2025-2026 ADMISSION INFORMATION

---

How to Apply

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) uses the Pharmacy College Application System (PharmCAS), a centralized application service for pharmacy programs, for applicants seeking to apply to the accelerated three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program. An electronic application must be submitted to PharmCAS. Admission Scholarships are available to students based on their academic standing at the time of application. Those applying prior to the Priority Admissions deadline of March 2, 2026 may be eligible for a Priority Admissions Scholarship. Those applying after the Priority Admissions deadline may be eligible for a General Admissions Scholarship. The application deadline for entry in the Fall of 2026 is June 1, 2026.

---

About the Program

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) is an accelerated three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program, located just outside of Sacramento in Elk Grove, California, dedicated to educating, developing, and training future pharmacists to provide competent, evidence-based care focused on improving patient outcomes and advancing the profession of pharmacy. By reducing the duration of the program from four years to three years, our graduates are able to join the workforce or pursue postgraduate training opportunities earlier in their careers. CNUCOP alumni have assumed coveted leadership positions and have attained significant achievements within various fields of pharmacy including the pharmaceutical industry sector, managed care, hospital administration, academia, and research.

CNUCOP provides unique learning experiences to our students through the use of active learning, such as team-based learning, to deliver our curriculum. Through teamwork, students are exposed to a diverse population of classmates from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Students assume a more proactive role in the program as they learn to effectively interact with team members to enhance learning and practical application of the material taught in class. Team-based learning prepares our students to play a key role in a multidisciplinary team setting, enabling our students to serve as drug information experts, as they work collaboratively to improve patient care and enhance patient outcomes.

---

General Admission Information

---

While a cumulative GPA of 2.8 is preferred for entry into the Doctor of Pharmacy program, a holistic review of the application is conducted by members of the Admissions Committee who evaluate both academic and non-academic factors, including leadership experience, work experience, letters of recommendation, grit and resilience, academic success in science and math coursework, taking into account temporal trends, the rigor of the academic program and coursework, community service, oral and written communication skills, and research experience.

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy does not require a Bachelor's degree or PCAT for entry into our pharmacy program. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma, GED, or its equivalent. A minimum of 40 semester units (54 quarter units) of prerequisite credit must be completed prior to matriculation into the program. Online courses are permitted for prerequisites. Prospective students are encouraged to carry full course loads (15 units per semester) during their undergraduate studies. AP exam scores of 3 or higher, with 4 preferred will be accepted for prerequisite coursework and/or general education requirements. AP credit must be reported by subject and credit and must be mailed directly from your institution or testing services to the College of Pharmacy by using college code: 7306. Additionally, the AP exam must have been taken no greater than ten years from the date of matriculation. Please note, AP exam scores will only count towards the first course in a series of science courses. For instance, an AP exam score of 3 or higher for chemistry would only count towards the General Chemistry I requirement. California Northstate University College of Pharmacy requires completion of the PharmCAS application. Two letters of recommendation (LORs) are also required as part of the application. More information about acceptable LORs is provided below. All applicants are also required to review the Professional and Academic Standards of the Doctor of Pharmacy program on our webpage to ensure they meet the stated professional and technical criteria.

The Admissions Committee evaluates applicants for admission on an individual basis. Applicants are required to have completed all prerequisites prior to entering the program; however, applicants may interview with our program before the applicant has completed all prerequisite coursework. Prerequisites may be substituted with courses the Admissions Committee evaluates to be equivalent. One or more members of the Admissions Committee review and evaluate each completed admission packet to determine if an invitation for an interview should be extended.

---

Interview Information

All qualified applicants must interview and complete a writing sample for admission into the Doctor of Pharmacy program. A modified multiple mini- interview (MMIs) approach is used, which consists of two separate interviews with faculty where the applicant is asked situational-based questions. The interview is designed to assess a variety of factors including interest in the program and profession of pharmacy, oral and written communication skills, maturity, dedication, critical thinking, and an assessment of the applicant's ability to complete the program successfully and advance in the field of pharmacy. The interview may also be used to determine if the student has the English language proficiency needed to successfully complete the program. Interviews are conducted virtually via Zoom; however, prospective applicants are encouraged to visit our campus and can contact COPadmissions@cnsu.edu to schedule an on-campus appointment.

Applicants should dress professionally for the interview and have a reliable internet connection. Interviews should be conducted in a quiet, distraction-free environment. Your camera should be turned-on for the interview session.

---

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required as part of the application and must be written/typed on official letterhead and include contact information for the person writing the letter. Additionally, the letter must be sent directly from the reference to PharmCAS. A letter of reference from a science or math professor and healthcare professional, preferably a work supervisor is preferred. If the student has been out of school for over three years, a letter from a recent supervisor and a healthcare professional can be submitted in place of the letter from a science professor. Letters of recommendation from family, friends, clergy, or politicians will not acceptable. A Teacher's Assistant letter is accepted, if approved and signed by the science course professor.

