Program Overview

Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) Program

The Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) program is a unique opportunity for high school students to be pre-admitted to the PharmD program. This program is designed for well-rounded students who are community-minded and passionate about pursuing a career in pharmacy.

Program Overview

• The CAP program allows students to complete two years of any Science program at Waterloo and then complete the PharmD degree at Waterloo.
• Students who complete the CAP program are eligible for the Granting of Bachelor of Science (Honours Science) upon completion of the PharmD degree.
• The program provides dedicated academic advising, peer support, and mentorship to help students transition to university life and succeed in their studies.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must have a high school admission average of 90.0% or greater, as calculated by the Faculty of Science at Waterloo.
• Applicants in year one CEGEP (with a minimum of 12 semestered academic courses) must have an admission average of 85.0% or greater.
• All applicants must complete Casper and Duet as part of their application.
• Casper is a 90-110 minute online, open-response situational judgment test.
• Duet is a 15-minute value-alignment assessment.

Application Process

• Submit two applications to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website:
  • Application 1: Waterloo science degree program (Honours Science, Life Sciences – with Biology as the major subject of interest, or Life Sciences – with Biomedical Sciences as the major subject of interest)
  • Application 2: CAP status
• The CAP application fee is $105.
• Students admitted into CAP will be automatically moved to the regular stream of their chosen science program if they have selected a co-op stream when they applied.

Program Fee

• The CAP program requires a modest annual fee of $750 to enrich the CAP experience with dynamic events, guest speakers, personalized mentorship, and dedicated support.

Application Timeline

• Application opens in OUAC: October 3, 2025
• Application deadline: January 30, 2026
• Supporting documents deadline: February 13, 2026
• Last Casper test date and Duet deadline: March 3, 2026
• Virtual interview invitations sent and first-round refusals: March 20, 2026
• Virtual interview deadline: March 30, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
• Final CAP status decisions distributed: May 5, 2026
• CAP status confirmation deadline: June 1, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

Indigenous Student Admissions Pathway

• The School of Pharmacy recognizes the need for deliberate equitable admissions procedures to increase the admission of students who identify as Indigenous.
• The School is committed to improving the representation of Indigenous peoples descended from the first inhabitants of North America, including people of Métis, First Nations, and Inuit heritage.

Program Details

• The CAP program is limited to 40 seats annually.
• The program provides a guaranteed interview for CAP students who maintain their CAP admission eligibility throughout their first two years as a Science student.
• The program offers a unique opportunity for students to build relationships with current pharmacy students, faculty, and staff before beginning pharmacy school.