Resources
Actuarial Society Requirements
There are two main actuarial societies, each of which has a series of requirements. These societies are:
- Society of Actuaries (SOA) which deals with life, health, and pensions
- Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) which deals with property, casualty liability, and data breaches
Some or all of these can be taken while employed, or after college graduation; some can be taken while still a student. We encourage certificate students to take the first two examinations before graduation. The exams are given several times a year.
Society of Actuaries
To become an associate member of the Society of Actuaries, the preliminary exams and Validation by Educational Experience requirements are the starting points for an actuarial career. Other requirements include an online course, a proctored project assessment, and a professionalism seminar. Please visit the series of examinations page for more information.
Casualty Acturial Society
The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) has a different set of exams from the SOA, although the first few exams are similar to those taken for the SOA.
Internships
Insurance companies (including Travelers, Liberty Mutual Group, MetLife, Unum, Cigna, Excellus BCBS) and some consulting firms (such as Towers Watson, Mercer, and Harbridge Consulting Group) offer summer internship programs. These opportunities are competitive, typically require a minimum 3.2 GPA and completion of at least one exam, and begin recruiting as early as mid-fall.
Make an appointment with a career and internship center counselor to discuss resources and strategies for finding actuarial internships. A counselor can help you learn about the profession, identify firms of interest, navigate CareerLink and NIC internship posting databases, and connect with individuals (including Rochester alumni) working in the field.