New Students
- Help And Advice For New Students
- Placing First Order
- Sitting The CS1 Or CM1 Exam As A Non-Member
- Subject List
- Product Guide
- ActEd Tutor Talk - New Students
- New Students Webinar - October 2023
- Induction courses
- Actuarial exam subject listing
- What should I order if I am sitting an exam for the first time?
- Where to start
- Help with maths and statistics
- Tutorials
- Placing an order for the first time
- The IFoA's libraries
- Exam Entries
Help And Advice For New Students
You may find the following video useful as an introduction to ActEd and the actuarial exams.
ActEd Tutor Talk - New students
New Students Webinar - October 2023
A webinar for new students joining the profession was held on Friday 13 October 2023 at 1pm. Recording can be found Recording can be found here.
Induction courses
Induction courses are designed to give new actuarial students a flying start to the early subjects, as well as introducing and developing the basic actuarial skills that new students will use in the office.
Actuarial exam subject listing
Full listing of subject numbers and associated titles.
What should I order if I am sitting an exam for the first time?
Please read the IFoA Qualification Handbook carefully to understand how the exam system works. It is important that you start studying as soon as possible - we would expect this to be on, but ideally before, 1 November 2023 for the April 2024 exams, so you should order your materials and apply for tutorials as soon as possible.
Where to start
If you are sitting a subject for the first time, we recommend that you order a Combined Materials Pack, Series X Marking (and Series Y Marking for the CM and CS Subjects), and Mock Exam Marking. Our Revision Notes, ASET and Flashcards are also very popular. For advice about which products to choose, please read our product guide. Advice on the exams, revision and our products is also available in our Tutor Talk videos .
In addition to the ActEd study materials mentioned above, you will also need a copy of the Formulae and Tables for Examinations of the Faculty of Actuaries and the Institute of Actuaries, 2nd Edition (2002). These are often referred to as simply the (orange, yellow or gold) Tables and are available separately from the IFoA's Publications Unit.
Help with maths and statistics
If your maths or statistics is a little rusty you may wish to consider purchasing additional material to help you get up to speed. The course 'Pure Maths and Statistics for Actuarial Studies' is available from ActEd and it covers the mathematical techniques that are required for the Core Principles subjects, some of which are beyond A-Level (or Higher) standard. You do not need to work through the whole course in order - you can just refer to it when you need help on a particular topic. An initial assessment to test your mathematical skills can be found An initial assessment to test your mathematical skills can be found here along with the assessment solutions the assessment solutions here.
Tutorials
Our tutorials are also very helpful. You can choose between a Regular or Block Tutorial or for some subjects, a Live Online Tutorial or the Online Classroom. Please note that Regular and Block Tutorials cover very similar content and we do not expect students to attend both of these in a given subject in the same session.
As our tutorials are based around the course notes and therefore require students to have worked through some or all of the current course before each tutorial, you should order your courses before or at the same time as registering on tutorials. If you order tutorials before materials, your application may be delayed while we try to contact you to advise you of the situation. If you would like more information about our tutorials, please visit our Tutorials section.
If you are studying a CM or CS Subject then you should use the Paper B Online Resources throughout your study of the main course and not leave all of your Paper B preparation until the end. If you attend a Paper B Preparation Day then you will need to be familiar with the main course content and either Excel (CM Subjects) or R (CS Subjects) in order to benefit from attending this tutorial.
Placing an order for the first time
For help on completing the ActEd application forms, please view Placing your first order.
The IFoA's libraries
The IFoA's library services offer a comprehensive collection of publications for members, students and other people interested in actuarial science. The student handbook can be found The student handbook can be found here.
Exam Entries
Please note that all enquiries related to exam entries should be directed to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
Tel: +44 (0) 207 632 2100
Fax: +44 (0) 1865 268211
Email: memberservices@actuaries.org.uk
Website: actuaries.org.uk
Placing Your First Order
Please order all Paper, Marking & Electronic products and Tutorials using our online store.
If you are unable to use the online store then please complete and email to us our Materials Application form and/or Tutorial Application form.
If you are not sure which products to order, we have further guidance on our Help and Advice for New Students page.
If you are sitting Subject CS1 or CM1 as a non-member of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, please click If you are sitting Subject CS1 or CM1 as a non-member of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, please click here.
