This page outlines how courses in our undergraduate actuarial science program may be recognized by professional actuarial organizations. We share this information to help you understand how your studies can support your progress toward professional designations. While we do our best to keep the information accurate and up to date, you are responsible for ensuring that you meet the official requirements set by the relevant professional organizations. These requirements may change at any time.
Questions about specific requirements, exemptions, or processes, should be directed to the relevant organizations, as they are the official authority. For questions about how our program relates to accreditation pathways or prepares you for your next steps, please email our advising team at sasugradadv@uwaterloo.ca.
Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA)
Pathway 1 allows students to earn the Associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (ACIA) designation within months of graduation.
Fulfill Pathway 1 through the University of Waterloo - Undergraduate program
- Complete STAT 341, plus two of: STAT 431, STAT 441, STAT 443
- Graduate with an ACTSC major
Remaining Pathway 1 steps towards ACIA
- Complete Modules 1 and 2 (can be done during undergrad)
- Pass the ACIA Capstone Exam
- Attend the CIA Professionalism Workshop
Casualty Actuary Society (CAS)
Students can receive exemptions for 4 exams and all Validation by Educational Experiences (VEEs).
Exemptions through our program
- Earn exam waivers for Exam 1, Exam 2, MAS-I, MAS-II:
- Fulfill CIA Pathway 1 above
- Write the ACIA Capstone Exam by choosing Short-term section for the specialized section of the exam.
- Complete VEE courses with ≥70% in each:
- Economics: ECON 101 and ECON 202
- Accounting & Finance: ACTSC 372 and AFM 101
To receive VEE credit, you must apply directly through the CAS or through the Society of Actuaries (SOA) with official transcripts.
Remaining steps towards Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS) designation
- Pass Exam 5, PCPA Exam and Project, and Exam 6
- Complete 3 CAS DISC courses
- Attend the CAS Professionalism Course
Society of Actuaries (SOA)
No exam exemptions, but students receive full VEE credit and strong exam preparation.
Exemptions through our program
- Complete VEE courses with ≥70% in each:
- Economics: ECON 101 and ECON 202
- Accounting & Finance: ACTSC 372 and AFM 101
- Mathematical Statistics: STAT 330
To receive VEE credit, you must apply through the SOA with official transcripts.
Remaining steps towards Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) designation
- Pass six exams: P, FM, FAM, ALTAM/ASTAM, SRM, PA.
- Complete e-learning: Pre-Actuarial Foundations, Actuarial Science Foundations, ATPA, FAP.
- Attend Associateship Professionalism Course
Approximate alignment of courses with SOA exams
This table is meant to help students understand how the curriculum supports exam preparation. It should be viewed only as a guide when course planning rather than a study plan.
The courses listed below cover most, but not all, topics on each exam syllabus. Students preparing for exams should review the official SOA syllabi and be prepared to self-learn a few select topics not covered in our courses.
|
Actuarial exam |
Relevant courses |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
P |
STAT 230 |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
FM |
ACTSC 231 |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
FAM |
ACTSC 232 ACTSC 363 |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
ALTAM |
ACTSC 331 ACTSC 455 |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
ASTAM |
ACTSC 363 (reserving) ACTSC 431 (severity and aggregate models) ACTSC 432 (credibility) |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
SRM |
ACTSC 431 (generalized linear models) STAT 443 (time series models) ACTSC 456* (decision trees and unsupervised learning) |
Covers nearly all syllabus topics |
|
PA |
ACTSC 431 (generalized linear models) STAT 341 (data exploration and visualization) ACTSC 456* (unsupervised learning, tree-based models) |
*ACTSC 456 will be offered for the first time in Fall 2026, with future offerings planned for both Fall and Spring terms.