How to register as a student

You'll need to become an actuarial student* to enter our exams, and should pay your entrance fees and subscriptions at least four weeks before the closing dates for any exams you enter - these dates are given on the application forms.

To join, download and complete an application form which can be found in related documents section to the right of this page.

All students joining the Actuarial Profession on or after 1 March 2012 will need to have passed the Professional Awareness Test before they can take Subject CT9.

* You can take Subject CT1 if you are not a student member. The Certificate in financial mathematics page will give you more information about this.

Admission criteria for students

1. The application form can be downloaded on the right of this page.

2. The application form, which requires details of the applicant’s educational qualifications and the signatures of two referees, should be submitted, together with the necessary documentation, to the Membership Team in Edinburgh.

3. Applicants are required to include payment of the appropriate entrance fee and subscription with their application.

4. Students will normally be admitted if they have achieved the following educational standards:

For those who hold a degree:

• A Third Class Honours degree which includes a pass in mathematical sciences as a major subject; or
• A First or Second Class Honours degree in any subject, together with at least Grade C at Advanced ('A') level in any mathematical subject or equivalent from another awarding body.

For those who do not hold a degree the minimum requirements to become a student are:

• An A level in mathematics at Grade B or above together with an A level at Grade C in any other subject; or
• Three Scottish National Qualifications Authority Higher passes, one of which must be in mathematics at Grade A; or
• The Irish Leaving Certificate in at least five subjects; one of the passes must be in mathematics at Grade A; or
• The Actuarial Profession's CT1 examination taken as a non-member; or
• Other qualifications which are considered to be equivalent to the above.

Overseas students will be required to meet equivalent standards to those above through comparable qualifications.

5. Applicants who do not have the capacity to gain a good honours degree, or do not have adequate proficiency in English, are likely to experience particular difficulty with the exams.

To become an actuary, you need to pass, or be exempted from, all the relevant exams and practical exams, and to complete a learning log showing the work-based skills you've acquired over three years (Fellow) or one year (Associate).

For advice on how to complete your form, and for general enquiries, please contact:
admissions@actuaries.org.uk or +44 (0)131 240 1325

Our careers advisers have links with universities in the UK. You can email an adviser at:
careers@actuaries.org.uk or +44 (0)1865 268 872

Overseas students

• We offer a reduced rate for education services to help students in certain countries.
• We have appointed education advisers overseas to advise students and those contemplating an actuarial career on matters related to the profession, particularly with regard to the education, tuition and examination activities, including special local arrangements.
• If you have qualified outside the UK, we may recognise your qualification under our mutual recognition agreements.

Special Overseas Rate countries information - 1 July 2011

At the meeting of Institute and Faculty Council held on 24 May 2011, the following change was agreed in relation to the rate offered to applicants based in designated special overseas rate countries.

In recent years, applicants who are based in one of the special overseas rate countries were given a concessionary reduced rate.

Following detailed research it was considered that many applicants working in these countries would be in receipt of sufficient earnings to allow them to easily pay the full overseas rate. Therefore, there will no longer be a concessionary rate and with effect from 1 July 2011, all applicants based overseas will be required to complete the overseas application and pay the full overseas rate.

An application for a reduced subscription could be made based on earnings, however the full overseas entrance fee will still be applicable. A reduced rate application can be found here, which details the earnings threshold. If you feel that you are eligible for this, please complete and submit with your student application. You should however be aware that we may ask for confirmation of earnings and that whilst you may be eligible at the present time you need to let us know if your earnings increase as you may be required to revert to the full rate subscription.

If you have any questions on this change or need help with anything else, please contact admissions@actuaries.org.uk.