Hello everyone

For context: I am portuguese, and I just finished my masters in actuarial science (in Portugal there aren't rally undergraduate degrees in actuarial science).

During my master's, I received a merit award, that granted me an internship at a big4 company (which I will not disclose). I say this not to brag, but to show you that a major part that made me accept the award was the fact that it basically granted me an easy entry into the job market, straight out of university.

Initially I was thrilled about it, especially since I talked to some former students of the masters that were working at that company, and they gave me positive reviews about the job. One of them even said that the job required using knowledge aquired during the masters.

Based on these reviews, I thought I would be working on building, or at least maintaining probabilistic and statistical models.

Fast forward to now, and I have to say I, the job is not at all what I expected. My day-to-day consists basically in supporting actuarial auditing projects in the context of solvency II or IFRS17. In practice, what this means is that my work consists mostly of copying current year PBC's, and pasting them on older versions of the excel files, in order to update them. The most ambitious stuff I did was just building the triangles. I didn't even get to apply any reserving method to it.

Furthermore, since Portugal is a small country, most insurance companies, even the larger ones, rely on the standard SCR formula. So it's not like my job envolves assumption checking.

Some people on the actuarial team in the company got to work on consultancy projects. One required supporting the implementation of a model by an insurance company, but from what I gathered, this consisted mostly of documenting model assumptions in a report, and not really model testing.

With all this, I must say I'm not really liking the job, and I wanted to ask any of you of this subreddit, if work is also like this for you (regardless of it likely being outside of Portugal).

I understand I'm new to this stuff, and they are assigning me basic tasks on purpose, as it is the less risky strategy for the company. Nonetheless, this experience has been somewhat disappointing, and made me wonder what the future awaits me.

So I ask you, what does work look like to you. That is, what do you do, concretely, daily in your job?

I'm looking for some advice, guidance, or personal experiences regarding working in the UK or Ireland (yes, I know they're different countries!) as an American actuary.

For some context, I'm currently a junior studying actuarial science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I've passed three SOA exams (FM, P, and SRM), and I'm expecting to graduate in May 2028. I also recently accepted an internship with a large US-based reinsurer that has offices in both England and Ireland, along with several other European countries.

One of the reasons I'm particularly interested in reinsurance is the potential opportunity to work internationally, especially in the UK or Ireland. I'm primarily interested in life insurance and reinsurance, and I plan to continue pursuing the SOA credentialing pathway.

I understand that working abroad comes with challenges, particularly regarding visa sponsorship, differences in actuarial qualifications, and the job market itself. I'm also aware that working in the US for a few years before pursuing an internal transfer might be a more realistic option than applying directly to international positions after graduation. That said, I'm interested in exploring both possibilities.

I have a few questions I'd love to hear people's thoughts on:

• Has anyone here made the move from the US to the UK/Ireland, or worked with American actuaries who have? What did that process and career path look like?
• How realistic are internal transfers within large international insurance/reinsurance companies? Is this something you've seen happen relatively often?
• How are SOA exams and credentials generally viewed by employers in the UK/Ireland, especially in life insurance and reinsurance?
• For someone in my position, would you recommend trying to secure a position abroad directly after graduation, or gaining a few years of experience in the US first?

I'm not expecting to have everything figured out right now, but since I still have some time before graduating, I'd like to get a better understanding of what opportunities might exist and how I could best position myself for them.

I'd really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or even stories about coworkers who've made a similar move. Thanks!

Are cb1 flashcards useful ??
I used the flashcards for cb2 preparation and it hard carried me through the exam .
Will the ones for cb1 be any help for the theory portion ?

Having spent the last four years working in non-life general insurance pricing and the last three studying towards the IFoA qualification, I’ve recently started questioning whether I should explore life insurance before progressing further into my career.

One of the things prompting this is how much of the actuarial syllabus focuses on life insurance and related topics. Part of me is curious to experience a different area of the profession and see how much of the theory I’ve studied translates directly into day-to-day work.

I’d be interested to hear from people working in both life and non-life, particularly on the following:

Day-to-day work: How much of what you learn through the IFoA exams do you actually use in practice?

Pay: Is non-life genuinely better paid on average, including when comparing median salaries?

Switching specialisms: Has anyone moved from non-life to life, or vice versa, after several years of experience? How difficult was it, and did you feel you were starting from scratch or could your existing skills transfer across?

Job satisfaction: Knowing what you know now, would you choose the same specialism again? What do you enjoy most and least about your work?

I’m currently just over halfway through the qualification, so I’m conscious that if I want to make a switch, now might be a better time than later in my career.

