When can I book?
Each year there are two opportunities to sit our examinations: in April and September/October. You can find the full timetable of IFoA exams on our Exam dates web page.
You can sit our online exams at any convenient location, however, you will need to book within the exam entry period. Exam entry dates for upcoming examinations are listed on our Exam dates web page.
New joiners
You can sit our CS and CM examinations as a non-member. To sit all other IFoA examinations you will need to join the IFoA as a Student member before you book an examination.
If you are joining the IFoA as a Student member and intend to sit your examination in our April 2022 exam sitting, you will need to submit your Student membership application before 17 January 2022.
Before you book your exam
Please make sure you are aware of our Examinations Handbook. The September 2021 exam sitting edition will be made available to candidates shortly.
All examinations are run in UK time with start times varying between 08.00 and 10.00. You will be advised of your personal start time by email two weeks before the examination date.
CS and CM Exams
Both elements A and B of the CS1, CS2, CM1 and CM2 examinations need to be sat during the same examination sitting.
Non-members wishing to sit the IFoA CS and CM examinations can find information about this on our Non-member web page.
How to book your exam
Once exam entry opens, you can book IFoA exams by logging in the My Account are of the IFoA website and following the steps set out in our Exam Booking Guide.
If you are booking an IFoA exam for the first time, you will need to register before you can book an IFoA exam. Find out how to register and then book your first IFoA exam.
CB3 Exam
The CB3 examination entries are managed differently. You can log in to the My Account area of the IFoA website at any time to see available examination dates and to book your exam (once you have completed PSC Stage 1 - formerly OPAT).
Payment for examination entries
You will need to make a credit card, debit card or PayPal payment for each examination that you book through the My Account area of the IFoA website.
If you would like to pay by bank transfer you will need to download and complete an Exam Entry form. You will need to email your completed form, along with confirmation of the completed bank transfer, to our Member Services Team.
If you are eligible to pay reduced examination fees, please make sure that you have successfully applied for reduced rate membership subscription fees as part of your IFoA membership application or renewal before you book any IFoA examinations.
If you have not successfully applied for reduced rate membership subscriptions fees, you will automatically be charged the full examination fees when you book an IFoA exam.
Booking confirmation
You will receive email confirmation of your booking, once it has been processed. You will also be able to view your exam bookings in the Review my exam bookings area in the My Account area of the IFoA website.
You will receive your joining instructions two weeks before your examination date.
Changing your examination booking
If you wish to make changes to your examination booking we may be able to do this for you, however we cannot guarantee to make a change that you request. Any changes to your booking must be made before the examination entry closing date.
While the exam booking window is open, you can request a change to your online exam booking, including changes to your booked start time (subject to availability), by contacting our Member Services team.
Please note that there are may be charges for making changes to your examination booking.
Once the exam booking window is closed we are unable to make any changes to your booking.
Refund of examination fees
If you find yourself unable to sit an exam that you have booked, please contact the Member Services team by email soon as possible.
Cancellation before the exam booking period closes
If you cancel your exam booking before the exam booking period closes, you will be entitled to a refund of the assessment fees you have paid for that assessment, subject to a deduction of a 10% administrative charge and any applicable bank charges.
Please email our Member Services team to notify them of your exam cancellation and include a completed exam refund form.
Cancellation after the exam booking period has closed
Your entitlement to a refund will depend on the circumstances surrounding your request. We will consider your individual circumstances and make an assessment on whether it is fair and reasonable to exceptionally grant your request for a refund.
If we do accept your request for a refund, you will be entitled to a refund of the assessment fees you have paid for that assessment, subject to a deduction of a 25% administrative charge and any applicable bank charges.
To request a refund for extenuating circumstances (upto 15 days after you have sat your exam) email our Member Services team including the the supporting documentation set out in our Refund policy, for example, a refund request because of illness or medical grounds should include a medical certificate.
You can find information on how to apply for refunds for exams cancelled outside of the exam booking period in our Refund policy.
Cancelling your online exam booking
If you would like to cancel your online exam booking please contact the Member Services team soon as possible.
Cancellation before the assessment registration period closes
You will be entitled to a refund of the assessment fees you have paid for that assessment, subject to a deduction of a 10% administrative charge and any applicable bank charges.
Cancellation after the assessment registration period has closed
Your entitlement to a refund will depend on the circumstances surrounding your request. As we cannot anticipate every situation which may merit a refund, we will consider your individual circumstances and make an assessment on whether it is fair and reasonable to exceptionally grant your request for a refund.
When refunds will not be considered by us:
We will not consider requests for refunds 15 days or more after the assessment, you are seeking a refund for, has taken place.
Changing or Cancelling your CB3 exam booking
To change your CB3 examination booking, you will need to cancel and then rebook you examination for a new date.
Please note a charge for changing or cancelling your CB3 exam booking will apply.
