Pharmacy technician program
Pharmacy Technician Certificate
Facts checked 7 September 2026
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Part of the route toPharmacy Technician·Certificate
A 15 to 20 month accredited college program teaching sterile IV compounding, pharmacology, and prescription technical verification.
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 lifeFederal tax credit. $250 a year builds up from age 26. Claim it on your tax return.
BC Access Grant
Up to $4,000 a yearFor low and middle income students in full-time programs under two years at public schools. Assessed when you apply through StudentAid BC.
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- Pre-Calculus 11. Requirement varies by school (Vancouver Community College, Selkirk College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
- Grade 11 Math (min 60%)
- Grade 11 Biology or Chemistry (min 60%)
- Chemistry 11. Requirement varies by school (Vancouver Community College, Selkirk College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
Step 2 of 8
Grade 12
⏱ 1 school year- BC High School Graduation (Dogwood Diploma). Requirement varies by school (Stenberg College, Sprott Shaw College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
- Biology 12. Requirement varies by school (Vancouver Community College, Selkirk College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
- Chemistry 11 or 12 (minimum 67% / C+)
- English Studies 12. Requirement varies by school (Stenberg College, Vancouver Community College, Selkirk College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
- Grade 12 graduation or mature student status
- Mathematics 12. Requirement varies by school (Vancouver Career College, Sprott Shaw College). Strictest requirement: standard completion.
Step 3 of 8
What you need to get in
- VCC keyboarding assessment (speed not published)
- Clear Criminal Record Check under the BC Criminal Records Review Act
- Typing test (min 35 wpm)
- Criminal Record Check and CPR Level C
- Senior Biology and Chemistry foundation
Step 4 of 8
How to apply
- Apply online via EducationPlannerBC to Vancouver Community College or Selkirk College
- Cohorts commence annually in late August or September
- Submit academic transcripts and complete keyboarding/math diagnostic assessments
- Complete immunization requirements and CRC clearances prior to practicum placements
Step 5 of 8
Pharmacy technician program
⏱ 15–20 months (4–5 Terms)- Pharmacology and therapeutics: drug classes, mechanisms, side effects, and calculations
- Sterile compounding: cleanroom engineering controls, laminar airflow hoods, and IV admixtures
- Community and institutional pharmacy dispensing software and inventory systems
- Pharmacy legislation, ethics, and independent prescription release technical verification
- Supervised clinical practicum rotations in acute hospital pharmacies and community dispensaries
Step 6 of 8
Where to take it
⏱ 5 schools in BC- Selkirk College — 15 months (About $5,500 per year)
- Vancouver Community College — 15 months (About $14,300 for the whole program)
- Sprott Shaw College — 48 weeks (Tuition not yet verified)
- Stenberg College — 48 weeks (Tuition not yet verified)
- Vancouver Career College — 48 weeks (Tuition not yet verified)
Step 7 of 8
Exams and registration after
- Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Exam Part I (MCQ) & Part II (OSPE)
- College of Pharmacists of BC Jurisprudence Examination (JE)
Step 8 of 8
Leads to: Pharmacy Technician
- Explore Pharmacy Technician wages, job outlook, and career pathways
SCHOOLS
Where you can take this(5 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.
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.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.