I’m not necessarily unhappy with non-life; I’m more curious about whether I might enjoy another area of actuarial work more, particularly if it allows me to apply more of what I’ve learned through the exams.

I’d really appreciate hearing about people’s experiences, including anything you wish you’d known earlier in your career.

Hi all,

Just asking for some advice from whose who have attempted CM2 and CP1.

My plan was to begin studying CM2 next week (w/c 19th October 2026) with a view of finishing CMP (including the chapter questions) by the end of the year. That would leave me around 4 months to attempt the assignments and exam papers.

In January, I would begin preparing for CP1 with a view of sitting that in September 2027, balancing CM2 and CP1 until end of April and then going all in for CP1 until the exam.

I may have left it too late to start prep for CP1 in the April sitting (assuming mid October is too late to start for such a large exam!).

What would you advise? Assuming I have passed CP2/CP3 this sitting, they are the only remaining core modules I have left.

Thanks in advance!

Hi I am giving cb1 from Ifoa in April
Can someone help me in finding notes as specially studying for this subject from actuators or any other institution will be a waste of time and money
Would be happy to get it for free if someone already has the notes for it

Pls help 🙏

This condition doesn’t affect my life whatsoever as it’s well-managed through a sort of treatment I do (just something I can do at home). But technically the law says to disregard effects of the treatment when considering the condition, so this does count as a disability.

I just wanted to know if putting this down actually does increase my chances of getting an interview or does it actually hamper my chances as it might be seen as an invisible cross on my application?

Just joined as a student member and planning to sit CB1, CB2, CS1 and CM1 in April 2026. Based outside the UK so ordering hard copy Core Reading isn't ideal: by the time they arrive I've lost weeks of prep time, and the ActEd CMPs are £530 for four subjects which is steep.

Coming from a CFA background (just passed L2) so the concept of Schweser/Kaplan as a structured alternative to official materials is very familiar: is there anything equivalent in the actuarial world?

Specifically looking for:

Any legitimate free or low-cost online resources covering the CB and CS/CM syllabuses

How people outside the UK typically prepare without waiting on hard copies

Whether past papers + examiners' reports alone is realistically enough for CB1/CB2 given a finance background

Any online communities or resources I'm missing?

Aware of ActEd eBooks as an option: just wondering if there's anything else before pulling the trigger on £530.

Hi, I’ve finished the CB3 mock game.

On the stimulation of the game I done really bad (got a 1.164 on my scorecard).

Can I still pass? Is there point me putting effort in to the report and essay? Please help

Hi everyone.
Backstory is, I did Actuarial Sciences for my undergraduate and I got 5 exemptions with the IFOA. Then I decided to come back to my home country. I struggled very much to get a job. But I finally landed a junior entry level position as Actuarial Analyst.
During negotiations, I did state that exams are important for my career.
And they did assure that I will get support, however this wasn’t stated anywhere on my contract.
It’s been 9 months now , i haven’t written any paper and change of rules from them;

they dont pay for subscription fees.
They pay for 1 exam attempt and for exams there is a limit, such that if an exam exceeds that limit , the remainder is borne by me.
Same applies to study material.

What hurts me is that they were not even transparent and have been wasting my time for 9 months. And worst yet, the pay is too low. I feel exploited.

I wish I didn’t come back to this country. Big mistake.

Please give me any advice on how to proceed forward. Which exams need lots of study material and which dont ie, for which ones is the IFOA core study material

Also, advise on how I can improve on my negotiations next time and anything else so I dont repeat same mistakes.

Currently; applying for other jobs , even internationally and applying for masters scholarships as well. If I get one im not coming back.

But I worked really hard and it doesn’t feel rewarded.

Edit; (to avoid confusion)within the 9 months, they have been giving me back and forth. And dismissing my requests to get the exams paid. And I also couldn’t afford to pay them for myself. They just told me the new set of rules after 9 months of dismissing me, which is different from what they said in the interview.
Secondly, since I know the max limit they are willing to pay for, i have done my calculations and I notice that I will still bear more costs, hence why I mentioned that the salary is too little as well. But if I could afford to pay for most of it, I wouldn’t mind.

My mistake was signing a contract that didn’t state that they will offer exam support.

Hlo everyone

Actually i want to ask about best offline coaching or hybrid like classes on weekends in delhi for ifoa cs1 and cb2

Pls tell

Question 6

Not able to understand the solution given in the revision booklet .

I just wanted to find out more about how these pass marks work. I’ve noticed the pass marks generally range from 55-60 for modules like CS and CM where sometimes it can even reach the low 60s. How do they maintain a pass mark so similar each year and is there a possibility that the pass mark just sky rockets to like a 65+ if the papers are easy like CS1 this semester. Also, how accurate is AI when it comes to marking?

