Registering and Scheduling An Appointment for Computer Based Exams (CBT)
Updated February 22, 2024
To take an SOA Computer-Based Testing (CBT) exam, you must first register for the exam on the soa.org website and then schedule your testing appointment with Prometric. More details on the process can be found below.
- Registering for a CBT Exam
- Scheduling an Exam Appointment
- Appointments with Testing Accommodations
- Step by Step Guide to Online Appointment Scheduling
- Exam Names List
Registering for a CBT Exam
The following steps outline the process for registering for an exam on the SOA.org website. This is the first step you should take when registering and scheduling your exam.
Update your SOA record
Before you register for any examination, please log into My SOA and update your record. Your record must have the most current information for your name, address, phone, and email. Any missing or outdated information can cause delays in the exam registration and scheduling process.
Additionally, this ensures that when your information gets uploaded to Prometric they can reach out to you if needed. For example, if there are capacity issues, they will know your planned testing location from your address and can work to increase capacity in your area if possible.
Request testing accommodations
Need testing accommodations? Learn more about the SOA's available Testing Accommodations, including the process of requesting an accommodation.
Register with the SOA
Register for the exam with the Society of Actuaries by the exam's registration deadline. (Registration closes at midnight U.S. Central Time.)
Online registration is the preferred registration method.
The name you use for registration must match your first and last name on your identification document. Do not change the spelling or use a nickname. Discrepancies in names may prevent you from testing.
Check for your acknowledgment letter
After your registration has been processed with the SOA, you will receive an acknowledgment letter (receipt) by email that includes your unique candidate number for this administration. The candidate number will be activated approximately 1-hour after receiving the email and is needed to register for an exam appointment.
If your candidate number is not at Prometric after 1-hour, please email soaexams@soa.org.
Scheduling an Exam Appointment
Once you have registered with the SOA and received your acknowledgment letter, your next step is to schedule an appointment with Prometric to set the date, time, and location of your exam.
Schedule your appointment
The SOA recommends scheduling an appointment online as soon as your candidate number is activated (unless you require an appointment with testing accommodations).
Benefits of scheduling online include:
- Ability to schedule exams from anywhere, using any device.
- Live, dynamic maps with real-time locators of closest test centers.
- Ability to tailor a search to geographical regions and date ranges.
- Optimal venue and date/time selection based on location and exam date.
A step-by-step walkthrough of registering for an appointment online is available.
Alternatively, you may schedule test appointments by calling Prometric's Candidate Services Contact Center 1-hour after receiving your acknowledgment/receipt email. You must reference the "SOA" exam and provide your candidate number.
Check your appointment confirmation
If you do not receive an appointment confirmation email from Prometric within 24-hours of scheduling your exam appointment, please contact Prometric directly to make sure the exam appointment was recorded properly.
Appointment strategies
Candidates are asked to try and make their Prometric appointments immediately after receiving their emailed acknowledgment of a confirmed exam registration so that they can secure an appointment at their preferred Prometric testing location and exam date.
Occasionally, upon the initial attempt to secure an appointment an exam candidate may find their local Prometric CBT center is filled on the days when the exam is offered. Prometric appointments are very fluid, and we suggest attempting to secure an appointment several times over the course of a week. If you cannot secure an appointment within a reasonable time frame, please complete the online form to report capacity issues located on each Preliminary and Fellowship’s home page or reach out to Customer Service.
Scheduling deadlines
The latest a candidate can schedule a CBT appointment for Exams P, FM, FAM, FAML, FAMS, and SRM is 48-hours prior to the start time of the exam on the final day of the testing window*. No appointments or changes will be made after that time.
Due to the nature of the Spring/Fall FSA, ERM, ALTAM, ASTAM, EA and PA Exams, and Prometric’s need for preparing and testing machines prior to the exam window, appointment scheduling will close two weeks prior to the start of the exam window. Please see your confirmation receipt for the last day to schedule an appointment for your particular exam.
Change an appointment
Learn more about how to change a Prometric appointment, including deadlines and fees for rescheduling, on the Reschedule a CBT Appointment page.
Appointments with Testing Accommodations
Once you receive your notification that your accommodation is approved from the Accommodation Staff, you can schedule your appointment with Prometric.
Many appointments with approved testing accommodations are available for scheduling through Prometric’s new online scheduling tool. Please note that certain accommodations will require direct action from our specialized Testing Accommodation team to ensure readiness for test day and the first available appointment date will reflect that readiness time period.
As always, Prometric’s Test Accommodations team is available to assist if you need support while scheduling. You can reach them through the phone numbers in the regional and country drop downs at the bottom of Prometric's SOA page.
Step by Step Guide to Online Appointment Scheduling
- Go to www.prometric.com/soa
- Locate “ACTIONS”, Click on, “Schedule”.