Your Acted Student Number
If you are ordering from us for the first time then please use the "Enter Details" button when you are asked to login to the online store. If you are using an order form then please write "New Student" across the top of the form and leave the reference number blank.
You will allocated an ActEd Student number when we process your first order and we will subsequently use this on all personal correspondence from ActEd. Please note that it is not the same as your Actuarial Reference Number (ARN) used by the IFoA - we are separate organisations.
Please quote/use your ActEd Student Number for all subsequent orders to avoid any unnecessary delays with your order.
Equal opportunities
If you have a learning disability and/or learning difficulty and/or health problem which you would like us to be aware of then please let us know when you order and someone from ActEd will contact you to establish what additional support we can provide for you.
Ordering Paper Products/eBooks Before Tutorials
As our tutorials are based around the course notes and therefore require students to have worked through some or all of the current course notes before each tutorial, you should order your core study material before or at the same time as registering on tutorials. If you order tutorials before your core study material, your application may be delayed while we try to contact you to advise you of the situation.
Invoicing and payment
Unless your company has pre-arranged payment facilities with ActEd, we will require payment in advance. If you wish to pay by card, we strongly recommend that you use our online store. Alternatively, if you are unable to access the online store, we will issue an invoice on receipt of your order form, which will require payment before your order is processed. Please do not provide credit card details via email.
Invoices to be settled by your employer (or your employer's agent) will be addressed to you personally at your office address unless your employer has already authorised the use of its company account for your order. If you would like us to address these invoices differently, please give details when you order. Please provide your company's requisition number, if applicable, when you place your order. If invoices are not settled within 30 days we may block future orders and/or prevent you from using on-going services (eg marking and tutorials) without offering any refund.
For provisional tutorials, unless your company has pre-arranged payment facilities with ActEd, debit or credit card details must be provided when you place an order. Invoices are issued, and credit card payments taken, between 5 and 15 working days after the relevant Finalisation Date, once a place has been confirmed. If this time has already passed, we will charge your credit card or invoice you as soon as possible, and within 5 working days, after you have been given a confirmed place on a course.
Confirmation of orders
Paper, Marking & Electronic products
When you place your order online you will receive an automated confirmation email generated by the online store. Your order will be checked and processed as soon as possible, after which you will receive a second email to update you on your order.
Tutorials
When you place your order online you will receive an automated confirmation email. We will email you shortly after with details of your tutorial booking(s). If you do not receive an acknowledgement within four working days for each course you have applied for, please email ActEd immediately to check that we have received your order.
Delivery of materials
Study materials are sent directly from our printers by courier. In most cases study material arrives within 5-10 working days of ordering, assuming the relevant availability date stated below has passed. However, delivery may take slightly longer during the 2-3 weeks after each set of exams and exam results. Items sent overseas may take considerably longer, so we recommend that you order as early as possible and/or order eBooks rather than paper copies.
As we like to keep our materials as up to date as possible, some of the study materials are not available until midway through a session. However, you are still encouraged to place your order in full at the start of the session. We'll despatch immediately all the items available at the time of your order and automatically send any outstanding items as they become available.
Sitting The CS1 Or CM1 Exam As A Non-Member
ActEd is pleased to offer study materials, tuition, marking and tutor support for this first step into The Actuarial Profession.
What level of mathematics is required?
This exam requires you to understand and apply the following A-level, Higher or Leaving Certificate topics:
Algebra
- Manipulating equations and inequalities
- Working with logs and exponentials
- Solving simultaneous linear equations in 2 variables
- Solving quadratic equations
Series
- The sums of geometric, exponential and binomial series
Calculus
- Differentiation and integration of polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions
- The product, quotient and chain rule for differentiation
- Integration by parts and integration by substitution
- Using differentiation to determine and identify turning points
- Using integration to determine the area under a curve
Statistics
- Averages and measures of spread
- Mean and variance of random variables
- Calculating probabilities
What can I do to get my maths up to scratch?
You could use your local library and borrow P1, P2 and P3 (or C1, C2 and C3) A-level textbooks to cover the Pure/Core topics. Alternatively, we publish the Pure Maths and Statistics for Actuarial Studies course which covers these topics and many others required by the remaining Core Principles exams. This course is written assuming that you have previously met these topics and just need a refresher. Further information can be found on the course page.
What can I do to get my statistics up to scratch?
