School of
Pharmacy

Pharm.D. Application Timeline

UMKC participates in PharmCAS, the Pharmacy Centralized Application Service. The PharmCAS application opens July 13. UMKC Pharm.D. applicants are encouraged to apply early, as the program admits applicants on a rolling basis. Applications will be reviewed after applicants have completed PharmCAS, which includes receipt of ALL college transcripts, a personal essay, and at least one letter of recommendation (evaluation). Formal admission interview invitations to select applicants will go out soon after, and applicants find out their admission status the next business day after interviews. 

Applicants are admitted in the following fall term only. The next Pharm.D. application deadline is June 1.

For questions about your admission eligibility or the admission process, contact the UMKC School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs by phone at 816-235-1613 or email

Admissions Timeline Calendar

UMKC is an equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer action institution.

 

Step One: Requirements

  • For consideration, applicant must have a minimum cumulative college GPA > 2.00*

*The School of Pharmacy Admissions Committee reviews applicants’ academic transcripts closely.  All college credits and grade points are factored into the cumulative college GPA.  Repeated course grades are averaged together for overall cumulative and science/math GPA calculations. The original grade and the repeated grade will both count toward GPA. The Admissions Committee will be judging academic ability through individual course grades, overall trend in grades and academic progression, cumulative GPA, math/science GPA and prerequisite GPA.

Applicants do not have to complete all of the required pre-pharmacy coursework (PDF) before submitting their application materials. However, all pre-pharmacy course requirements must be completed with a grade of C- or higher before the fall semester of the entering class year.

Courses completed at other institutions may transfer to UMKC. Contact us for information about courses from schools not listed.

View transfer sheets

Applicants completing coursework at an institution of higher education in the United States must ensure that the institution is regionally accredited (PDF). College coursework from institutions that are not regionally accredited will not meet the pre-pharmacy course requirements.

Foreign credit earned in General Biology I and II, General Chemistry I and II, Calculus, Physics, Organic Chemistry I and Communications may transfer if the UMKC International Student Affairs Office approves it as equivalent and it meets the minimum grade and timeline requirements.

Although the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is not required, applicants may choose to submit PCAT scores for consideration by the Admissions Committee if the applicant believes these scores will strengthen their academic profile. The Admissions Committee will be judging academic ability through individual course grades, overall trend in grades and academic progression, cumulative GPA, math/science GPA and prerequisite GPA. The average cumulative, math and science, and prerequisite GPAs of our last admitted class were above 3.4 to give you an idea of what incoming students have recently demonstrated academically. If an applicant does not feel that their academic record represents their true academic capabilities, the PCAT is an additional opportunity to demonstrate knowledge.

Applicants are encouraged to contact an admissions advisor in the Pharmacy Student Affairs Office (pharmacy@umkc.edu) to discuss the strength of their application and whether they should take the PCAT to help their application portfolio.

Applicants who take the PCAT to strengthen their application should submit scores to PharmCAS using code 104. You can find out more about score submission here.

Recent scores from another professional level college entrance exam with a science component (MCAT, DAT, OAT, etc.) in addition to recent ACT/SAT may be submitted to pharmacy@umkc.edu for review in consultation regarding taking the PCAT.

Your reference will submit an evaluation directly to PharmCAS.

Evaluations are accepted from these categories of evaluators
  • Faculty member
  • Academic advisor
  • Pharmacist
  • Health care professional
  • Employer or supervisor

Personal friends, relatives or coworkers are not acceptable evaluators.

Step Two: PharmCAS Application

Applicants must complete and submit this application with all required documentation and fee no later than June 1. Students applying for Early Action admission must apply no later than October 1.

Students applying for Early Action admission must submit their PharmCAS and UMKC Pharm.D. Supplemental Application and arrange for PharmCAS to receive all of their official transcripts and reference before October 1.

An official transcript from each college attended, which shows all grades, including courses from UMKC and dual-credit college courses completed during high school, must be submitted to PharmCAS as follows:

  • through the Summer 2023 semester to be considered for a fall interview date
  • through the Fall 2023 semester to be considered for a spring interview date
  • through the Spring 2024 semester to be considered for a June interview date

Official Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores for prerequisite course work credit consideration must be sent to UMKC before the fall semester.

