Pharmacy NC

The Pharmacy degree programme is admission-restricted. The Numerus Clausus (NC) means that prospective pharmacists with a high A-level score have a much better chance of gaining a place on a degree programme. The NC values for the pharmacy degree programme have been consistently high in recent years and many applicants have unfortunately not been admitted to the programme.

The study places for the Pharmacy degree programme are allocated centrally

The Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions) decides centrally whether and at which university you will be offered a place to study pharmacy. As the Pharmacy degree programme is restricted by an NC, not all applicants can be offered a place.

The selection process takes into account other criteria in addition to your Abitur, such as qualification tests or completed vocational training. In principle, the selection process is divided into three main parts:

1. High school graduation quota
2. Additional suitability quota (zEQ)
3. Selection procedure of the universities (AdH)

We will explain the details of the individual sections of the study place allocation process in the following sections.

30 % of the places are allocated via the best Abitur quota

For the Pharmacy degree programme, 30 % of the study places are allocated via the Abitur best quota. Applicants are sorted according to their Abitur grade. As Abitur grades vary from state to state in Germany, there are initially regional lists so that every applicant has the same chance. 

These lists are then summarised in a second step to form a nationwide list. The study places available in this first selection step are now allocated to the candidates at the top of the list.

If you did not get a place on the pharmacy degree programme in this first step, you can hope for the zEQ in the second step.

10 % of the places are allocated via the additional eligibility quota (zEQ)

The NC is an important selection criterion for studying pharmacy in Germany. However, not all places are awarded on the basis of the grade alone. The allocation of 10 % of the places for pharmacy is based on the additional aptitude quota (zEQ).

The zEQ takes into account aptitude criteria that are independent of your A-levels. For example, if applicants for the Pharmacy degree programme have completed vocational training or have other qualifications, this significantly increases the chance that they will be able to study via the zEQ.

One factor that plays a significant role in the zEQ is the completion of study aptitude tests. If you are not sure whether your A-levels are sufficient to achieve the min. NC, it therefore makes sense to take the so-called TMS to complete.

The test for medical degree programmes (TMS)

By taking the TMS, you can collect important points for the zEQ and possibly also for the next stage of the admission procedure. In the test, you have to demonstrate certain skills that are important for medical degree programmes such as pharmacy.

If your result in the TMS is not good, you will not suffer any disadvantages either for the admission procedure or later during your studies. The only arguments against the TMS are the time invested and the participation fee of 100 euros. However, you should be prepared to invest both if you want to have the opportunity to study pharmacy at a German university.

60 % of the places are allocated via the university selection procedure (AdH)

The majority of places on pharmacy degree programmes are allocated via the university selection procedure (AdH). This procedure determines 60 % of the allocation of places and uses various criteria for successful admission, the exact nature and weighting of which are largely determined by the universities themselves.

In addition to the A-level grade additional qualifications such as completed training, professional experience or special honours in scientific subjects such as chemistry, Physics and biology.

Study ability tests such as the aforementioned TMS or often also the Hamburg Science Test HAM-Nat also play an important role here. Different universities may use different tests here. Find out beforehand which test is important at your chosen university. However, TMS and HAM-Nat are the two most widely used study aptitude tests that you can use to secure admission to a pharmacy degree programme, even if the NC actually speaks against it.

What is the numerus clausus for the current semester?

The numerus clausus (NC) for the pharmacy degree programme changes every semester. It is determined by the number of applicants and the places available at the universities. For the respective winter semester or summer semester, the NC is therefore the A-level grade with which the last place for the degree programme was awarded according to the best A-level quota. 

The other two main quotas (zEQ and AdH) are usually not taken into account in the NC, as they also include criteria that are independent of your grade.

As it is not known in advance exactly how many high school graduates will apply for the Pharmacy degree programme and with what grade they have graduated, precise information on the NC can only be provided after the admission process.

The development of the NC for the Pharmacy degree programme

In past semesters, the admission threshold for the pharmacy degree programme has always been high and has consistently been between 1.0 and 2.1. In the summer semester, the thresholds are usually a little lower than in the winter semester, because in the winter semester the freshly graduated high school graduates flock to the universities and the number of applications is therefore higher. By the summer semester, a not inconsiderable number of those interested have already realised Plan B and chosen a career path other than the profession of pharmacist. 

Waiting semesters no longer play a role

In the past, semesters spent waiting could increase the chance of a place on a pharmacy degree programme if the final grade was not sufficient. Since a reform of the admission procedure, however, semesters spent waiting no longer play a role. What counts now is the applicant's qualifications for the desired profession.