- Read through Schedule Appointment, click on forward arrow.
- Read through Personal Data Privacy Disclosure & Consent, Confirm and Consent, click on forward arrow.
- Eligibility Information, you will need your candidate number that is located on the receipt area of your email, plus up to the first 4 characters of your last name (or your last name, whichever is shorter), click on Submit.
- A result will be found which should be the exam that you want to schedule an appointment. Click on the forward arrow.
- Find a Test Center, put into the Search box name of the city, or zip code you want to take the exam in, make sure the Start Date and End Date for the exam is correct. Click on the forward arrow.
- On this next screen you will either see the Prometric Testing Centers that have available appointments for the date range and exam that you provided, or that no availability is found.
- Select the appointment date and available time, click on Next.
- Additional Information, fill in your Email address, then validate your email address, click on Next.
- Verify your appointment information, your name’s spelling, date, time, and exam name.
- Finish by clicking on Complete Appointment.
After scheduling is completed successfully, please print/or save an adobe file of the confirmation page from Prometric for your reference. You should receive an email confirmation of your scheduled appointment within 24 hours. If you do not receive the appointment confirmation email, please contact Prometric directly.
Exam Names
The exam names at Prometric may vary slightly from the names used by the SOA. Below is a mapping of the specific preliminary and FSA exam names.
To learn more about the availability of exams in languages other than English, such as French, visit the Exam Language Options page.
Preliminary Exams
|
SOA Exam Name |
Prometric Exam Name |
|
Probability (P) Exam |
Probability English: U.S., Canada, Intl. Probability French: Canada |
|
Financial Mathematics (FM) Exam |
Financial Mathematics: English, U.S., Canada, Intl Financial Mathematics: French:, Canada |
|
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics (FAM) Exam |
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics |
|
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics – Long-Term (FAM-L) |
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics – Long Term |
|
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics – Short-Term (FAM-S) |
Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics – Short Term |
|
Statistics for Risk Modeling (SRM) Exam |
Statistics for Risk Modeling English: U.S., Canada, Intl Statistics for Risk Modeling French: Canada |
|
Predictive Analytics (PA) Exam |
Predictive Analytics English: U.S., Canada, Intl Predictive Analytics French: Canada |
FSA Exams
|
SOA Exam Name |
Prometric Exam Name |
|
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Exam |
ERM |
|
Foundations of Corporate Finance and ERM (CFEFD) Exam |
Foundations in CFE |
|
Strategic Decision Making (CFESDM) Exam |
Strategic Decision Making |
|
Quantitative Finance and Investment Quantitative Finance (QFIQF) Exam |
QFI Quantitative Finance |
|
Quantitative Finance and Investment Portfolio Management (QFIPM) Exam |
QFI Portfolio Management |
|
Quantitative Finance and Investment Risk Management (QFIIRM) Exam |
QFI Investment Risk Management |
|
Life Product Management (ILALPM) Exam |
Life Product Management |
|
Life Financial Management (ILALFMU) Exam - U.S. |
Life Financial Management – U.S. |
|
Life Financial Management (ILALFMC) Exam - Canada |
Life Financial Management – Canada |
|
Life ALM and Modeling (ILALAM) Exam |
Life ALM and Modeling |
|
Funding and Regulation Exam (RETFRC) - Canada |
Retirement Funding and Regulation – Canada Only |
|
Design and Accounting (RETDAU) Exam - U.S. |
Retirement Design and Accounting – U.S. |
|
Design and Accounting (RETDAC) Exam - Canada |
Retirement Design and Accounting – Canada |
|
Retirement Plan Investment and Risk Management (RETRPIRM) Exam |
Retirement Plan Investment and Risk Management |
|
Group and Health Design and Pricing (GHDP) Exam |
Group Health Design and Pricing |
|
Group and Health Valuation and Regulation (GHVRU) Exam - U.S. |
Group Health Valuation and Regulation – U.S. |
|
Group and Health Valuation and Regulation (GHVRC) Exam - Canada |
Group Health Valuation and Regulation – Canada |
|
Group and Health Risk Mitigation (GHRM) Exam |
Group Health Risk Mitigation |
|
Ratemaking and Reserving (GIRR) Exam |
Ratemaking and Reserving GI |
|
Financial and Regulatory Environment (GIFREU) Exam |
Financial and Regulatory Environment – U.S. |
|
Advanced Topics in General Insurance (GIADV) Exam |
Advanced Topics in General Insurance |
|
Enrolled Actuaries Examinations (EA–1) |
EA -1 |
|
Enrolled Actuaries Examinations (EA–2 Segment L) |
EA – 2L |
|
Enrolled Actuaries Examinations (EA–2 Segment F) |
EA – 2F |