The Early Action program is a non-binding option for applicants who would like the application process to be complete early in the school year. Early Action applicants will interview in one of the first two interview dates, and could interview in Kansas City, Columbia or Springfield.

In addition to completing the PharmCAS application, applicants applying for Early Action must arrange for PharmCAS to receive all of their official transcripts and the fee by the October 1 deadline. Students who apply by the October deadline will automatically be considered Early Action.

Applicants rank their campus site preferences on the application. With rolling admissions beginning in September, the best chance to be placed at the preferred campus location is to apply early in the process. The School of Pharmacy strives to place students at their selected campus site location; however, site preference is not guaranteed.

Applicants are notified of their campus site in their formal admission letter. Students admitted to a site other than their first choice will remain on the waiting list for their higher-ranked preference.

Prospective students are encouraged to visit each site before making their selections.

Learn more about our campus sites

Step Three: Supplemental Application

Supplemental Application Instructions

1. Which type of applicant are you? 

a. First-time applicant

Select first-time user to create an account. You will receive an email within a few minutes with a PIN to set up a password.

b. Enrolled at UMKC or have previously enrolled

Log in to your account, and create a new application.

2. Complete new application

Select "2024 Professional" and "2024 Pharm-D" options.
Select “Create Application”

screenshot of items to select on Pharm.D. supplemental application

 

Pharm.D. Supplemental Application

Supplemental application fees

New UMKC domestic applicants: $60
Currently enrolled or returning UMKC domestic applicants: $15
New UMKC international applicants: $90
Currently enrolled or returning UMKC international applicants: $15

After you have submitted your PharmCAS application and UMKC Pharm.D. supplemental application, you should continue to monitor your PharmCAS applicant portal for messages and notices.

The supplemental application will instruct you to send all college transcripts to UMKC; however, the transcripts you send to PharmCAS are considered official to UMKC. Please send all transcripts to PharmCAS only.  Applicants DO NOT need to send separate transcripts to UMKC.

Applicants applying for regular admission must complete and submit the supplemental application and the fee no later than June 1. Students applying for Early Action admission must apply no later than October 1.

Applications will be reviewed for admission after PharmCAS has received all required materials, and UMKC has received the supplemental application and fee.

Completing the application process does not serve as a statement of acceptance or admission to the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 

Step Four: Interview With Us

Selected applicants will be invited to a required formal interview at the UMKC School of Pharmacy.

Fall and spring interviews are scheduled to be held in person. More information regarding dates and times will be provided to applicants in their emailed interview invitation. A virtual interview can be requested based on extreme travel distance or hazardous weather conditions.

View the Admissions Timeline Calendar (PDF) for interview dates.

Selection process

The selection process for the interview is based on a multifaceted review process and the qualifications of the applicant pool. Applicants should be aware that admission is competitive and meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee an interview.

Factors considered for interview selection include:
  • Application materials
  • Collegiate scholastic achievement
  • Collegiate science and math achievement
  • PCAT results – if taken
  • Complexity of previous college work completed
  • Ability to maintain enrollment
  • Academic progression trends
  • Reference evaluation form
  • Recent leadership experience such as campus and community involvement, health care and supervisory experience, and honors and awards

Applicants will be notified regarding admission decisions the following business day after the formal interview.

Resources to help you prepare for the UMKC School of Pharmacy formal interview:

The School of Pharmacy is on the UMKC Hospital Hill campus, where it shares the Health Sciences Building with the School of Nursing and Health Studies. The address is 2464 Charlotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108. 

View a map of the campus

There is no free parking on the UMKC campus.

Before the interview date, a one-day UMKC parking hangtag will be mailed by USPS to applicants who are not currently enrolled at UMKC. This will allow applicants who are not UMKC students to park on the flat lot that is at 25th and Charlotte Street (#28A on the Hospital Hill campus map).

