Good luck for results all!

Results come out on Tuesday 3rd December from 5.30pm (UK time) via email this time!

I've created this so it's easy for everyone to discuss. I stepped down as a mod a few months ago but didn't see a thread so created one this time round too.

Good luck!

Where else am I supposed to cry?

Are there any internships for first year uni student? I’ve surfed the internet back and forth but they all want you to be in your second year or above.

I work in the reinsurance broking field for around a year now, and I will have to do both sp7 and sp8, I have around 3 months + to study for the April 2025 sitting, just wondering which will be better to do first. any advice?

Hey everyone

It’s been just under a month since I launched ActQ (actq.co.uk), and your feedback has been incredible! Thanks to your suggestions, the platform has evolved, and I’m thrilled to announce exciting new features, improvements, and a small Christmas surprise. 🎄

🎓 New Features

Flashcards 📝

Organise your revision with our new Flashcards tool! Create and sort flashcards by subject and topic, making your study sessions more structured and effective. Personally, they’ve been a game-changer for my SP7 exam prep, especially with the return of closed-book exams.

AI Flashcard Generator ✨

Turn your notes into tailored flashcards instantly. Just input a section of your notes, and our AI model will generate quiz-ready cards to help you reinforce key concepts effortlessly. Perfect for interactive and efficient learning!

🔧 Improvements Based on Your Feedback

- Exam Search: Enter * in the search bar to generate a random set of questions for randomised mocks.

- Exam Corrector Model: Improved feedback for MCQ and mathematical questions, ensuring more accurate results and relevant feedback.

💵 Better Value

Save over 25% with our new annual subscription plan! For just £39.99 a year, you can enjoy all premium features and keep excelling in your studies. Current monthly subscribers can switch easily when their plan ends.

🎁 Small Christmas Surprise

To thank all of you, I’ve reset rate limits for every user—so dive in and explore the latest version without restrictions.

Thank you again for your support, feedback, and enthusiasm for ActQ. I’m always eager to hear more ideas and suggestions for future updates. Best of luck with your results this week, and have a very Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅⛄

For me in particular, how much presenting a job has is particularly important in my decision as to whether or not to pursue the job.

I know the actuarial profession is broad and there are many factors that come into play as to how important presenting is for a role.

I know determinants will include firm culture, industry, level of seniority, and other role-specific requirements.

I think what would be helpful for me would be to hear as many responses as possible from Redditors. It would be useful to know:

Industry (GI/Life/Pensions/Other)

Area of expertise (Pricing, reserving, capital, investment, portfolio management etc)

Years of experience

How frequently/how much emphasis there is on presenting in your role

Hoping that with enough responses here, I can build up a clear picture of where presenting is most and least important.

Thanks!

With the results just a few hours away, I am starting to apply for internships and other jobs. I am a novice, and I need help with where to search and what to search for. I am currently residing in India, and I will be passing my first exam, CS1. Though I failed CM1 (this July), I do have a fair knowledge of it and the technical skills due to my Undergraduate degree (I graduated with a First-Class degree in the UK system with a specialization in Mathematics, accounting, and Corporate Finance). I really need help making decisions like this.

Occasionally, I find myself demotivated due to the absence of a mentor. It would be immensely helpful if someone could offer their insights, advice, or recommendations.

For people who have completed CS2 directly with the IFOA, not at university. I plan to start revision this week. How would you recommend going about it please? Do I skim through the course notes and go straight to past papers, or do I need to take time with understanding the course notes thoroughly? With R studio, do you do it parallel when completing each chapters? What is the best method you used for passing this paper?

Hey! Have few questions:

1. What if I dont have attached washroom in my bedroom?
2. What if my printer is on the other side of my room, can I get up to get the exam paper printed? But that will be counted as out of sight non compliance..

Please help if anyone is confident with these questions?

As title suggests, after work drinks social to celebrate exam results. Last time, over 30 actuaries across a range of lines of businesses and specialisations attended. Great networking opportunity and chill evening. Comment if interested, and I'll send details across.

