Information for Foreign Pharmacy Graduates

A foreign pharmacy graduate is defined as a pharmacist whose undergraduate pharmacy degree was conferred outside the United States by a pharmacy school listed in the World Directory of Schools of Pharmacy published by the World Health Organization, and whose degree program is not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education.

The first requirement for any foreign graduate seeking pharmacist licensure in Texas is that he/she obtain the full certification of the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Committee (FPGEC). Information may be obtained from the following organization:

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
1600 Feehanville Dr
Mt. Prospect  IL 60056
847-391-4406
https://nabp.pharmacy/

LICENSURE BY RECIPROCITY (LICENSURE TRANSFER)

After receiving full certification from the FPGEC, a foreign graduate may apply for reciprocity to Texas from any state where he/she holds a license by examination.   Applications for reciprocity may be obtained from the Texas Board only after you have obtained the full certification of the FPGEC.

After you have completed this Certification, you may apply to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the MultiState Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) in Texas.

LICENSURE BY EXAM

After receiving full certification from the FPGEC, a foreign graduate may apply for licensure by examination in Texas. Texas requires a passing score on the NAPLEX and a passing score on the MPJE. Applications for licensure by exam in Texas may be obtained from the Texas Board only after you have the full certification of the FPGEC.

INTERNSHIP HOURS EARNED IN TEXAS

After an applicant has received full FPGEC Certification, the applicant may apply to take the NAPLEX and the MPJE in Texas.   You may apply for extended internship immediately after you obtain FPGEC certification from NABP, if you have an application on file in Texas, to sit for the NAPLEX and MPJE.

If the Board approves your internship, you may work an internship for only 6 months beginning with your FPGEC certification and ending 6 months later, if you have not passed both the NAPLEX and MPJE.  In that case, your internship will stop, and commence again after passing both of these exams.  If you have passed both of these examinations within that 6 month window, then your internship will continue for 2 years

INTERNSHIP HOURS EARNED OUTSIDE OF TEXAS

Texas will accept internship hours earned outside of Texas only if the hours are approved and certified to Texas by another U.S. state board of pharmacy.  If an applicant is licensed and current as a pharmacist in another U.S. state, the internship requirement will be waived upon receipt of written licensure verification by the other U.S. state board of pharmacy.

SCORE TRANSFER

Texas participates in the NAPLEX Score Transfer Program. After receiving the full certification of the FPGEC, you may take NAPLEX in another state participating in the Score Transfer Program, and you may apply for the score on NAPLEX to be reported to Texas. The remainder of the requirements for licensure by examination must be fulfilled; i.e., passing the MPJE and completing the minimum number of hours (1,740) as required by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).