Free Practice Questions for SAPC Pre-Registration Exam
Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
Loading practice questions...
Explore More SAPC Pharmacy Registration Exams (South Africa)
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: SAPC Pre-Registration Exam Exam
≥120
SBA MCQs (minimum) in one paper
2026 Intern and Tutor Manual
≥30%
Calculations share of the paper
2026 Intern and Tutor Manual
60%
Calculations section subminimum
2026 Intern and Tutor Manual / Pharmaciae
50%
Overall and general-section minima
2026 Intern and Tutor Manual
4.5 h
Total exam time (2 h + 2.5 h)
SAPC Intern pre-registration page
R0 / R2,800
Entrance fee attempts 1–2 / 3+
2026 Intern and Tutor Manual
33%
Largest domain — Supply of medicines
2026 Intern Manual Table 7
100
Free practice SBAs on OpenExamPrep
OpenExamPrep
SAPC pre-registration is an open-book ≥120-SBA exam (calc ≥30% with 60% subminimum; general ≤70% with 50% subminimum; overall ≥50%). 2026 fees: free for attempts 1–2, R2,800 from attempt 3, late booking R1,383. This free bank has 100 practice SBAs mapped to official domain weights.
Sample SAPC Pre-Registration Exam Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the SAPC Pre-Registration Exam exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1According to the SAPC 2018 Competency Standards, which activity best illustrates Domain 1 (Public health) at entry level?
2A community pharmacy partners with the local clinic for an influenza vaccination awareness day. Which competency is primarily being demonstrated?
3When assessing healthcare needs of a rural community, an entry-level pharmacist should primarily take into account:
4Providing accurate medicines information to another healthcare professional in support of rational prescribing is classified mainly under which Domain 1 competency area?
5A pharmacist advocates for improved access to chronic medicines at a district health forum. This best reflects:
6In health economics for pharmacy practice, a cost-minimisation analysis is most appropriate when:
7Brand medicine A costs R240 for a 30-day course. An interchangeable generic costs R96 for the same course with equivalent therapeutic outcome. What is the absolute cost saving per course if the generic is selected?
8During a declared disease outbreak, the pharmacist’s public-health role most appropriately includes:
9In South Africa’s primary healthcare approach, the community pharmacist most clearly contributes by:
10Which source is most appropriate when a pharmacist needs official South African Standard Treatment Guidelines / Essential Medicines List guidance for public-sector primary care?
About the SAPC Pre-Registration Exam Exam
The SAPC Pharmacist Pre-Registration Examination is the open-book single-best-answer assessment taken during the pharmacist internship before registration. It is blueprinted to the 2018 Competency Standards for Pharmacists and mixes calculation and general practice items across manufacturing, institutional and community contexts. Candidates must meet internship Portfolio of Evidence/progress-report requirements, complete the compulsory practice examination, and achieve overall and section subminima. This free bank offers 100 SBAs weighted to the 2026 Intern and Tutor Manual Table 7 domain percentages.
Exam sponsor: South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
One open-book SBA MCQ paper based on the 2018 Competency Standards. Calculations section (≥30% of items; 2 hours; ≥60% subminimum) and general section (≤70%; 2.5 hours; ≥50% subminimum). Questions span community, institutional, wholesale and manufacturing contexts. Remote sittings are commonly split over two days.
Time Limit
4.5 hours total (2 h calculations + 2.5 h general)
Passing Score
Overall ≥50%; calculations ≥60%; general ≥50%
Exam / Certification Fees
R0 (1st–2nd attempt); R2,800 (3rd+); late booking R1,383 (2026; confirm gazette)
Exam sponsor websiteReported exam pass rate: Varies by sitting (historical overall pass often mid–high 80%). SAPC Pharmaciae has reported overall pass rates around the mid–high 80s for some remote sittings, with most failures in calculations; treat as historical context, not a guaranteed benchmark. This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Public health
Health promotion, medicines information, advocacy, health economics, epidemic/disaster management, primary healthcare
Safe and rational use of medicines and medical devices
Counselling, medicine review, safety, monitoring, PIT, pharmacovigilance, clinical trials, dose/PK calculations
Supply of medicines and medical devices
GxP, supply chain, formulary, dispensing, compounding, disposal — largest domain and heavy on calculations
Organisation and management skills
HR, finance, infrastructure, QA, change management, policy
Professional and personal practice
Patient-centred care, professional/ethical/legal practice, leadership, decisions, collaboration, communication
Education, critical analysis and research
Critical appraisal and research/ethics at entry level
Preparing for the SAPC Pre-Registration Exam Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Overall ≥50%; calculations ≥60%; general ≥50%
- Assessment: One open-book SBA MCQ paper based on the 2018 Competency Standards. Calculations section (≥30% of items; 2 hours; ≥60% subminimum) and general section (≤70%; 2.5 hours; ≥50% subminimum). Questions span community, institutional, wholesale and manufacturing contexts. Remote sittings are commonly split over two days.
- Time limit: 4.5 hours total (2 h calculations + 2.5 h general)
- Exam / certification fees: R0 (1st–2nd attempt); R2,800 (3rd+); late booking R1,383 (2026; confirm gazette) Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
SAPC Pre-Registration Exam: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the format of the SAPC pre-registration examination?
It is an open-book single-best-answer MCQ assessment with a minimum of 120 questions in one paper covering calculations (≥30%) and general practice (≤70%), based on the 2018 Competency Standards and contextualised across pharmacy sectors.
What are the pass requirements?
Candidates need at least 50% overall, at least 60% in the calculations section, and at least 50% in the general section. If either section is failed, both sections must be rewritten.
How long is the examination?
The paper is written over 4.5 hours: 2 hours for calculations and 2.5 hours for general questions. Remote sittings are often scheduled across two days.
How much does it cost in 2026?
There is no entrance fee for the first and second attempts. A fee of R2,800 applies for a third and subsequent attempts. Late bookings (less than four weeks and up to 14 days before the date) attract R1,383. Confirm the current Board Notice/fee schedule before booking.
Who can sit the exam?
Registered pharmacist interns who meet the current Intern and Tutor Manual booking requirements (including Portfolio of Evidence/CPD and tutor progress reports) and who have completed the compulsory practice examination.
How are questions weighted across domains?
The 2026 Intern and Tutor Manual Table 7 weights the 120 items approximately as: Public health 15.83%, Safe and rational use 27.50%, Supply 33.00%, Organisation and management 5.00%, Professional and personal practice 17.00%, and Education/research 1.76%.