Hi all, I'm in my 3rd year at The University of Edinburgh currently enrolled on the Mmath (integrated masters) Mathematics course. I was just wondering whether it's better to change to something like the Bsc Mathematics or Bsc Mathematics and Statistics courses to be more employable. I've taken all the required classes to ensure I can freely change between them. Is it better to get an extra year in the industry/ general work experience or is it more employable to get a masters degree. Also any recommendations/advice on classes to take to either get exemptions or to get me a step forward into the career would be great.

Thanks.

Everyone here says internships are the be all and end all, so I’m wondering if I’m wasting my time applying to them (actuarial) with my degree title (economics and politics), given it might not be numerate enough, although I do have an A* in A-level maths.

I have applied to 8-10 actuarial internships, for most of them, I’ve at least got to/past the first stage (to psychometric tests/video interview) for one I got to the assessment centre. Surely I would’ve got rejected immediately if my degree title didn’t suit the essential requirements, so is my degree a problem for these applications?

I’m asking because I’ve focused mostly on actuarial internships, I haven’t really applied much to other financial internships, and the ones I have I haven’t got far, probably because I’m not really interested in those areas.

I have 3/4/5 actuarial internship applications still active. With those, and the possibility of sending speculative applications to smaller firms in the new year, is there much chance I’ll get work experience this summer?

I achieved a 3rd in my first year of uni (I study maths at uni of Birmingham), however on my CV I put my expected grade down as a 2:1

I passed the online assessment, hirevue, assessment centre and received an offer and now theyre asking for my transcript to confirm my uni and grades :/

technically I didn't lie because I didn't say that I *achieved* a 2:1, I said Im *expected* a 2:1 but yeah I think this will piss off the hiring team if I email them this lol

anyone been in this situation before?

Hi guys, recently I just completed my degree and I also successfully find a job. I have 6 exemptions and passed CB3 during my university time. But I'm not sure to sit for which CP in the next year. I'm thinking of taking CP2 because some of my seniors recommend me. What do you guys think? Thank you for any suggestion!!

Hi, I am interested in becoming an actuary ideally in GI, I’m in my final year in maths and I am likely to get a first and have A*AA at a level but everyone I seem to come across who works at the firms/ grad schemes I am applying for come from much more prestigious unis like Warwick, Imperial etc. I’m just wondering do I stand much of a chance at getting a good job as an actuary if I come from Liverpool uni which isn’t great in comparison? Thanks

Hi guys,

Im confused about April 25 attempt, i was initially gonna give cm1 and another exam (cp3 or cm2)

but recently ive switched to a general insurance company and the content is very cs2 heavy. Im thinking of giving cs2 for this attempt.Please share your thoughts on this

Hi! I want to start my applications to the IFoA examinations. I plan to start with CM1. The IFoA page suggests some tuition providers and the Actex offers one with a low price compared to the others. Do you recommend it?

To pass the CFA I studied by myself reading the lectures and answering the practice questions offered by Mark Meldrum, which were enough for me.

Hi, so I’m sitting CB3 at the minute and I’m just not sure on what is expected from the workbook? I’m sure it’s changed in recent times compared to a number of years ago but has anyone been asked to redo the workbook? I’m sure everyone will say, relax you’re overthinking but having not seen one of the workbooks before I’m just not sure what angle they want you to take on some of the questions. I have a few weeks to complete it and I’m only really starting (2 exercises done out of 7) so I thought I’d ask for a bit of guidance before going the whole way through and having change things later.

Hi, I’m sitting CS2 and CP2 in April, I’ve been revising for 4 hours after work during the week and 6 hours on the weekend. I’m planning to do 6 hours on each of the 12 days I’m on study leave as well. Is this enough ? (I’m quite a fast learner but I forget stuff just as fast if I don’t keep practicing)

I am thinking to be an actuary I want to knowof it is lucrative career or not is there any hurdles or any kind of discrimination in this field what are your advices .if you would like to give me as in early stage .

I have increasingly thought about helping others to pass exams (I've passed 12, waiting for 13th result). The easiest way for me personally is to write some blogs about my experiences. The latest blog post is about my study guide for exams: https://sanjaypatelactuary.com/the-ultimate-study-guide-for-ifoa-actuary-exams

I also have some other blog posts on my website (including my thoughts on the recent exam changes) and I am planning to post some more in the future.

