Fund your own pharmacy technician training
If you’ve been told you need your employer to pay before you can train, that isn’t the whole story. Some providers only accept learners whose employer funds and sponsors them — but that’s their commercial policy, not a rule of the qualification. You can pay for it yourself, and we’ll take you.
Why some providers turn you away
Several of the larger training providers only take learners whose employer sponsors them. It suits their model: one contract with a big employer is simpler than lots of individual learners. If you’ve been told “we can only accept you if your employer funds and supports your place”, that’s what you’ve run into.
It leaves a lot of capable people stuck — people whose employer won’t or can’t pay, who work somewhere too small to have a training budget, who don’t want to be tied into a training agreement, or who simply want to get on with it rather than wait to be offered.
We take those people. It’s the same qualification either way.
What “self-funded” actually changes: nothing that matters
Same Open Awards qualification. Same qualification number. Same assessment, same in-person workplace observation, same external verification by the awarding organisation. Same eligibility to apply for GPhC registration at the end.
Who paid the fee doesn’t appear on your certificate. It makes no difference to the qualification, to the GPhC, or to any future employer looking at it.
What you still need from your employer
You don’t need your employer’s money. You do need their cooperation, because the qualification is assessed on real work:
- A named workplace supervisor — a pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician who oversees your day-to-day work and countersigns your evidence.
- Access for your assessor to observe you working, three times across the qualification. We book these in advance and keep them short.
- A short workplace confirmation at the start, so we know the pharmacy can give you the range of experience the qualification needs.
That’s the whole ask. No fees, no release from shifts, no training agreement. Most employers say yes quickly once they realise it costs them nothing and they end up with a better-qualified member of staff. If it would help, we’ll explain it to them directly — point them at our employers page or ask us to call them.
What it costs, and how you pay
Level 3 Diploma (pharmacy technician): £3,500 paying in full, or £3,675 by instalments. £500 deposit, which counts towards the fee.
Level 2 Certificate (pharmacy support staff): £1,600 paying in full, or £1,680 by instalments. £200 deposit, which counts towards the fee.
No VAT. PPets is not VAT registered, so the price you see is the price you pay. Worth checking against other quotes — a fee quoted “+ VAT” is 20% more than it looks.
No interest, no charges on the instalment plan. Pay the balance in full before you start and take 5% off.
These are introductory prices for our first intake and will rise for later cohorts. See the full breakdown of what a pharmacy technician course costs, including what to check for in anyone else’s quote.
What you get for it
- A live class every week with your tutor — Thursdays 7pm for Level 3, Mondays 7pm for Level 2 — timed for after work.
- Unlimited one-to-one sessions, booked whenever suits you, at no extra cost.
- An assessor who comes to your pharmacy and watches you do the job. Not a webcam.
- No exams. You’re assessed on the work you already do.
- Tutors who are registered pharmacy technicians and took this route themselves.
September 2026 intake is open
Level 3 induction Thursday 24 September, Level 2 Monday 28 September. Apply now, or book a free call with Daniel first if you want to sanity-check whether the timing is right.
Apply now →Self-funding FAQ
Can I really pay for it myself?
Yes. Some providers only accept employer-funded learners, but that’s their policy, not a requirement of the qualification. We accept self-funded learners on both Level 2 and Level 3.
Do I need my employer’s permission?
Not their money, but yes to their cooperation — a named supervisor to countersign evidence and access for your assessor to observe you. It costs them nothing and most agree readily.
Is it the same qualification as the employer-funded version?
Identical. Same awarding organisation, same qualification number, same assessment and external verification, same route to GPhC registration. Who paid isn’t recorded on your certificate.
What if my employer says no?
Talk to us before you give up. Often it’s a misunderstanding about cost or time — we can explain it to them directly. If your current workplace genuinely can’t support it, we’ll talk through your options honestly at your interview.
Can I spread the cost?
Yes. A deposit secures your place and the balance spreads over an agreed plan with no interest and no charges. Pay in full before you start and save 5%.
Is this open to anyone, or only certain employers’ staff?
Anyone working in a UK pharmacy who meets the entry requirements can apply, whoever they work for. If you aren’t currently in a pharmacy, say so on the application form — we may be able to help you find a placement.