---

Transcripts

Students who matriculate into the Doctor of Pharmacy program must have all official transcripts for all courses taken since high school on record in the Admissions Office by September 30th.

---

Financial Assistance and Transportation Information

Please note financial assistance may be limited for non-U.S. applicants. Personal transportation, such as a vehicle, will be necessary to participate in experiential education at clinical sites.

---

General Admissions Requirements

Course Title	Semester Hours	Quarter Hours
General Chemistry I with lab	4	6
General Chemistry II with lab	4	6
Organic Chemistry I	3	4
Organic Chemistry II	3	4
Organic Chemistry I or II lab	1	1
General Biology I	3	4
General Biology II	3	4
General Biology I or II lab	1	1
Human Physiology (if taking a combined Anatomy and Physiology course, Anatomy and Physiology I and II both must be taken to fulfill the Physiology course requirement)	3	4
Calculus or Statistics	3	4
Public Speaking, Oral Communication, or Course focused on English Speaking or Presentations	3	4
English Composition I	3	4
General Education Course: Psychology preferred; other courses in the Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences will be accepted	3	4
General Education Course: Economics preferred; other courses in the Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences will be accepted	3	4
Total Semester/Quarter Hours	40	54 (est.)

 

In addition to the requirements described above, all prerequisite coursework must meet the following requirements:

• Must be completed at a regionally accredited US institution or its equivalent abroad.
• Prerequisite courses must be at a level of rigor typical for pre-pharmacy, pre-medicine and pre-dentistry pathways. Lower-level biology, chemistry, math or physiology courses for nonscience majors will not be accepted. Applicants may contact the Admissions Office (COPadmissions@cnsu.edu) for approval of courses they plan to take, to verify the level of rigor for a pre-PharmD program.
• Science and math courses, along with any AP credits, must have been completed no greater than ten years from the planned date of matriculation. Exceptions to this requirement may be made based on a case-by-case basis if the applicant has been applying the skills learned in the older course(s) directly to their position or research. * Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
• Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
• All prerequisite coursework taken from non-US institutions (including Canada) must be submitted to the World Education Services (WES), Inc. or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) for an evaluation. WES and/or ECE evaluations should be sent directly to PharmCAS for applicants applying for entry in the first-year of the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.
• For transfer applicants wishing to be considered for entry into the second year of the pharmacy program, it is also preferred to have all transcripts evaluated by WES or ECE. WES and/or ECE evaluations should be sent directly to COPadmissions@cnsu.edu.
• International applicants must have obtained a passing grade, based on their institution's definition of passing (e.g. typically a grade of C- or higher) for prerequisite coursework or coursework being evaluated for potential transfer credit.
• International applicants who have not completed at least two years and at least 48 semester units (61 quarter units) at a US college or university may be required to take the TOEFL IBT or IELTS exam, with a minimum score cut-off of 80 and 6.5, respectively. Additional information pertaining to international applicants is available by visiting: https://pharmacy.cnsu.edu/admissions/international.php.
• General Education requirements are waived for applicants who have or will be receiving a Bachelor's degree or US equivalent prior to matriculation in the pharmacy program.
• Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview.
• All prerequisites, including general education requirements, must be completed before the first day of class. Applicants may still interview for the pharmacy program prior to the completion of all prerequisites.
• All applicants must pay for and complete a background check, with results made available to CNUCOP no later than one week prior to the first day of new student orientation. Information about the background check will be provided by CNUCOP. Only the background check company partnered with PharmCAS can be used.
• For admission-related questions, please contact COPadmissions@cnsu.edu.

Other Degrees Programs Offered at California Northstate University

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy students are eligible to pursue additional degree programs offered by California Northstate University, based on their academic standing, including a Master of Pharmaceutical Science degree, a Master of Healthcare Administration degree, and a PhD. More information about additional degree programs is available by emailing COPadmissions@cnsu.edu.

International and Domestic Transfer Students

International and domestic transfer students are welcome to apply. Please note, per ACPE 2025 Standards, no more than one year of credit shall be given to any student applying for a transfer from any institution other than an ACPE-accredited school/college of pharmacy. Please email COPadmissions@cnsu.edu.for the transfer policy and application.

Information for International Applicants

All international applicants wishing to enter the first year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program must meet the same admission requirements as US applicants and must apply through PharmCAS for consideration. International applicants wishing to transfer into our Doctor of Pharmacy program should contact COPadmissions@cnsu.edu.

Information for Domestic Transfer Students

Domestic students seeking a transfer into our Doctor of Pharmacy program should review the Transfer Student Policy and complete a Transfer Application, both of which are available at https://pharmacy.cnsu.edu/admissions/international.php.

Information for Pharmacy Technicians/Technicians-in-Training

To assist pharmacy technicians with pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, CNUCOP offers a Pharm Tech-to-PharmD pathway. Please contactCOPadmissions@cnsu.edu. for more information.