of attempts
- There is no age limit for attempting the OPRA exam. However, for visa application 45 year old is the age limit
What is the OPRA Exam Eligibility?
- Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree or higher,
- require an active registration in the home country pharmacy council or at least eligible to be registered.
- Pharmacy experience is not mandatory
What is the OPRA Exam Syllabus?
OPRA Exam assesses the knowledge of applicants in pharmacy subjects. OPRA Exam focuses mainly in clinical and practical application of the knowledge rather than memorized theory knowledge. The new OPRA syllabus is made in such a way to evaluate the candidates skills and qualification in depth. There are 5 major content areas on which the exam is conducted. They are:| Content area | Percentage allocated for each area |
|---|---|
| Biomedical sciences | 20% |
| Medicinal chemistry and biopharmaceutics | 10% |
| Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics | 10% |
| Pharmacology and toxicology | 15% |
| Therapeutics and patient care | 45% |
What is the Structure and pattern of OPRA Exam Australia?
The pattern of OPRA Exam is created in such a way to evaluate the overseas pharmacist’s application skills of knowledge they attained in degree rather than memorization.- Exam is computer based online exam
- It consist of 120 multiple choice questions
- Time taken for the exam is 2.5 hours
- Assessment mainly focus on patient safety, clinical decision making, case solving and in depth pharmacology knowledge
- There is no negative marking for the scoring
What is the fees structure of the OPRA Exam process?
The newly introduced OPRA in March 2025, had also changes in the fees.| Process | Fees in AUD |
| Skill assessment process | AUD 810.00 |
| The Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment examination (OPRA) | AUD 2190.00 |
| Skills Assessment Outcome Letter | AUD 300.00 |
What are the passing criteria for the OPRA Exam?
Passing the OPRA Exam is the crucial step for Overseas pharmacists who are trying to be licensed pharmacists in Australia.- There was a new scoring method known as Rasch Methodology, introduced by the Australian Pharmacy council for scoring the OPRA Exam.
- It is an adaptive testing model that will evaluate the exam attempted by candidates with accuracy and fairness.
- It compares the exam question difficulty and the ability of candidates by the response given to the particular question. This comparison will make the final decision.
- This was the method already used for scoring Australian Intern Written and Oral Exams
What are the Preparation tips for Overseas pharmacists who are taking the OPRA Exam?
- Gather the documents for the skills assessment process. Clear and accurate documents submitted will reduce the delays caused due to the time taken for the process.
- Review the syllabus thoroughly and understand the five major content areas which will give more weightage for the questions
- Candidates should practice on clinical case studies and case-study based scenarios which is the main focus of OPRA Exam
- Getting an understanding about the OPRA exam pattern and the structure, time taken for the examination is very crucial for the candidates to prepare for.
- Always check the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) official website for the details rather than surfing on another websites
- Candidates should concentrate on weak areas such as calculation, ethics, therapeutic depending on the strength of each candidates
- Join a relevant coaching centre for a expert guidance, which will immensely improve the chances to succeed
- Do regular revision with a prepper strategy to avoid last minutes tension
Why choose Elite Expertise for OPRA Exam Preparation?
Elite Expertise is one of the best online coaching institutes in the world, who proves that their coaching is top notch by the unmatchable passing percentage on each OPRA Exams. Last July 2025 exam, 95% of passing percentage was attained from Elite Expertise.Elite Expertise can be a best choice for overseas applicants because:
- Provide world best coaching by Australian accredited consultant clinical pharmacists, Mr. Arief Mohammad & Mrs. Harika Bheemavarapu. They teach from the basics and cover all the topics in the OPRA Exam syllabus with ease.
- We provide exam focused strategies designed to maximize the chance of passing
- Mock tests and cas study sessions aligned with real OPRA Exam pattern and syllabus
- Flexible training with online and recording lectures
- Proven High success rate with unmatching passing percentage
- 100+ case studies are discussed in lectures
- 24*7 administrative support from the admin team
Conclusion
OPRA Exam is a crucial step for candidates who are planning to migrate to Australia and work as a registered pharmacist in Australia. The pattern and syllabus of the exam can seem to be confusing for some, but with proper preparation and strategic approach students can excel the exam with ease. With the expert-led guidance from Elite Expertise, international applicants can get help for their preparation journey. The training comprises comprehensive training which will completely cover the OPRA Exam syllabus provided by APC. Expert faculty, comprehensive study material, mock tests, and personalized guidance will help applicants to pass the exam on their first attempt. If you are seriously thinking about migrating to Australia ans settling there with the registration with APC as a pharmacist,Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the OPRA Exam
It’s the Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment conducted by APC for international pharmacists.
It covers pharmacy practice, clinical pharmacy, ethics, and pharmaceutical calculations.
The exam cost is approximately AUD 2190.00
A computer-based test with MCQs and case-based clinical questions.
You must also budget for skills assessment fees, skills assessment outcome letter, and English test fees.
Overseas-trained pharmacists who have B.Pharm, M. Pharm or PharmD, and an active registration with the home country pharmacy council.
Rasch methodology is used for the assessment of the OPRA Exam.
It is held three times each year (March, July, November) across approved testing centers.
Yes, institutes like Elite Expertise offer full online preparation programs.
Elite Expertise is the number one choice for hundreds of candidates due to its expert faculty, structured courses, and high success rate.
