Update (23 July 2025): Page updated for September 2025 exams
On this page:
We will run the September session in a similar way to the April session, with most candidates sitting their exams at in-person exam centres.
If you’re unable to attend your allocated exam centre, you now have the option to request either:
Please note: Due to limited capacity, we cannot guarantee your preferred option will be available. However, we will do our best to accommodate all requests wherever possible.
We will notify you of your exam centre location by email during the week commencing 4 August 2025.
Your exam centre will also be confirmed in your joining instructions, which will be published during the week commencing 25 August 2025.
You can find a list of exam centre addresses on our webpages:
If you prefer not to sit your exam at the allocated centre, you may request:
Key dates and steps:
Refunds and change requests:
To request a refund:
Refunds will be issued to your original payment method. Please allow time for processing due to potentially high demand.
Yes.
The only exception is the Communications Practice (CP3), where exam candidates are permitted to bring the advanced material into the exam room.
Candidates can make notes on the advanced material only – no additional pages of pre-prepared notes can be used during the exam.
For further guidance, please see the Examinations Handbook and Exam Rules.
Yes, each exam subject will have one single start time.
Exams will be held at 09:00 UK time (UTC + 1).
No, the exam duration will remain the same, regardless of whether you are sitting the exam at a centre or remotely.
Once you have been assigned an exam centre, we will contact you with your exam centre location and details on how the exams will work in your exam centre.
We will also be holding webinars throughout August to provide more detailed guidance on what to expect during the September session for both in-person and remote candidates.
Details of these webinars will be shared with you in the coming weeks.
All exam centres will have invigilators in the room who will be monitoring all activity to ensure the integrity of our exams is maintained.
All equipment will be provided for you. The equipment will be setup for you at your assigned exam centre, ready for you to sit and complete your exam.
Please note:
For more information on equipment specifications, please refer to the Examinations Handbook.
If you’ve sat IFoA exams before, you’ll be familiar with the online exam platform, as it remains the same as in previous sessions.
Further step by step guidance is available in the Examinations Handbook.
No, you will not need your phone to access the online exam platform, as two-factor authentication is no longer required.
If you do bring a phone with you:
All candidates will be downloading the exam paper from the IFoA exam platform.
Unfortunately, printing facilities will not be available at the exam centres.
No, all candidates are expected to keyboard type their answers using the equipment provided at the exam centre.
Handwritten answers are only permitted if you have a pre-approved access arrangement allowing this.
Access arrangements are adjustments made to exam conditions to support candidates who would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage.
If you require any access or inclusion arrangements for the upcoming exam session, you must submit your application by 17:00 UK (UTC + 1) time on 25 July 2025 (the exam entry closing date).
We strongly encourage you to:
Late applications:
If you apply after the deadline, it may not be possible to grant your request in time. In such cases, you may need to defer your exam in line with the IFoA Cancellation Policy.
Comfort aids:
Candidates are allowed to bring certain comfort aids into the exam. Please refer to the Comfort Aid List for what is permitted. If you need a comfort aid that is not on the standard list, you must apply through the access arrangements process.
We recommend arriving at your exam centre at least one hour before your exam start time.
Arriving early allows time for:
All exams start promptly at 09:00 UK time (UTC + 1).
Please plan your journey in advance and check for any potential travel disruptions that may affect your arrival.
You do not need to bring a confirmation letter or exam ticket/permit to your exam.
However, you must bring with a valid form of photographic identification, which matches the details we hold on to our database.
You can also bring a piece of paper which has your login details (your username and password) for the online exam platform. However, this will not be needed to enter the test centre.
For further guidance, please see the Examinations Handbook and Exam Rules.
Please refer to the Exam Rules for guidance on what acceptable ID is permitted.
The details we hold for you must match your government issued photo ID.
Candidates will need to update their details in their member portal to ensure ID verification is accepted.
Non-members will need to contact memberservices@actuaries.org.uk to make these changes.
Yes, you will be able to start taking notes once your exam has started.
Yes, bathroom breaks are permitted during the exam.
However, they are for you visit the bathroom only and you must follow these procedures:
There is no limit on the number of bathroom breaks, but please note that no extra time will be added to your exam.
Please refer to the Exam Rules for a list of the permitted items you can to bring into your exam room.