To download a free chapter covering graphical representation of data; measures of location, spread and symmetry; probability and random variables please click To download a free chapter covering graphical representation of data; measures of location, spread and symmetry; probability and random variables please clickhere.
What study materials do you offer?
We offer a Combined Materials Pack (CMP) which includes:
- the Profession's Core Reading for the exam
- ActEd's explanations, worked examples and self-assessment questions with full worked solutions
- Practice questions with full worked solutions to bring you up to exam standard
- 6 or 7 (CS1 or CM1) exam-standard assignments with full worked solutions
Is there any tuition available?
Yes. Many students find that receiving tuition helps them grasp the materials much more easily than studying the CMP on their own. Our tutors are employed for their ability to make concepts clear to students and this is reflected in the excellent feedback we receive and in the higher pass rate achieved by those who attend.
We offer face-to-face, fully interactive tutorials (not lectures) with group sizes of typically 9-12 students. These build on your home study of the material and get you tackling exam questions. Regular Tutorials are spaced out over the study period whereas Block Tutorials cover the same material but include some consecutive days towards the end of the study period. Attendees also get email support from their tutor.
Live Online Tutorials - Live Online Regular or Block Tutorials are ideal if you like the discipline and motivation of a structured and timetabled course but are unable to travel to one of our face-to-face courses. We aim to replicate as closely as possible what you would experience on a face-to-face tutorial - but deliver it online.
Alternatively, we offer the CS1 or CM1 Online Classroom which offers pre-recorded tutorials straight to your computer covering the same material as the other tutorials which also comes with tutor support.
You can also register on ActEd's Online Discussion Forum, where you can interact with your fellow students. ActEd tutors keep an eye on the discussions and intervene when necessary to avoid any misunderstandings.
Can I get my work marked?
We offer marking of the X and Y assignments (which are included in the CMP) or you can purchase Mock Exams with Mock Marking.
Our dedicated marking team will give you feedback that helps you both understand your mistakes and learn from them (so it's not just ticks and crosses).
Revision
It is important that you tackle as many past papers as possible in the run up to the exam. You can download old era subject past papers and brief solutions for free directly from the Profession's website, but you will find it difficult to work out which questions are appropriate for CS1 or CM1 due to a recent syllabus change.
We offer a variety of revision materials as extras to the CMP, tuition and marking. These include Flashcards to help you memorise key formulae, definitions and proofs; ASET, which provides fully worked solutions (with exam technique) to relevant past exam questions and Revision Notes.
Don't forget
In the exam you will be provided a copy of the 'Formulae and Tables'. This contains a handful of formulae, as well as some compound interest, statistical and life tables.
We recommend that you purchase a copy to familiarise yourself with its contents. They are available separately from the Profession's Publications Unit.
Placing an order for the first time
So in summary, you'll need to place an order for the CS1 or CM1 CMP and if possible attend a tutorial (or order the online classroom). Marking would be a great addition on top of these two.
For help on completing the ActEd application forms, please view Placing your first order.
We've produced a short guide to choosing and using your study materials for the actuarial exams.
Any other questions?
It can be a bit daunting starting a new career. If you would like some help choosing the study package that best meets your needs then please email us on CS1@bpp.com or CM1@bpp.com and we'll be delighted to help you.
Your Journey Through The Fellowship Examinations
Subject List
- There's one written paper and one computer-based paper in each of Subjects CM1, CM2, CS1 & CS2, and one written paper in each of Subjects CB1 & CB2.
- ActEd is not involved with Subject CB3. Please refer to the IFoA website for more details.
- All Core Subjects are compulsory although you may be exempt from one or more subjects depending on your previous studies.
- There are two papers in Subjects CP1 and CP2 and one paper in Subject CP3.
- Students are required to take two subjects only from SP1-SP9.
- There is one paper in each of Subjects SP1-SP9 and SA1-SA7.
- Students are required to take one subject only from SA1-7.
All aspects of the examination process are the direct responsibility of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. You are advised to read the Qualification Handbook issued by the IFoA, which is available from its website at www.actuaries.org.uk.
Short Guide
Choosing Study Materials
We've produced a short guide to choosing and using your study materials for the actuarial exams.
The guide helps with questions that many students have about which combination of study materials to choose and how best to use them to maximise their chances of exam success.
If you're about to consider some revision materials, then you may find the sections on exam revision and rehearsal particularly useful.
More detailed help and advice for students is also available.