Admissions Step 2: The Application

Responsibilities

For all steps in the application process, it is your responsibility to follow all instructions and meet all deadlines. Failure to do so might result in your application being canceled.

  • Priority Deadline: Oct. 1, 2025

    Read admission director's blog

  • Final Deadline: Dec. 1, 2025

    Read admission director's blog

Preparing to Complete the Application

  • We recommend that you review the application process completely so that you’re aware of all the information you need to gather and how much time the entire process will take.
  • UCSF-specific essays will appear in the PharmCAS application when an applicant designates UCSF as a school to which they intend to apply.
  • Review the timeline for the application process: 


Read about admissions deadlines

Minimum GPA: 2.80

To be eligible to apply, applicants must have a minimum, cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.80 as calculated by PharmCAS as of the application deadline. For information about GPA ranges of admitted students:

Take a look at the facts and figures.

Review UCSF’s School Page on PharmCAS Website

PharmCAS requires each school to provide basic information to all applicants. More information is available from UCSF's school page. 

Get more info from UCSF’s school page

Completing the application

Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) Application

PharmCAS is a service that enables you to use one primary application to apply to multiple PharmD degree programs. Read more details about this application and submitting letters of recommendation.

Follow these details to complete your application:

Step1

Checklist: Transcripts:

You are required to submit official copies of your transcripts (also known as "marks reports"). Some transcripts must be sent to PharmCAS, and some must be sent to UCSF.

Get all the details about the Checklist: Transcripts

Step2

Advanced Placement tests:

AP test scores may be used in lieu of course work to fulfill some prerequisites, but no other placement exams are accepted. You cannot apply the IB, CLEP, or in-house placement tests offered by your college or university. 

Read the details on Advanced Placement Tests

Step3

Your Contact Information

Since our ability to communicate with you is critical, we ask that you notify us of any changes to your contact information and take steps to ensure that problems with e-mail will not arise.

Let's read about handling your contact info

Step4

Reapplicants

If you have previously applied to the UCSF School of Pharmacy PharmD degree program within the past 2 years, see about reapplying. 

See the details about reapplying

After Submitting the Application

Confirming receipt: Due to the high volume of applications and supporting material we receive, we are unable to respond to any inquiries requesting confirmation of receipt of materials.

You can expect to wait at least 1 month before hearing any notification from our office regarding receipt of your application materials. During this time, PharmCAS and our office process and verify applications.

After Reviewing All Eligible Applications

We select those applicants we wish to interview. Although the number of invitations is not predetermined, we usually invite between 250 and 275 applicants to interview.

Please do not contact us unless…

Invitations to participate in our Interview Process will be mailed from late October through early January. All applicants are notified of their interview status by the end of January.

 

Step 3: Interview Process

Learn about UCSF’s virtual interview process - from invitation to completion - and how to prepare for this required admission step.

Go to Step 3: The Interview process

Review the previous step

Go back to Step 1: Minimum Eligibility Requirements