Students who have earned a professional degree from an accredited pharmacy school or college or the equivalent overseas may qualify to enter a Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program. Students with an undergraduate degree in a pharmacy-related field (such as chemistry or biology) can also apply to programs, though some schools may admit only students with first professional pharmacy degrees.

International students make up about 28 percent of those earning a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in the pharmaceutical sciences, and 42 percent of students pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, according to recent figures from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

M.S. and Ph.D. degrees do not qualify students to take U.S. licensure examinations—only a Pharm.D. degree qualifies pharmacy graduates for such tests. M.S. and Ph.D. programs are usually geared toward those interested in conducting research, teaching, or pursuing a specialty. International pharmacists interested in clinical practice may also want to consider a Pharm.D. degree (degree programs designed for individuals already holding a B.S. in pharmacy may be particularly appropriate)

International students should contact individual schools to inquire about their requirements for admission into graduate programs. A large majority of pharmacy schools accept students with foreign degrees into their programs; however, a few schools enroll individuals from the state/region in which they are located only.