Find out how the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) supports their members through every stage of their career.
The IFoA is the UK’s only chartered professional body dedicated to educating, developing and regulating actuaries based in the UK and internationally.
The IFoA has over 32,000 members worldwide, with 15,000 Student members and 46 partner universities.
In January 2022 we launched our new Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy. As an international organisation with members in 117 countries, championing and embodying the benefits of a globally diverse and inclusive profession is of utmost important to our members.
Read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion here.
Support for IFoA members
The IFoA supports actuaries at every stage of their careers so they have the skills, knowledge and experience to achieve their professional goals in an evolving global business environment. The IFoA also works closely with actuarial employers to deliver opportunities across a growing range of non-traditional sectors.
View a full list of Actuarial Employers here.
Benefits of IFoA membership
As a member of the IFoA you will benefit from:
- A qualification that’s in demand from business, organisations, and governments worldwide
- A growing range of post-qualification certificates: including Certified Enterprise Risk Actuary and Data Science
- An extensive range of educational resources to support you while you study
- An annual programme of fresh professional skills development to keep you at the cutting edge
- Over 100 live and digital events every year, from short technical sessional meetings to major conferences
- Lifelong learning resources on a range of emerging fields and topics
- Practicing in line with The Actuaries’ Code, our global ethical framework
- Effective regulation and practice certification to ensure public trust and support
- A host of unique volunteering opportunities, from showcasing the profession to the next generation as a Career Ambassador to supporting the education of other actuaries
- A profession that supports the public interest by bringing the actuarial perspective to issues of global importance, from climate change to social care
- An international community of actuarial professionals sharing best practice, support and innovation
Find out more about the benefits of IFoA membership via their website.
Joining the IFoA
There are a number of different types of IFoA membership that reflect different levels of qualification and progression through the actuarial profession, including:
- Affiliate
- Student
- Associate
- Fellow
You can begin your exams either by becoming a student member of the IFoA or by taking one of our non-member exams. You will however, need to be a student member before you can apply for any exemptions.
Professional qualifications
To qualify as an Associate and a Fellow of the IFoA you will need to pass examinations and achieve a satisfactory level of work-related competencies.
For more detail on the exams and requirements to become qualified as an Associate or Fellow, read the Actuarial Syllabus & Exams article.
Data Science
The IFoA is delighted to be working with the Southampton Data Science Academy to present a certificate in data science jointly accredited by the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton.
The Certificate in Data Science is part of the IFoA’s lifelong learning agenda and is a significant step for the IFoA as we seek to provide opportunities for our Members to continually develop their skillset in a fast-moving, ever-changing business environment.
The certificate is open to all our members – Fellows, Associates, Students, and Affiliates; whatever your background or experience in this area. No prior knowledge of coding is required.
The purpose of this certificate is to provide an introduction to the concepts, tools, and techniques used in data science, and their relevance within an actuarial context.
Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary Qualification (CERA)
With the increasingly complex and changing business environment, organisations are seeking enterprise risk management professionals to join their teams.
To obtain the CERA qualification, students need to qualify as an Associate or Fellow, complete the specialist principles subject in Enterprise Risk Management (SP9) and attend a CERA seminar.
Personal and Professional Development (PPD)
To work effectively as an actuary, you will be required to develop your work based skills through the IFoA Personal and Professional Development (PPD) scheme. This is completed while you are a student member, as part of your journey to qualify as an actuary.
This scheme is designed for you to:
- Apply your learning in a practical environment
- Learn to work within a professional and ethical framework
- Take opportunities to reflect on your learning and personalise continuing development
New student members are required to complete 2 years of PPD to qualify as an Associate, and a further one year to qualify as a Fellow.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Your learning and development continues after you qualify as an Associate or Fellow. All Associate and Fellows who are in work and are fully regulated by the IFoA, are required to demonstrate participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
By taking part in the IFoA CPD scheme, you show commitment to lifelong learning and development and maintaining your professional and technical skills in the actuarial field.
As a member of the IFoA you will benefit from:
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