Actuarial Exams of the
- Society of Actuaries
Information About Sponsoring Societies
Learn more about the actuarial education process by visiting the following website:
TOP INQUIRIES FOR EXAMS P, FM, FAM, SRM, PA & Spring/Fall FSA
Primary ID and Secondary ID
- Verify that the name you registered with for the exam is written the same way on your ID.
- No nicknames. (i.e. if your name is Joseph, type in “Joseph” and not “Joe”.)
- If you go by another name, still register with your first and last legal name. (i.e. if your name is Jane Sue Smith, but you go by Sue, still put “Jane” as your first name.)
- If the name on your ID is written in your cultural language (i.e. Wei Wei Wang), but you’re also known by another name (i.e. William Wang), still register with the name written on your ID.
- If your name has legally changed between the time you registered for your exam, and the date of your exam (such as getting married), make sure your ID has been updated and send the name change information to SOA Customer Service Center as soon as possible. SOA is unable to guarantee that any updates can be made to the name within 72 hours of a scheduled exam. No photocopies of identification or of name change documentation will be accepted at the testing center.
- Including your middle name is optional, and not required.
- If you do not receive your Letter of Confirmation email from the SOA after five business days from registration, contact Customer Service immediately.
- When scheduling an exam, if your last name has less than four characters, hit the space bar enough times to make it four characters.
- Look for available seats at Prometric testing centers within a 100 mile radius of your location.
- If there are no available seats in your region, keep checking the Prometric website as seating is fluid and a spot may open up. Only contact SOA when there are a few days left before the start of the exam window.
If you do not receive a confirmation email from Prometric within 24 hours after scheduling an appointment, contact Prometric.
Rescheduling
If you wish to reschedule your exam, P, FM, FAM, SRM, PA or Spring/Fall FSA exams the quickest and easiest way is to do it online, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Go to the Prometric site and use the reschedule function. Rescheduling may result in a fee paid directly to Prometric. For further assistance, contact the Prometric Customer Service Center. *Rescheduling the PA exam appointment is only available within the two-day administration window.
Candidates may only reschedule an appointment within the same testing window. For example, if you are registered for exam P in January, you must reschedule an appointment within the January testing window. You will not be able to reschedule for the next exam P administration in a different month.
Cancellation/Reschedule Period | Fee |
Reschedule 30 or more days before appointment date | None |
Reschedule 2-29 days before appointment date | $70.00. |
Cancellation or Failing to appear at appointment on time | Forfeiture of exam fee |
No correction can be made once the 48 hour window has passed, and we are unable to provide authorization to reschedule within 48 hours of appointment date.
Appointment Duration vs. Exam Time
The appointment duration includes the time for you to review a pre-exam tutorial as well as a brief post-exam survey, in addition to the exam time. The exam time varies by exam and that information can be found on the exams home page and in the first paragraph of the specific exam’s syllabus.
CBT Exam Appointment Duration, P, FM, IFM, SRM, STAM, and GIINT | |
Pre-exam Tutorial | 12 minutes |
Exam Time | Varies by exam. It can be found on the first paragraph of the specific exam’s syllabus. |
Post-exam Survey | 15 minutes |
CBT Exam PA Appointment Duration | |
Pre-exam Tutorial | |
Exam Time | Five-hour and 15-minute project |
Post-exam Survey |
Preliminary/Instant Test results will appear after the post-exam survey; excluding any exams that have had recent syllabus changes, the Exam PA, and the Spring/Fall FSA exams. NEW: CBT Exams P and FM will now receive their unofficial pass/fail report and diagnostic representation (if unsuccessful) via an email to your primary email address on file directly from Prometric approximately an hour after the exam.
A diagnostic representation is provided if the result shows you were unsuccessful in achieving the passing score; excluding any exams that have had recent syllabus changes, the Exam PA, and the Spring/Fall FSA exams.
(Note: exams that have recently been changed, the Preliminary /Instant Test Results and the Diagnostic Representation are suspended for a few exam sessions since post-exam analysis will be required by the examination committee. Instead, results will be released on the SOA website approximately 8 weeks after each testing window ends.)
·You must use the pencils, erasers, and scratch paper provided at the testing center – you cannot bring your own. If you need more than what is normally given, ask the test administrator. Used scratch paper must be turned in to the TCF so you should manage your work to ensure that you do not need to turn in a scratch booklet with a problem in progress.
CBT Language Options
English is the only language option outside of Canada.
Candidates taking their exam in Canada will have English or French language options.
- If English is selected the entire testing experience is in the English language.
- If French is selected, the candidate sees a split screen (English on the left-hand side/French on the right-hand side). The tutorial and the final Score Report are entirely in French. The examination portion is completely in English with the navigation ability to select a French translation of the exam question.
·Dress comfortable for the exam. As test room temperatures and personal comfort zones vary, it is recommended that you bring a sweater or jacket to the sessions.
·Technical Difficulties*
- Exam P, FM, FAM, SRM, PA and Spring/Fall FSA candidates that experience a technical difficulty during their exam must raise your hand and notify a Prometric Staff member for the purposes of trouble-shooting and documentation. On the rare occasion that the administrator is unable to resolve the technical issue, register a complaint with Prometric. You will receive a reference number for the complaint, and a response within 48 business hours. If the issue can be resolved on a call, please proceed to call the Prometric Customer Service Center. Subsequently, fill out a technical issues Wufoo form, the link can be found on the PA, Spring/Fall FSA exams home page once exam administration has started or Customer Service can provide it. This way the issue can be documented, and we can reach out to Prometric for information and a resolution. If the onsite Prometric Staff is unable to resolve the technical issue, you must register a complaint with Prometric. You will receive a reference number for the complaint, and a response from Prometric within 48 business hours. If the issue can be resolved on a call, please proceed to call the Prometric Service Center.
- Exam PA candidates that experience a technical difficulty during their exam must immediately raise their hand and advise a Prometric Staff member immediately for the purposes of trouble-shooting and documentation. If the onsite Prometric Staff member is unable to resolve the technical issue, you should ask for and receive a reference number of the documented issue and at your earliest convenience send an email to PAExam@soa.org and provide the reference number from Prometric and include a brief account of your technical issue. Your email to the PA Exam email box will be acknowledged and your technical issue will be reviewed.
·Complaints – What to do during and/or after the exam:
- It is highly suggested to document technical issues with your testing center by speaking immediately with a TCF Staff working at that testing center.
- If you experience any occurrences at the center, register a complaint with Prometric.* You will receive a reference number for the complaint, and a response within 48 business hours. If the issue can be resolved on a call, please proceed to call the Prometric Customer Service Center.*
If you have any questions regarding any doubts or concerns, contact SOA Customer Service at customerservice@soa.org within a reasonable time before your exam date.