Professional designations of ASA or FSA are earned by completing a rigorous education system including
examinations, courses, and
e-learning modules. It is common for actuarial students to work full-time in the profession while studying for the exams.
Exams towards associateship The associateship exams, commonly called preliminary exams, consist mostly of core mathematics related to actuarial science including
probability,
interest theory, life contingencies, risk models,
statistical modeling, and
predictive analytics. Preliminary exams are administered on computers at
Prometric testing centers. The scores are reported on a scale of 0 to 10. The score is relative to the actual passing percentage P. The highest achievable grade for some exams can be 9. If P>\frac{100}{1.4}\% \approx 71.4\%, then 1.4P > 100\%, i.e. the requirement for a score of 10 is higher than 100\%. The current form of preliminary exams were established in year 2000 and have evolved over time. In 2018 and 2023, the preliminary exams have undergone another wave of significant changes to reflect an emphasis on
predictive analytics, and also provides a curriculum balance between long-term and short-term insurance coverages. The rough equivalent of preliminary exams since year 2000 are listed according to the transition rules published by SOA. There are also differences in detail between exam syllabi over time.
Other components toward associateship In addition to the exams, candidates also need to complete Validation by Educational Experience (VEE), a series of e-learning modules, and the Associateship Professionalism Course (APC). In 2000, candidates may be admitted to associateship by completing Course 5 (Application of Basic Actuarial Principles), Course 6 (Finance and Investments), and APC in addition to the preliminary exams. In 2005, the SOA introduced the VEE as the additional topics covered by actuarial education in addition to exams. The 3 VEE subjects were:
applied statistical methods,
corporate finance, and
economics. The introduction of VEE also decreased the scope of preliminary exams. As a part of their education pathways reform, the SOA temporarily admitted candidates to associateship if they completed 2 courses from Course 5, 6, 7, 8, and Professional Development Requirement (PD). Note that Course 7 (Applied Actuarial Modeling), Course 8 (Advanced Specialized Actuarial Practice), and PD were part of the fellowship requirement. In 2007, the Fundamentals of Actuarial Practice (FAP) were introduced to cover real-world topics such as insurance and professionalism with readings, case studies, and projects. The FAP modules superseded the former Course 5 (Application of Basic Actuarial Principles) and Course 7 (Applied Modeling). The FAP, which contained eight modules and two assessments, became the only option to attain associateship effective January 2007. In 2018, the VEE subjects were amended to
accounting and
finance,
economics, and
mathematical statistics as part of the SOA's preliminary exams reform. In 2023, more e-learning modules were added to the education requirement as a part of educational pathway redesign, including the Pre-Actuarial Foundations (PAF), Actuarial Science Foundations (ASF), and Advanced Topics in Predictive Analytics (ATPA). The FAP has been reduced to five modules with one final assessment.
Fellowship exams and components Upper-level exam topics for the FSA designation include plan design, risk classification, enterprise risk management, ratemaking, and valuation. Four fellowship exams are taken, two of which are taken in one of six specialization tracks chosen by the candidate: Corporate Finance & Enterprise Risk Management (CFE), Investments (INV), Individual Life Insurance & Annuities (ILA), Retirement Benefits (RET), Group & Health Insurance (GH), or General Insurance (GI), while the other two are allowed to be taken from any track. The SOA updated the Fellowship tracks in 2018, 2023, and 2025. In addition to the exams, candidates also need to complete the Decision Making and Communication (DMAC) module and the virtual or in-person Fellowship Admissions Course (FAC). ==See also==