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Actuarial Examinations

Actuarial examinations in the United States are offered in a series by the following two major actuarial organizations:

A complete description of all examinations is given in catalogs published by the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society. There is also extensive amount of information at this site: http://www.beanactuary.org/exams/.

Important Links

Society of Actuaries information on how to register for actuarial examinations.
Casualty Actuarial Society information on how to register for actuarial examinations.
Dr. Krzysztof Ostaszewski gives advice on how to pass actuarial exams.

You must use an approved calculator on the examinations. Information about approved calculators is here.

Note that the Casualty Actuarial Society also requires three insurance-practice oriented examinations, described at this site: https://www.casact.org/exams-admissions/pearson-vue/cas-data-and-insurance-series-courses.

They are:

Effective with the Fall 2022 semester, students at Illinois State University may earn exemptions from certain professional actuarial examinations, through the Society of Actuaries University Earned Credit system:

  • Exam FM, through sufficiently good performance in Mathematics 280,
  • Exam FAM, through sufficiently good performance in both Mathematics 380 and Mathematics 384,
  • Exam ALTAM, through sufficiently good performance in Mathematics 381,
  • Exam ASTAM, through sufficiently good performance in Mathematics 385 or Mathematics 485.

Please note that in addition to regular classes, the Actuarial Program at Illinois State University offers online seminars for professional actuarial examinations.

Undergraduate actuarial students should note that at Illinois State University the expectation is that you start taking professional actuarial examinations when you attain sophomore standing, while with junior standing you are expected to have at least one examination passed, and with senior standing you are expected to have at least two examinations passed. You are also expected to obtain a professional actuarial internship by the Summer between your sophomore and junior year, and you really, really should have a professional actuarial internship by the Summer between your junior and senior year, because employers prefer students with internship experience, and you will be applying for jobs after graduation in the Fall semester of your senior year, typically.

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