Unit Policy
Title
Eshelman School of Pharmacy: Admissions Related Policies
Introduction
Purpose
This document outlines the admissions requirements, evaluation criteria, and application processes for the PharmD program, including academic prerequisites, holistic review factors, interviews, and post‑admission conditions. It serves to inform prospective applicants about how admission decisions are made and what is required to secure and maintain an offer of admission.
Scope
This policy applies to all prospective applicants to the PharmD program seeking admission to either the Chapel Hill or Asheville campus, including first‑time and reapplicants.
Policy
(Most admissions-related policies are on the website):
Minimum cumulative GPA – 2.5
Prerequisites must be completed by May of the year enrolling, and all prerequisite courses must be a C- or higher.
Applicants are not required to complete a bachelor's degree. Students may enter our program after successfully completing two years of college after high school and completing the general education, math, and science prerequisites.
Decisions are not based on a single factor. The School considers all written information you submit as part of the application.
Each applicant is considered as a whole, including factors such as:
- Academic performance
- Extracurricular activities
- Community service
- Leadership experiences
- Work experiences/shadowing
- Personal statement
- Performance during the admissions interview
Once the application is completed in PharmCAS and verified, students will receive a supplemental application that is specific to UNC. This is a free form and will take a short time to review and submit. This form is required of all applicants.
Students will also be required to complete the NC residency system (RDS) – if claiming NC residency for tuition purposes.
Interviews are a required part of the application process. We use the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) which is a series of interview stations consisting of timed interview stations based on a scenario or case. The MMI will not test prior pharmacy knowledge but will assess characteristics and attributes considered important for the success of a pharmacist. All applicants will not be offered an opportunity to interview. Applicants are selected to interview based on the holistic review listed above.
Two letters of recommendation are required as part of the application. The maximum we accept is four. Letters from high school teachers or administrators, family members, friends, or current PharmD students are not accepted.
The program is a traditional four-year in-person full-time program either on the Asheville campus or the Chapel Hill campus.
We do not accept transfer students from other pharmacy programs due to the unique structure of our curriculum and experiential opportunities.
Our admission is a rolling process where we notify students about admission throughout the cycle. All offers are conditional based on the completion of remaining prerequisite courses with a C- or better. A $500 deposit is required to hold a seat in the class. Students must also provide required health documentation and complete the required background check. Students are notified of their admission decisions no later than the end of March.
Students can apply to the program a maximum of three times.
Related Requirements
External Regulations (if applicable)
- Is this Policy connected to any Policies, Laws (federal, state, local, regulations), and/or Accreditation requirements?
- Are there any related UNC System-wide Policies?
- Is this Policy connected to any UNC-Chapel Hill Policies, Procedures, or Standards?
- Are there any other resources or materials readers of this Policy might likely refer to or need to follow or understand this Policy?
Unit Policies, Standards, and Procedures (if applicable)
- Is this Policy connected to any other Unit Policies, Procedures, or Standards?
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Heather Azzu, Director of Admissions
Telephone: 919-445-4913
Email: hazzu@email.unc.edu
Publication Details
- Issuing Officer: Wendy Cox, Associate Dean Admissions and Accreditation
- Effective Date: 2025
- Next Review Date: 2027