These changes are intended to ensure that motivated and capable students can study pharmacy regardless of the length of time between leaving school and starting university. Instead of waiting semesters, you should therefore focus on study aptitude tests such as TMS or HAM-Nat to increase your chances of studying pharmacy.

Is pharmacy the right degree programme for you?

In order to decide whether pharmacy is the right degree programme for you, you should answer a few questions in advance: 

• Are you fascinated by chemistry and biology?
• Are you not put off by complex content? 
• Would you like to find out more about medicines, their effects and the prevalence of certain ailments in the population? 
• Can you manage to learn a lot of material for the state examination in a short space of time?
• Do you see yourself more in research or as a practising pharmacist? 

If all the answers to these questions are positive, there is a high probability that you are well suited to working as a pharmacist or in another pharmaceutical field. In this case, the only remaining obstacle on the way to the state examination will hopefully be admission to a pharmacy degree programme at a university.

As the NC is also likely to be at least 1.9 for the coming semesters, it is also not certain whether you will be offered a place at your preferred university. Therefore, in addition to everything else, you should also ask yourself whether you are prepared to study in another city assigned to you by the Foundation for University Admissions.

What the order of the universities on your application means for admission

It is important that you list the universities on your application for admission in the correct order for you. If you list a university in first place, this means that you would prefer to study there. The university in second place is then your second preference and so on.

The admissions offices will take your chosen order into account and try to find you a place at your preferred university. However, as studying pharmacy is very popular and some universities are more popular than others, not every applicant can get a place at their preferred university. 

You can enter up to 12 preferences in an order of your choice. Make full use of this opportunity and fill in all 12 places on the hochschulstart.de form. The universities will not find out about your priority list, so you will not be at a disadvantage for your application there if you would have preferred study programmes at other universities but did not get a place there.

Failed the admission procedure? How it is still possible to study pharmacy

Pharmacist is a sought-after profession, and the career prospects in other areas are also good with a degree in pharmacy. It is therefore no surprise that the selection criteria for this degree programme are so strict and that many applicants do not get a place to study at a German university.

But you don't have to give up on your dream of becoming a pharmacist. There are various ways in which the path to a degree is still open to you.

For example, you can increase your chances for your next application by completing an apprenticeship before your degree programme, which will then be credited towards your admission via the zEQ and the AdH. One option is to train as a pharmaceutical technical assistant (PTA). This may allow you to experience a pharmacist at work and give you a comprehensive insight into this profession, working with medicines and the responsibility that comes with the job even before you start studying.

Another option is to study pharmacy outside of Germany. In many other countries, significantly less importance is placed on A-level grades when it comes to admission to a degree programme. Instead, many other factors are decisive when it comes to defining the selection limits for the pharmacy degree programme and determining which applicants are awarded places.

Alternatives to studying pharmacy 

If you are interested in natural sciences, but a degree in pharmacy is out of the question due to the NC and you don't want to leave Germany to study, there are some interesting alternatives that also teach a lot about drugs, pharmacology, clinical pharmacy and more.

One possibility would be the chemistry degree programme in particular. There is a lot of content here that overlaps with that of the pharmacy degree programme. Although there are also admission restrictions for chemistry at some universities, the ratio of the number of study places to the number of applicants is much more favourable.

Pharmacy as a Bachelor's degree programme?

The pharmacy degree programme usually concludes with the state examination. However, there are now more and more universities that are expanding their range of degree programmes and offering a bachelor's degree in pharmacy.

Although such a degree programme does not entitle you to work as a pharmacist after successful completion, there are many other interesting paths open to you. 

For example, there are many good jobs in the pharmaceutical industry where your Bachelor's degree will open up good career opportunities. This includes science, research, development and further development of medicinal products, as well as the extensive field of quality assurance.

You can also gain a good foothold in marketing and sales of various products from pharmaceutical companies with such a degree.

Pharmacy is a popular degree programme, not least because of the good earning prospects

It's not just the interesting content that makes studying pharmacy so popular. Another good reason is the prospects of high earnings.

In Germany, a pharmacist earns an average of over 3,700 euros per month in the first year of their career. After 10 years of professional experience, it is then around 1,000 euros more. In the industry, salaries can be even higher. 

If you would rather dedicate yourself to the field of research, you should know that many pharmacists start their careers after the state examination via a doctoral position. This is associated with lower earnings than in a pharmacy or in the private sector. As an established scientist, on the other hand, you may even earn significantly more than a pharmacist.

Overall, the career prospects are very good. Pharmacy is one of the degree programmes where you don't have to worry about money in most cases after the last semester and passing the state examination.