Cancelling three weeks before your exam date
If you cancel your exam booking three weeks before your exam, you will be entitled to a refund of the assessment fees you have paid for that assessment, subject to a deduction of a 10% administrative charge and any applicable bank charges.
Please email our Member Services team to notify them of your exam cancellation and include a completed CB3 Refund application form.
Cancelling after the exam booking window closes
To request a refund for extenuating circumstances (upto 15 days after you have sat your exam) email our Member Services team including the the supporting documentation set out in our Refund policy, for example, a refund request because of illness or medical grounds should include a medical certificate.
If we do accept your request for a refund, you will be entitled to a refund of the assessment fees you have paid for that assessment, subject to a deduction of a 25% administrative charge and any applicable bank charges.
Download the CB3 Refund application form
Related documents
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CB3 exam entry form
12 November 2021 -
Application form for access arrangements for the IFoA exams
9 July 2021 -
Assessment Regulations - Fellowship and Associateship
9 July 2021
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Contact Details
Member Services Team
memberservices@actuaries.org.uk
Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, 1st Floor, Park Central, 40/41 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1JD
We aim to respond to all enquiries within two working days.
Filter or search events
Events calendar
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The Growth Mindset for Actuaries
13 October 2021 - 8 December 2021This practical course is aimed at actuaries at any stage of their career who want to develop their own growth mindset and apply it to their work setting and personal or professional lifelong learning. The content of the course builds on the lecture given by Dr Helen Wright on Growth Mindset as part of the President’s 2021 Lecture series, and will be delivered over a period of 2 months, from mid-October to early December.
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The Many Faces of Bias
2 December 2021
This webinar looks at the many types of biases, both conscious and unconscious and the impacts they can have in the workplace. Raising our own awareness and understanding of the issues can help us avoid the pitfalls of unconscious bias in particular. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘office banter’ but are we sure that’s how those on the receiving end perceive it and is it ok to go along with it? -
Actuaries need to take action now - but how? With a focus on climate change, this session will provide informed insight to enable you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the issues involved, demonstrate how it will impact advice to your clients, and highlight prospective opportunities for actuaries within pensions and wider fields. -
Pensions Winter Forum: Pension Scams
8 December 2021
Pension scams have become more prevalent as a result of the pandemic, and Trustees have increased responsibilities to protect members, which means that actuaries need to be in a position to provide advice in this area. Our specialist panel will include a professional trustee, an IFA and head administrator, two of whom are members of PASA. -
Sessional Meeting: Allowing for shocks in portfolio mortality models
15 December 2021The Covid-19 pandemic creates a challenge for actuaries analysing experience data that includes mortality shocks. To address this we present a methodology for modelling portfolio mortality data that offers local flexibility in the time dimension. The approach permits the identification of seasonal variation, mortality shocks, and late-reported deaths. The methodology also allows actuaries to measure portfolio-specific mortality improvements. Results are given for a mature annuity portfolio in the UK
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The Brian Hey Prize 2021 - LocalGLMnet: interpretable deep learning for tabular data
15 December 2021In this webinar, the authors of the 2021 Brian Hey prize winning paper present a new deep learning model called the LocalGLMnet. While deep learning models lead to very competitive regression models, often outperforming classical statistical models such as generalized linear models, the disadvantage is that deep learning solutions are difficult to interpret and explain, and variable selection is not easily possible.
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The dominant underwriting approach is a mix between rule-based engines and traditional underwriting. Applications are first assessed by automated rule-based engines which typically are capable of processing only simple applications. The remaining applications are reviewed by underwriters or referred to the reinsurers. This research aims to construct predictive machine learning models for complicated applications that cannot be processed by rule-based engines.
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Pensions Winter Forum: How to win the pensions endgame
19 January 2022
With the Pension Schemes Act 2021 requiring a long term strategy from Trustees and sponsors, choosing a pensions endgame strategy has become even more critical. However, it is important that the endgame options available are adequately assessed before choosing one. With an ever-increasing array of creative and innovative options available, this decision may not be straightforward.
This webinar looks at the many types of biases, both conscious and unconscious and the impacts they can have in the workplace. Raising our own awareness and understanding of the issues can help us avoid the pitfalls of unconscious bias in particular. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘office banter’ but are we sure that’s how those on the receiving end perceive it and is it ok to go along with it?
Actuaries need to take action now - but how? With a focus on climate change, this session will provide informed insight to enable you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the issues involved, demonstrate how it will impact advice to your clients, and highlight prospective opportunities for actuaries within pensions and wider fields.
Pension scams have become more prevalent as a result of the pandemic, and Trustees have increased responsibilities to protect members, which means that actuaries need to be in a position to provide advice in this area. Our specialist panel will include a professional trustee, an IFA and head administrator, two of whom are members of PASA.
With the Pension Schemes Act 2021 requiring a long term strategy from Trustees and sponsors, choosing a pensions endgame strategy has become even more critical. However, it is important that the endgame options available are adequately assessed before choosing one. With an ever-increasing array of creative and innovative options available, this decision may not be straightforward.