Pharmacy assistant certificate
Community Pharmacy Assistant Certificate
Facts checked 7 September 2026
Report a mistake·How we check facts
Part of the route toPharmacy Assistant·Certificate
A focused vocational certificate program training students in prescription processing, dispensary software, and pharmaceutical inventory management.
Ways to get this paid for
Government money that can cover this course. Check who qualifies before you pay.
Free adult upgrading
FreeGrade 11 and 12 courses and English classes are free at public colleges and school districts. This covers the Grade 11 and 12 prerequisite courses, not the program itself.
WorkBC training funding
Up to $7,500 tuitionIf you are out of work or underemployed, a WorkBC case manager can approve and pay for this training. Get approval before you pay.
Canada Training Credit
Half your tuition back, up to $5,000 in your lifeNot yet verifiedFederal tax credit. $250 a year builds up from age 26. Claim it on your tax return.
THE ROUTE
How this program works, step by step
Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.
The route (8 steps)
For the best view, open the map full screen.
STEP BY STEP
Step by step
The same route as the map, as a list.
Step 1 of 8
Grade 11
⏱ 1 school year- English 10 or equivalent (or college English proficiency assessment)
Step 2 of 8
Grade 12
⏱ 1 school year- Grade 12. Requirement varies by school (Western Community College, Stenberg College, Edison College, and 3 others). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
- English 12. Requirement varies by school (Stenberg College, Sprott Shaw College, Edison College, and 2 others). Strictest requirement: C.
- BC High School Graduation (Dogwood Diploma). Requirement varies by school (Sprott Shaw College, CDI College, CIRA Career College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
Step 3 of 8
What you need to get in
- Typing speed of 30 to 35 words per minute
- Clear criminal record check for healthcare practicum placement
- Basic computer literacy skills
- Clean criminal record check (Ministry of Justice) prior to practicum
- Keyboarding speed of minimum 30 words per minute
- Proficiency in spoken and written English
- English language proficiency requirement
Step 4 of 8
How to apply
- Apply directly through the admissions portal of each PTIB-designated vocational college
- Programs offer frequent cohort start dates throughout the year (often monthly or quarterly)
- Tuition ranges from $7,080 CAD at Western Community College to unlisted vocational schedules; consult individual college admissions for current schedules
Step 5 of 8
Pharmacy assistant certificate
⏱ 13 to 52 weeks- Pharmaceutical terminology, drug classifications, dosage forms, and brand versus generic drugs
- Computerized dispensary management systems (e.g. Kroll, Nexxsys) and prescription order entry
- Third-party insurance adjudication, BC PharmaNet billing, and deductible calculations
- Basic non-sterile compounding of ointments, creams, and oral suspensions
- Supervised 100-to-160-hour clinical dispensary placement in an active community pharmacy
Step 6 of 8
Where to take it
⏱ 10 schools in BC- CDI College — 36 weeks (About $11,600 for the whole program)
- CIRA Career College — 32 weeks (About $6,500 for the whole program)
- Coastal College of British Columbia — 24 weeks (About $5,000 for the whole program)
- Edison College — 52 weeks (About $15,700 for the whole program)
- Elevare Career Institute — 28 weeks (About $4,900 for the whole program)
- Excel Career College — 26 weeks (About $14,000 for the whole program)
- Sprott Shaw College — 33 weeks (Tuition not yet verified)
- Stenberg College — 13 weeks (Tuition not yet verified)
- and 2 more, see the list below
Step 7 of 8
Exams and registration after
- College final modular examinations and practical dispensary lab assessments
- No provincial licensing exam required (pharmacy assistants are an unregulated occupation in BC under the Health Professions Act)
Step 8 of 8
Leads to: Pharmacy Assistant
- Explore Pharmacy Assistant wages, job outlook, and career pathways
SCHOOLS
Where you can take this(10 schools)
Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Sprott Shaw College
Abbotsford, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Penticton, Surrey, Vancouver & Victoria
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 7 September 2026.