- How long it takes
- 6 months
- full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- From $880
- Subsidised at TAFE NSW, full fee up to $4,560
- How you can study
- On campus
- Main job
- Pharmacy Assistant
- $57,800 median pay
- Taught by
- 2 providers
- NSW
Is this course right for you?
What the Certificate II in Community Pharmacy asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- an interest in helping people with their health needs
- a friendly and approachable manner with customers
- good communication skills
- a willingness to follow rules and work under supervision
Before you start
There are no entry requirements for this qualification.
Certificate II or Certificate III?
The Certificate III in Community Pharmacy is the higher level. This Certificate II reflects a defined and limited range of customer service skills, with routine front of pharmacy tasks under close supervision.
See the courseWhere this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it
Pharmacy Assistant
Pharmacy assistants serve customers and prepare prescriptions in a pharmacy, working the counter, the dispensary and the stockroom while the pharmacist makes the clinical calls.
What else you need
Front-of-pharmacy assistance under close supervision and ultimately the supervising pharmacist; comply with medicine-supply rules. This is not pharmacist registration.
Median pay$57,800
If you study further
Bachelor of Pharmacy
A step towards work as a, median pay $101,700.
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.
What it costs
Subsidised place
From $880
at TAFE NSW. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.
Paying the full fee
$4,560
across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.
| TAFE | State | Subsidised | Concession | Full fee | How long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAFE NSW | NSW | $880 | $160 | $4,560 | 6 months |
TAFE NSWNSW
- Subsidised
- $880
- Concession
- $160
- Full fee
- $4,560
- How long
- 6 months
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.
Where you can study this course
There are 2 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Course page for TAFE NSW (opens in a new tab)
TAFE NSW
Coffs Harbour Education Campus, NSW
4.0from 2,410 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- How long
- 6 months
- Fee
- From $880 subsidised
What students like
- Teachers are supportive and ready to help
- Staff are helpful and friendly
- Course content is practical and industry relevant
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Some find front desk staff less helpful
- Website for Just Training (opens in a new tab)
Just Training
2 campuses, NSW
4.7from 521 Google reviews
What students like
- Trainers are friendly, knowledgeable and explain things clearly
- Courses are practical and easy to understand
- Staff are friendly and helpful
What you’ll learn
12 units: 4 that everyone takes and 8 you choose.
- Serving pharmacy customers
- Everyday product advice
- Point-of-sale and payments
- Stock control and displays
- Infection control practices
- Referring customers to the pharmacist
See all 4 core units
Core units
Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.
Loading the details for SIRCCCS001…
Loading the details for SIRCCCS001…
Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?
Questions people ask
Who is this qualification for?
It prepares you for work as a pharmacy assistant, serving customers at the front of a community pharmacy. You learn to recommend and sell everyday health products, take payments, manage stock, and refer anything outside your scope to the pharmacist. The role works under close supervision.
Do I need experience or other qualifications first?
The qualification itself has no entry requirements. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.
How is it different from Certificate III in Community Pharmacy?
The Certificate III in Community Pharmacy is the higher level. This Certificate II reflects a defined and limited range of customer service skills, with routine front of pharmacy tasks under close supervision.