Hey there! I have developed an interest in the actuarial field and was looking to receive advice on how best to put a foot in through the door. for context:

• 3rd Year Computer science ( Likely to graduate with minimum 2:1 but will try my best for 1st)
• A Grade in A Level Mathematics
• No previous internship experience BUT experiences in part-time jobs such as security/stewarding and a short stint in volunteering

I was wondering if there was anything I can do to increase my chances as I have not gotten an internship to my name.

Would doing an excel course help? Doing a relevant project? Or should I look into doing a MSc in actuarial science at my Uni ( they provide exemptions and would be at a discount since I studied there for undergrad).

Thank you in advance for your help. I very much appreciate it!

Has anyone bothered to try and access any of the recommended supplementary reading references mentioned on the VLE for CB3?

And if one was so inclined, are we provided access to these resources? Or expected to source them ourselves?

I'm planning to sit SA7 in April without having sat SP5. The SPs I've done are SP6 and SP9. Any advice for those who have sat SA7 without sitting SP5?

Thanks!

Is CB1 core reading sufficiet for preparation?

Or is it similar to CB2 wherein it acted as a guide and the main content was in John Slowman's ECONOMICS?

Hey guys just wanted to share a resource with yall called Canary Wharfian with the recruitment season coming up. I know a lot of yall are gunning for London based internship or grad roles, and it's basically the #1 way to maximise your chances to go through applications. It absolutely packs a punch of features:

- It has an automated HireVue practice feature which will analyse both your verbal and non-verbal communication skills and can be used for any title. What is really effective about it is that the official HireVue assessments use the same metrics - a mix of verbal and non-verbal performance metrics, weighted differently but basically detecting the same signs and signals when assigning a score to answers

- It has an absolutely massive job board monitoring all the major AND minor employers job boards in finance

- HireVue games and psychometric tests are often mistaken as easy, while it one needs to really do some practice, even just a single round, to see if they'll be up to scratch when the actual one comes around. These might look easy on the surface, but in fact, more often than not it's graded relative to other test takers' score. That means even if you do well and get a high score, doesn't mean you will pass

- It has an automated networking source feature which will gather e-mail addresses and linkedin profiles of your alumni, so you can keep track of your outreach and don't waste time browsing. It also has a feature which will generate and post content on your LinkedIn on your behalf - boosting your visibility among your competition effortlessly

- It has an application generator which will generate high-finance compatible, draft cover letters and resumes, tailored to each opening

- Personalised feedback on a browser-based financial modeling Excel simulator, as well as consulting cases for those tryna break into MBB

Finally, it has lots of proprietary (non-AI generated slop) content (podcast, articles, company reviews!) written by actual industry professionals. It's basically the UK/EU version of WSO, but better!

I am left with these 2 exams to become an Associate and waiting for my CP3 result.

Which of these 2 makes much more sense to take in April sitting along with my regular work?

I feel that cp1 is lengthier and if I take it in april I might be able to cover CS2 in September sitting if the results come in my favour.

Appreciate any of your guidance.

TIA

Hi
Im currently defferimg my 3rd year of a 4 year chemistry degree and am interested in doing acturial exams(IFOA)
Im currently working part time ~3 days a week( is adjustable tho) and will have to study for a single 20 credit exam in may(
and trying to workoht how many exams I can take without cabooming myself.
I feel quite confident in my maths( A* A for maths/further at a-level but am quite rusty).
I’ll also be looking to take october exams but want to nail as many as possible without being reckless with overburdening myself.

From what ive read, i should start with CS1/CM1/CB1 /CB2
The main question j have is
Cs1 or CM1 only( im leaning towards doing CS1 on its own first kn this case due to higher pass mark
CS1/CM1 and CB1/2
CM1 and CS1?
Thankyou

I'm an Economics student working on a project based on this I would love to know your thoughts on this and for which a heavy cost is being borne by any community! Would love to discuss more on this!

Hi everyone, I’m trying to understand how IFoA access arrangements work for candidates with ADHD. For those who have ADHD and have applied for access arrangements: What was your experience with getting extra time? What sort of evidence/documentation did you need to provide? If you are taking ADHD medication, were you still granted extra time?

Does being medicated affect whether you are eligible for extra time? Do people with ADHD generally receive extra time even when their symptoms are being treated with medication? Is the decision mainly based on how ADHD affects you in exam conditions? Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the IFoA process. Thanks

Anybody looked into/successfully implemented using a small language model using course materials and past papers to improve their studying? If so, could you share any tips etc?

lol.