You have two options for accessing the Formulae and Tables book:
1) Download a PDF copy from the Online Exams Platform on your exam day
2) Bring your own physical copy to the exam
Candidates are permitted to use any IFoA version of the Formulae and Tables book. We recommend using the 2002 (typically orange in colour) edition for the September 2025 exams, as the exam questions have been written to align with this version. Earlier editions, including the ‘green book’ and ‘blue book’ can be used, but these may not include required mortality and other tables.
Candidates are also permitted to use a copy purchased directly from the Indian Actuarial Institute (IAI).
No other version will be permitted.
Our focus now is on providing stability and continuity for the September session. We felt it would not be fair or realistic to expect candidates to purchase a clean copy of the Formula and Tables purely for use during the 2025 exams.
A new edition of the Formulae and Tables is due to be released this summer, which will come into effect from the April 2026 exams.
We have therefore made the decision to allow candidates to bring in their own copies, with the understanding that these copies may include minor annotations. We accept there is an element of risk that comes with this. However, to minimise the risk all invigilators at the venues are receiving training to help them understand what to look out for as they monitor candidate behaviour during the exams.
If an invigilator suspects a candidate is using the annotations in their Formulae and Tables book to gain an unfair advantage during an exam, this will be recorded and reported back to the IFoA for further investigation.
Yes, you are permitted to use the pre-exam materials provided for CP3 and the CS exams.
CP3:
CS exams (CS1B and CS2B):
Earplugs will be provided by the test centre.
You are allowed to bring your own. However, they must be a pair of non-electronic earplugs or ear defenders.
If you choose to bring your own earplugs, you will need to ensure the exam invigilator is aware at the point of checking your identification, so proper checks can be performed.
Yes, the copy and paste function is allowed during your exam.
There will be a designated area at the exam centre for you to store your belongings during the exam.
For a full list of permitted and non-permitted items, please refer to the Examinations Handbook / Exam Rules.
No, candidates sitting their exam at a test centre are not permitted to use a whiteboard, unless this has been pre-approved through access arrangements.
Yes, candidates are permitted to use a calculator during their exam.
However:
Please refer to the Examinations Handbook for more details on permitted equipment.
Yes, candidates will be able to use the split screen functionality on their one monitor.
For further guidance, please see the Examinations Handbook / Exam Rules.
Yes, you will be able to log in to the IFoA Exam Platform to download a copy of your exam submission.
Your submission will be available once your exam is complete.
Please note your submission will only be available for you to download two weeks after your given exam. For example, if you have your exam on 08 September, you have until 22 September to download your submission.
Please refer to the Examinations Handbook for further guidance.
If your exam performance is affected by an incident outside of your control, please follow these steps:
1. Inform the invigilator immediately.
This is the first and most important step.
2. Submit an incident report to the IFoA.
You can do this after your exam is complete by either:
Important:
Please refer to the Examinations Handbook for further guidance.
Candidates should not see a material difference between the types of questions asked in the new closed book IFoA exams and the types of question asked in the previous open book exams.
The examiners will still ask questions in line with the subject syllabus and the split of questions in the exam will be in line with the knowledge / application / higher order split set out in the subject syllabus.
Examiners want well prepared candidates to be able to respond on the topic that is being assessed in the question, so will provide enough information to make this possible.
IFoA exams are designed to assess whether you have the required knowledge and skills in that subject, set out in our syllabi.
We have taken steps to ensure candidates are able to demonstrate their competence without access to core reading, study notes or other resources during the exams.
The examinations are designed to assess whether you have the required knowledge and skills to meet the objectives set out in the syllabus.
Each exam paper has been attempted under closed book exam conditions by a test candidate, who is a recently qualified actuary familiar with the subject material to ensure that a competent candidate could answer the questions to the minimum required standard. Any differences in the examination papers written for closed book/closed web assessments exist to ensure that a competent candidate can achieve the pass standard.
Past papers delivered between 2020 and 2024 under open-book rules are still valuable study resources, as they more closely reflect the current syllabus objectives. Attempting these papers under closed book conditions can be a useful revision exercise.
Past papers delivered before 2020 were sat under closed-book conditions, however:
and
The CB exams will remain in their current format for the foreseeable future.
We will update you on the introduction of OBAs as we make progress with procuring a new exam platform.
We will be holding further webinars throughout August to provide more detailed information on how the September session will work for candidates taking their exams, either in-person or remotely.
Details of these webinars will be shared with candidates in the next few weeks.