Foreign Pharmacy

Pharmacists educated outside of the United States are required to achieve Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee^TM (FPGEC^®) Certification before applying for a pharmacy licensure exam or state board of pharmacy license.

The FPGEC Certification includes:

• A review of your education and licensure/registration
• A passing score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)
• A passing score for the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination^® (FPGEE^®)

The certification is not a license to practice pharmacy; it ensures that a foreign pharmacist’s education meets comparable requirements to pharmacists educated from US pharmacy colleges. Each state has different requirements for obtaining a license. Once you are FPGEC certified, it is important that you check the board of pharmacy website for specific licensure requirements in the state or jurisdiction you wish to be licensed.

Gain a better understanding of the steps involved in receiving FPGEC certification. The timeframes noted in the below steps may vary during high-volume periods. Before applying for certification, read the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin for application details and requirements. Reviewing the Bulletin is the first, and most important, step in the application process.

Prepare and register for the TOEFL iBT.

You must pass the TOEFL iBT before you can be accepted for the FPGEE. Consider preparing and/or taking the TOEFL iBT exam before you submit your FPGEC application.

Check with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for dates and locations for the exam. All 4 sections of the exam must be completed in 1 testing session; MyBest scores are not accepted. Remote-proctored or the at home TOEFL iBT exam is not accepted by the FPGEC.

Submit your FPGEC application in the Foreign Pharmacy section of NABP e-Profile.

The fees for submitting your application include an application fee ($100) and an evaluation fee ($650). Both are non-refundable. Refer to the NABP Refund Policy for details.

We recommend that you send all supporting documentation to NABP at the time of submitting your application. FPGEC applications are only valid for 2 years. Evaluation of your FPGEC application will not begin until all documentation is received, including a passing TOEFL iBT score report.

Collect your degree credentials and submit the following to Educational Credentials Evaluators (ECE):

• Documentation of your education including official transcripts
• Official proof of your degree in pharmacy
• Translation of non-English documents
• Payment of the General Evaluation Report fee

ECE will verify your degree credentials and is the only organization that can evaluate your credentials on behalf of NABP. The ECE application may be submitted prior to submitting your FPGEC application.

Ensure you have valid proof that you have obtained the requirements to practice pharmacy in another country without restrictions.

This may include a license, a registration, both a license and a registration, or neither. You will also need to provide other required personal documentation (passport, attestation, and photos) that can be sent to NABP. Do not submit original documents, as documents will not be returned.

If your documents are not in English, follow the translation requirements specified in the Candidate Application Bulletin. Documents must be submitted in a properly sealed envelope by the issuing body, with a seal, stamp, or signature of an official across the envelop flap closure, to ensure the confidentiality of the documents. Envelopes that are not sealed as outlined in the Candidate Application Bulletin or that appear tampered with will not be accepted.

After submitting an FPGEC application, you will have 2 years to meet the requirements for acceptance to the certification program. Review all documentation requirements thoroughly before they are submitted. Your evaluation may significantly be delayed if the documents are sent incorrectly the first time.

You will be notified electronically that you are eligible to purchase and schedule your FPGEE when you have completed all of the requirements for your FPGEC application. You will receive an acceptance notification in your NABP e-Profile. You will have 2 years to take and pass the FPGEE from your acceptance date.

The FPGEE is administered once per year. Read more about the FPGEE and review the important testing dates prior to scheduling the exam in your NABP e-Profile.

On the day of the FPGEE test, you must present your FIC and your primary ID. Your primary ID must exactly match your name in e-Profile and your FIC. You will forfeit your test fee if these requirements are not met.

Your FPGEE scores will be available in your e-Profile approximately 8 weeks after the test and will not be mailed to you. The minimum passing score for the FPGEE is 75.

For specific Certification questions, contact the FPGEC team:
FP@nabp.pharmacy
1-847/391-4406 (phone)