UMKC students who have a valid UMKC Day Parking Permit can park in the parking structure (#28 on the Hospital Hill campus map) on levels 4–7 or may park in the flat lot at 25th and Campbell Street (#67 on the Hospital Hill campus map).

Early Action applicants scheduled for an interview in Columbia on the University of Missouri campus will meet at the Academic Support Center (ASC), which is located at 6th and Stewart. After you enter the building, walk down the steps to the check-in table in the hallway.

Applicants will be sent a link to register their vehicle for an electronic parking pass to be used in a parking garage close to ASC.

View the campus map

Applicants interviewing in Springfield should meet at the MSU Brick City campus, located at 327 West Mill Street. The School of Pharmacy is located in Building 1 on the fourth floor.

Parking for the School of Pharmacy at Brick City is across the street in the flat lot. Current MSU students can use their parking pass at Brick City. Applicants who need a parking pass will be emailed a parking pass to place on their dash.

Attire is business professional. Dress as if you are attending a formal job interview.

Applicants should plan on being at the School of Pharmacy for around four hours. Students will participate in a number of activities and meet with current pharmacy students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Step Five: Admission Confirmation

Applicants will receive written notification from the school regarding the admission decision. Applicants selected for admission will be required to confirm their acceptance and submit an advance deposit to guarantee their place in the entering class. This deposit is applied to the first term’s educational fees and is not refundable or transferable.

Acceptance is contingent on submission of a criminal background check, good academic and behavioral standing, and grade C- or higher in the required pre-pharmacy courses. Applicants with grades of S, CR, or P in required courses from the spring 2020 or summer 2020 semesters will suffice.

If you are not admitted the first time, you may reapply the next year. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs by phone at 816-235-1613 or by email to discuss ways to become a more competitive applicant.

An official transcript from each college attended, showing all grades through the spring and summer terms prior to entry into the Pharm.D. program, as well as a degree if awarded, will be required following finalization of term for accepted candidates.

Please make arrangements to have your official spring and summer transcripts sent directly to UMKC via electronic submission or USPS mail.

Official transcripts in a sealed university letterhead labeled envelope, marked as official, can be hand-delivered to our office at:

UMKC School of Pharmacy
Office of Student Affairs
2464 Charlotte Street, HSB 1219
Kansas City, MO 64108-2718

Step Six: Requirements for International Applicants

In addition to completing the PharmCAS application and the UMKC Doctor of Pharmacy supplemental application, international applicants must follow the UMKC International Admission Requirements. Copies of all materials submitted to the International Student Affairs Office must be sent to the UMKC School of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs.

Required IELTS Results
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Pharmacy is registered to receive IELTS scores electronically through PharmCAS. We do not accept unofficial copies of IELTS Test Report Forms from applicants. An institution code is NOT required.

IELTS Taken in a Test Center - Inform your IELTS test center that you wish to send your results to PharmCAS. You can do this during the test booking process by selecting PharmCAS or asking your test center to select PharmCAS after you receive your results. IELTS results are sent electronically.

If you take your IELTS test in the USA and want to send your result to us after your test date, submit this online form.

If your test center has closed, you can submit a request to send your IELTS to additional organizations by filling out the Application for additional TRFs (from closed test centers) form. This service is available for up to two years after your test date.

IELTS Online - Send your results to PharmCAS using the IELTS test taker portal. You can send your IELTS results to as many organizations as you wish with no additional fee. IELTS Online results are provided in an electronic format.

English proficiency requirements
Prior to their first enrollment in classes at UMKC, newly admitted international graduate students must register with the UMKC Applied Language Institute (ALI), and unless exempt by their academic unit, they must take the English Evaluation Examination. Based on results of the English Evaluation Examination scores, students must enroll in and successfully complete the ALI courses indicated as necessary by the student's academic unit in consultation with the UMKC Applied Language Institute. Prospective international graduate students should be aware that required coursework in English as a second language may add extra time to their individual graduate programs of study.

International graduate students exempted from this admissions policy

  • Native English speakers from English-speaking countries such as Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
  • Non-native English speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (such as the United States, Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand), provided they have a minimum of two years of successful full-time study, and English was the medium of instruction.