• Applicants must be enrolled in Austin Community College. Click here for more information. Admission to Austin Community College does not guarantee admission to a Health Sciences program.
• The Pharmacy Technician program is open to all students. A health science background is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet the Technical Standards required by the program.
• TSI Status for Applicants: Students must be TSI complete prior to applying to the Pharmacy Technician program.
• Major: Students should declare their majors as “General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences.” Once you are officially accepted into the program, your major will be changed to Pharmacy Technician Level 2 certificate and/or AAS degree as specified on your application.

New students are accepted into the Pharmacy Technician program each Fall, Spring, and Summer.

Applications are accepted year-round until all available spaces have been filled. Once the cohort is full, new applications will be routed into the appropriate semester based on the deadlines below. If a deadline ends on a weekend, the due date will end on the next business day.

• Fall Semester: July 1
• Spring Semester: November 1
• Summer Semester: April 1

Pharmacy Technician Level 1 Certificate Plan

Pharmacy Technician Level 2 Certificate Plan

• Upon completion of the certificate plan, graduates earn two advanced pharmacy specialty certificates and are eligible to take the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, which is a prerequisite for becoming a Registered Pharmacy Technician with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. The certificate plan encompasses the first two semesters of the Pharmacy Technician AAS degree plan.

Pharmacy Technician Associate of Applied Science Degree Plan

• The Pharmacy Technician AAS degree program is a five-semester degree that combines classroom and laboratory instruction with clinical experiences in local pharmacies. The AAS degree plan builds upon the foundation laid during the certificate program. Upon completion of the AAS degree program, students earn five advanced pharmacy specialty certificates.

1. Activate your ACC email account. All correspondence regarding your application will be sent to your ACC email address. For information on how to set up your ACC email account, please see this page.
2. Complete the immunization requirements and document immunizations on the required immunization form.
3. Review and complete the mandatory online Information Session. At the end of the session, print and keep the confirmation email, the “Blue” Information Form, and the “Yellow” Acknowledgement of Regulatory Form.
4. At the end of the Information Session, you will be prompted to set up your mandatory program advising session with the Pharmacy Technician Department Chair. It will be an opportunity to get your questions answered and plan the courses you will take during your first semester.
5. There are no prerequisites required for the program, however applicants with the most co-requisite courses completed in the degree plan will be given priority. The co-requisite courses are as follows:
   • HPRS 1171: Student Success for Health Professionals
   • HPRS 1206: Essentials of Medical Terminology
6. Obtain official transcripts for coursework taken at any schools other than ACC.
7. Go to the CastleBranch website and click the link “Place Order.”
8. Enter UL64im in the “Package Code” field. After entering your personal information, the system will prompt you to upload your 1-page immunization form for each of the four required immunizations. The cost to set up the account is $47.
9. Next input code UL76im in the “Package Code” field. The system will prompt you to upload the following application documents:
   • Signed Information Session confirmation email
   • “Blue” Information Form
   • “Yellow” Acknowledgement of Regulatory Form
   • Technical Standards and Functions
10. Documents are approved when you receive a green check next to the requirement. All items must be approved in CastleBranch before your application will be accepted.

1. After completing the CastleBranch requirements (green checks = clearance), download and complete the application for the Pharmacy Technician program.
2. Applications will not be accepted in person until further notice. Follow the instructions on this page to submit your application remotely.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until full. If applications are received after the program has reached capacity, those applications will be transferred to the subsequent semester.

Provisional Admission Information

Admission to the Pharmacy Technician Program is provisional until the following clinical requirements are met. Do not take action on these items until instructed by the department:

• Criminal background check
• TB Testing
• Health Data Form

If you have concerns about events in your background, you may contact the Health Sciences Compliance Coordinator Lisa Enloe at (512) 223-5867 or [email protected].

Students in the Pharmacy Technician Program Level 2 Certificate and AAS Degree Plan are eligible to earn advanced pharmacy specialty certifications. Level 2 certificate students can earn a certificate in Sterile Compounding and Aseptic Technique and Basic Extemporaneous Compounding (Non-Sterile). In addition to the specialty certificate earned by Level 2 students, Pharmacy AAS degree students can earn five additional specialty certificates in chemotherapy compounding, total parenteral nutrition compounding, pediatric preparations, vaccine preparation, and train the trainer SCAT. For more information about advanced pharmacy specialty certifications at ACC, click here.

• Students must maintain an ACC Gmail account. This can be created by going to this link. ACC Gmail must be used for all college correspondence.
• Program acceptance letters will be sent out via ACC Gmail. Program acceptance is conditional on completion of the requirements listed in the acceptance letter. Instructions in the acceptance letter must be followed very carefully. If an email regarding a submitted program application has not been received within 14 days of the submission date, contact the Pharmacy Technician program at (512) 223-5941.
• Courses in the Pharmacy Technician program are offered in either the on-campus (at Eastview), hybrid (combination of live and distance learning [DIL]), or online (i.e., distance learning [DIL]) format.
• The on-campus courses in the Pharmacy Technician certificate plan are generally offered in a block schedule plan. This gives students the predictability of having all of their classes during the same time period. All courses in the block are taught during the Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. – 1:40 p.m. time frame.
• The program may be completed for college credit (recommended) or for Continuing Education.
• Certificate students are encouraged to consider advancing their education and potential for career growth by obtaining the AAS degree in the Pharmacy Technician Program.
• Upon earning their national Pharmacy Technician Certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), program graduates may be eligible to earn advanced specialty certifications, or complete mandatory continuing pharmacy education activities through our ACPE Accredited Continuing Pharmacy Education Providership. Contact the Pharmacy Technician Program department chair for details.