{"id":25295,"date":"2024-11-28T09:42:57","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T09:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/?p=25295"},"modified":"2025-08-18T11:55:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T11:55:52","slug":"opra-exam-vs-ospap-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/opra-exam-vs-ospap-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"OPRA Exam vs OSPAP Exam"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd9933;color:#dd9933\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd9933;color:#dd9933\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/opra-exam-vs-ospap-exam\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/opra-exam-vs-ospap-exam\/#OPRA_vs_OSPAP\" >OPRA vs OSPAP<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"25295\" class=\"elementor elementor-25295\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-74fb8cdb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"74fb8cdb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-11e7302a sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"11e7302a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b9ad68f sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6b9ad68f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-94e99da42b72999cf626e26879ba145d\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span><strong>Introduction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-1cd0b6f6712d1c9d23d47a25d14f7ea7\"><br \/>Navigating the pathway to becoming a registered pharmacist in a foreign country can be both challenging and rewarding. For overseas-trained pharmacists, the Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment (OPRA) in Australia and New Zealand, and the Overseas Pharmacist Assessment Programme (OSPAP) in the United Kingdom, serve as crucial steppingstones to achieving professional licensure. These programs evaluate and build on the skills and knowledge of pharmacists to ensure they meet the standards required for safe and effective practice. In this blog, we delve into the key details of these programs, including eligibility criteria, required documents, exam formats, and fees, to guide aspiring pharmacists on their journey. So, let&#8217;s\u00a0get\u00a0started:<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-340df4e73e52821ac18888ba4481a112\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"OPRA_vs_OSPAP\"><\/span><strong>OPRA vs OSPAP<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table class=\"-fixed-layout\" style=\"height: 1949px;\" width=\"894\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>OPRA Exam<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>OSPAP Exam<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Overseas Pharmacist Assessment Programme<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>What is it?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">The\u00a0<em>OPRA<\/em>\u00a0exam assesses whether candidates have the necessary knowledge and understanding of the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical sciences underlying the practice of pharmacy in Australia. It is typically designed to assess the competency of overseas-trained pharmacists who wish to practice <strong>in Australia, New Zealand<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>What is it?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">It is a recognised qualification (Postgraduate Diploma, Pg Dip) designed for qualified pharmacists outside the European Economic Area or hold an EEA pharmacist qualification which is not a &#8216;relevant&#8217; qualification (other than a UK-recognised pharmacist qualification) who are looking to become registered pharmacists in <strong>the United Kingdom<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Apply for a Skills Assessment eligibility check in <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Knowledge<a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmacycouncil.org.au\/pharmacist\/skills-assessment\/knowledge-stream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0Stream<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>via the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmacycouncil.org.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">APC<\/a><\/span> Candidate Portal. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"> Your pharmacy qualification must be the equivalent of either: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">4 years\u2019 full-time academic study, if completed\u00a0<strong>after<\/strong>\u00a01 January 2006,\u00a0<strong>OR<\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">3 years\u2019 full-time academic study, if completed\u00a0<strong>before<\/strong>\u00a01 January 2006 \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Before you can apply to study the OSPAP course, you must first apply to the\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmacyregulation.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GPhC<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and pass their adjudication process\u00a0(Assessment of your qualifications and English language skills) \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Your pharmacy qualification should be equivalent to a bachelor\u2019s degree in pharmacy in the UK. If not, then you should undertake an assessment of the syllabus of the course that you pursued. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>English language test<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"> Not compulsory to take a test before taking the OPRA exam.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>English language test<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">You need to take a relevant English Language test and should meet the specified requirements before you apply to the GPhC. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">IELTS- <strong>a level of 7 or above in all the four modules in one sitting of the academic version<\/strong> of the IELTS test. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">OET- <strong>a grade B or above in all the four modules in one sitting <\/strong>of the Pharmacy OET.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Documents required<\/strong> <strong>for the skill assessment process: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">1. Passport and other identity documents<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">2. Official photo-bearing document issued by your government.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">3. Birth certificate<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">4. Qualification certificate (Original Degree) or letter of completion if your certificate has not yet been issued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">5. Academic transcript<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">6. Evidence of registration as a pharmacist. (Provide one of the following: Your initial or current registration document Or, an endorsement letter, or an eligibility to commence letter). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">7. Agent authorisation form (optional)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">8. Evidence of name change (optional)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">9. Work Experience (optional)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Documents required for the application: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">1. Evidence of your qualifications and of your identity and get copies legally certified.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff; background-color: var(--theme-color-alter_bg_color); font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;\">2. Request documents about your <\/span><strong style=\"color: #ffffff; background-color: var(--theme-color-alter_bg_color); font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;\">pharmacy qualification and experience<\/strong><span style=\"color: #ffffff; background-color: var(--theme-color-alter_bg_color); font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;\"> from the university where you qualified and from the pharmacy regulator in that country. You may need to send these with your application or ask for them to be sent directly to the GPhC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">3. Provide proof of English language competency (IELTS Or OET)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">4. Fill a paper copy of the application form and any other forms by hand in capital letters only. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">May take up to 8-12 weeks to complete your eligibility check.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">May take up to 8 weeks to know the outcome of your application.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">After receiving the Skill Assessment eligibility notice from the APC, you are eligible to book for the exam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">The\u00a0<em>OPRA<\/em>\u00a0exam is a computer-delivered, multiple choice question exam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Duration of exam:\u00a0<\/strong>2.5 hours, 120 questions in total.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>The UK ENIC organisation<\/strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> <a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.enic.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Home Page (enic.org.uk)<\/a><\/span> can assess your qualification and provide an official document called a <strong>\u2018Statement of Comparability\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">If your qualifications and experience meet the eligibility criteria, you will be able to apply for an OSPAP course. Initially you will get an offer letter from any of the universities you have chosen during the application process, and you need to clear an Interview.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">After clearing the interview, you will receive an updated offer letter, and you must start a course <strong>within the next two academic years of the date of the decision.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Fee:<\/strong> <\/span>Eligibility check fee- $810\u00a0(non-refundable) OPRA exam fee- $2190 per attempt<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Fee:<\/strong><\/span> <strong>Application Fee- \u00a3739 (non-refundable)<\/strong> Later, University fee has to be paid to complete the course. (Varies with the university you select to do the OSPAP course).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-d48b3f81b3744725da723ecbfeffdcf6\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-8300bc9c1287f64d452bea82068b9770\">Whether you\u2019re pursuing registration through the <a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/opra-exam-preparation-course\/\">OPRA exam in Australia<\/a> or the OSPAP program in the United Kingdom, understanding the processes and meeting the requirements is essential for success. Both pathways are designed to support overseas pharmacists in integrating into their respective healthcare systems, enhancing their professional growth and expanding their career opportunities. At<a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/\"> Elite Expertise<\/a>, we are committed to empowering pharmacists with the knowledge, skills, and guidance necessary to excel in these assessments and achieve their professional aspirations. With the right preparation, your journey to becoming a licensed pharmacist in a new country can be a fulfilling and successful\u00a0endeavor.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction Navigating the pathway to becoming a registered pharmacist in a foreign country can be both challenging and rewarding. For overseas-trained pharmacists, the Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment (OPRA) in Australia&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":25304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[178,204],"tags":[376,260,258,262,230],"class_list":["post-25295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opra","category-uk","tag-elite-expertise","tag-opra-exam","tag-opra-exam-coaching","tag-opra-exam-in-australia","tag-opra-exam-preparation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25295"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29907,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25295\/revisions\/29907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}