I know studying is mostly individual preference but I think some things are universal. Some points may be controversial!

Feel free to ask questions in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them. Happy to help.

Hi all,

I'm currently doing my undergraduate in maths and am considering trying to become an actuary when I graduate.

Ive been applying for summer internships for 2025 summer. Currently I have an offer for P&C insurance consulting at WTW. However I've been invited to do final stage assessment centres for another two companies, one of which being Deloitte. Ive seen a lot of stuff on this subreddit as well as elsewhere that starting at a big 4 is best for your career. Is it worth me going to these assessment centres and in the case of getting an offer, going for that over the WTW one? I don't know anyone who works in the industry so not really sure what would be a better place to work/more interesting etc.

I'm having a hard time deciding which degree to choose, I'm in year 13 and am off to uni next September with hopes of becoming an Actuary a few years down the line. I have a huge love for maths and know that a Maths degree is more versatile than a straight actuarial science degree, and Southampton is quite highly respected for STEM subjects.

However, I can't help but think that I would have missed out on massive career opportunities by not taking the placement year and the possible internships available in London.

Can any of you offer some advice on whether it's worth it to accept offers from the former or the latter? I know that it is ultimately up to me to make the decision, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by choosing the wrong degree. Thanks

27M with a degree in mechanical engineering, have worked 4 years in a non related industry (MEP) and would like to know if the recommended way to pursue a career change into actuary is to simply pass the P/FM exams and apply for entry roles? I am based in London and unsure of the current state of the job market

Although I am paid well (current comp 80k) I have no interest in continuing my current career path and regret not making this transition earlier in my career. Appreciate any feedback

Hello fellow actuaries!

I recently graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science and have been working towards my professional exams—I’m currently waiting for the results of my second exam in December. Like many fresh graduates, I’ve struggled to secure roles in insurance or related actuarial fields and ended up taking the first opportunity that came my way, which is in HR Analytics. While I’m learning a lot in this role, I’m concerned about how staying in HR Analytics might affect my career trajectory as I aim to move into traditional actuarial fields in the future. I plan to continue progressing with my exams as quickly as possible, but I’d love to hear advice from anyone who’s been in a similar position or knows how best to transition from a non-traditional actuarial role back to core actuarial work. Are there any key skills or steps I should focus on to stay competitive in the actuarial job market?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Been in the industry for about 2 years now, and I’m still constantly experiencing bouts of panic about work. I feel like I’m always worrying that I’ve missed something when it comes to the spreadsheets or models that I’m building.

I’m always checking and re-checking but it seems like there’s always something that I miss which drives me nuts. Am I just not cut out to be an actuary? Or is this something that gets better with more experience?

I’m currently going through my second year of a course that doesn’t provide me with any exemptions and is only a joint numerical degree. I have applied to about 8-10 summer internships/year long placements thus far and the furthest I’ve got has been a a video interview for one (small firm, no prior stages), a telephone interview for mid-sized firm and an assessment centre for a large one (although 3-4 of them I’ve only just applied to).

I’m beginning to worry I won’t get any summer internships/placement years, especially in the actuarial sector. I only have myself to blame, I missed the application deadlines for a few others. I’m wondering what my best option would be if I can’t get one in the end? First of all, will there be many more internship opportunities released over the coming weeks/new year? I’m sure any kind of work experience will help with graduate applications, but how much will any kind of summer job help?

Finally, I have the option to take an actuarial science masters at a university, where, thanks to local fees, it’ll only cost me £9k (only partly covered by postgraduate loan), and I can gain six exemptions, also showing my commitment to an actuarial career. If I can’t secure an internship this year, would this be the best option for securing a grad role in 2027? Or would it be best just to get a normal summer job and apply for 2026 roles?

Just from seeing the email from IFOA the student letter and all the anxiety came rushing back of how anxious I am about my results. It's going to be a very long week and wait for me. Final exam results hit in a different way compared to when you have quite a number of exams to still go through. How is everyone else feeling?

are we allowed to create a word file of our own with all the formulas so that we don’t have to type them out during the exams?