PEBC Qualifying Exam 2025: Format, Passing Score, and Preparation Guide

The PEBC Qualifying Exam is a vital gateway for international and Canadian pharmacy graduates seeking licensure in Canada.

This blog provides a comprehensive 2025 guide covering the PEBC Qualifying Exam format, passing score, preparation strategies, and application details using the latest updates and official information from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC).

What Is the PEBC Qualifying Exam?

The PEBC Qualifying Exam is administered by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada as the final certification step for pharmacists intending to practice in Canada.

The exam objectively evaluates knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and clinical communication skills essential for safe and effective pharmacy practice.

It acts as a benchmark for pharmacy graduates—both Canadian and internationally-trained—seeking to qualify for independent licensure in Canada.

Exam Structure: Parts 1 and 2

The PEBC Qualifying Exam consists of two separate parts: Part I (Multiple Choice Questions, MCQ) and Part II (Objective Structured Clinical Examination, OSCE).

• Part I (MCQ): This computer-based portion tests knowledge across key pharmacy domains with multiple-choice questions. It assesses pharmaceutical calculations, clinical therapeutics, patient counseling, drug information retrieval, and ethical scenarios.
• Part II (OSCE): The OSCE is a practical assessment featuring a series of stations where candidates interact with standardized patients or scenarios to demonstrate clinical skills and communication.

Candidates must complete both parts successfully to pass the PEBC qualifying exam and proceed with licensing as a Canadian pharmacist.

PEBC Qualifying Exam Syllabus

The syllabus of the PEBC qualifying exam is a detailed plan that shows the requirements of pharmacy practice in Canada. It mentioned 5 main topics with some examples of their contents as follows:

• Clinical Pharmacy Practice: Therapeutics, patient assessment, drug interactions, and adverse effects.
• Pharmaceutical Care: Medication management, chronic disease support, and monitoring outcomes.
• Professional Communication: Patient counseling strategies, interprofessional collaboration, and documentation.
• Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Topics: Canadian healthcare regulations, pharmacy laws, confidentiality, and consent.
• Compounding & Calculations: Dose calculations, compounding theory, and applied mathematics relevant to pharmacy practice.

Fees and Exam Dates

Applications for the PEBC Pharmacist Qualifying Examination in February 2026 will open in September 2025. The latest application deadlines and fee structure are the following:

• Application Deadline: November 6, 2025 (12 pm Eastern Time).
• Exam Fee Structure: Each candidate must pay separate fees for MCQ and OSCE (Part I and Part II). The official PEBC web page will give the latest fee details for the registration once logged in.
• Payment Updates: The payment of the fee should be made online through the secure PEBC portal, and the payment access was recently restored for existing candidates.

Passing Score and Exam Pass Rate

To pass the PEBC qualifying exam successfully, each candidate should meet the minimum standards set for every section. Although the exact passing score is not made public and set by the board to provide neutrality, usually the scores are adjusted to show the level of competence achieved in each part.

The PEBC gives cumulative pass rates for the exams that are subject to variation. These changes may depend on the candidates’ results as well as the standards that are in place.

• Pass Standard: The “minimum competency threshold” was the baseline for performance levels in both MCQ and OSCE experiments.
• Exam Pass Rates: Generally, the pass rate is not stable over the years. According to the report, most graduates from Canadian schools of pharmacy, as well as international students who were well prepare,d typically obtain passing scores. However, the board at the same time points out the seriousness of standards and the constant vigilance exercised for the achievement of the exam’s fairness.

How to Prepare for the PEBC Exam

To be successful in the PEBC qualifying exam, it is mandatory to have a careful and methodical plan of action for your prep work:

• Review Official Syllabus: The official PEBC guidelines and sample questions should be used in order to have a good understanding of the exam structure and content.
• Study Comprehensive Resources: Buy the publication of Canadian pharmacy, synthesize knowledge with review study guides, and take into consideration online preparation platforms to be able to cover all the domains.
• Practice Past Papers: Get attuned with testing styles and timing through the solving of past years’ MCQs and clinical scenarios.
• Simulate OSCE Stations: OSCE mock exam with others to build interpersonal communication and clinical decision skills.
• Attend Workshops/Webinars: Benefit from in-person or online test preparation workshops, offered by well-known pharmacy education providers.
• Time Management: Create a study plan that balances the coverage of material and personal care; Concentrate on high-yield topics and the review weeks.

Registration Tips

• Before the given deadline expires, go to the official PEBC portal and register online. Be prepared for high application volume, which may result in a slow processing of your application.
• Start gathering all the documents needed for your application, especially if you are an internationally trained candidate, as you may need more documents for credential evaluation.
• Be on the lookout for emails and portal notifications about the exam day, changes, and reminders about document submissions.

Conclusion

The PEBC qualifying exam is a test that stands for knowledge and clinical competencies, making it exceptionally challenging.

The ambitious candidates who grasp the format of 2025, know the syllabus, get acquainted with the fee schedule, and follow the proven preparation tactics will be able to approach the exam with confidence and cunning.

The latest information on exam applications, fee payments, and documents required for registration can always be found on the official PEBC website.

This guide is a helpful starting point for pharmacy professionals, whether they are Canadian or internationally-trained pharmacists, who wish to pass the Canadian pharmacist licensing exam in 2025.