Edition

Exam Services FAQ

Updated March 25, 2024

Browse answers to questions frequently asked by SOA candidates and members about the exam process.

Pathways

What exam should I take first?

Candidates have flexibility about the order in which requirements can be completed. A suggested order can be found in the ASA Pathway. Visit each exam's home page to learn about any specific eligibility requirements.

Why don’t I see progress of completed requirements in MySOA?

Candidates had to have passed SOA examinations on July 1, 2013, or later to have their requirements shown on the educational pathway graphic in MySOA.

Administration

How are the exams administered?

Most exams are offered as computer-based testing (CBT). Some exams are offered at “Selected Sites” as paper/pencil (P/P). Please see the individual exam’s home page for details.

Are there language options other than English?

Exams may be offered in other languages, such as French, in some regions. Review the available Exam Language Options.

Registration

How do I register for an exam? 

The preferred registration method is online on the Exam Registration page. 

We accept Visa, American Express or Master Card.

Registration is specific to a particular exam administration. Example: Candidates that register for the January administration of an exam must take the exam during the January administration. If January is not the desired exam administration, then you must wait and register for the correct administration during its registration window.

What do I need to do before I register?

Update your record in My SOA. Your record must include the most current information for your name, address, phone number, and email.

How do I update my record in My SOA?  

Go to www.soa.org, My SOA, Login, Locate SOA Profile, select “Edit Contact Info” which brings you to My Addresses; click on Edit, update information as needed.  Please indicate "Primary" next to your phone, email, and mailing address.

When does exam registration open?

Exam registration windows are typically open for six weeks. To calculate when a particular exam will open registrations, please go to the Exam Schedule, find the exam and the month of administration, then locate the registration deadline and count back six weeks.

The following exams are currently offered as continuous registrations:

When is the exam registration deadline?

Registration deadline dates are listed in the Exam Schedule. No late exam registrations are accepted for the preliminary exams.

Registration closes at midnight U.S. Central Time on the registration deadline date.

Why are late registrations not accepted?

To be consistent for all exam candidates, once registration is closed, there are no exceptions made. The deadlines give candidates at least six weeks to register and allow for various exam-related processes to take place before exam day. 

I'm having a technical problem with online registration, what do I do?

Contact SOA Customer Service or +1-888-697-3900.

I need a paper application, are they available?

If you need to use a paper application, you can find them on the exam home page. They can be faxed back to us at +1-847-273-8529 with credit card information. Payments made by Check or Money Order must be in U.S. funds or equivalent mailed with the application to reach us by the registration deadline to:

Society of Actuaries
P.O. Box 95600  
Chicago, IL 60694-5600

When are paper applications due? 

Paper Applications must be received in the office by midnight U.S. Central Time on the exam's registration deadline date.

Applications received after the deadline will NOT be accepted. You will be contacted by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) if your application is denied due to a late delivery. We encourage you to register online, by fax, or use an overnight delivery service.

Can I get a refund for an exam? 

The SOA does not offer refunds for its examinations since January 2011. Please review our refund policy.

Registration Confirmation

How can I tell if I have registered successfully?

Mailed Application: Once your registration has been processed you will receive an emailed order acknowledgment letter, which serves as your receipt. Applications are processed in the order they are received. 

Online: An order confirmation page should appear onscreen upon successful registration. Your acknowledgment letter, which serves as your receipt, will be emailed to the primary email address on your record approximately an hour after a successful registration.

If you do not receive the email, you can check your order history in My SOA. If there is no order on your record, then your online registration was unsuccessful, and you must try again. 

Contact SOA Customer Service or +1-888-697-3900 should you have any difficulties.

I have registered, but I see question marks (???) in place of my name. Why?

Our database accepts all information from various keyboards (U.S. and International) however; it only recognizes the U.S./English Alpha-Numeric characters and spaces.

When can I expect my acknowledgment letter (receipt)? 

You will receive an acknowledgment letter to your primary email after your exam registration has been processed successfully with the SOA. 

How can I receive another acknowledgment letter (receipt)?

If you have misplaced or not received your acknowledgment letter, you can reprint one from our website. Detailed instructions can be found on the acknowledgment letter page. 

What is the candidate number used for? 

CBT Exams – candidate numbers are used on the Prometric website to schedule your seat for the exam.

Paper/Pencil Exams – candidate numbers are used for identification purposes and need to be written on both scantron answer sheets and the front cover of the exam book that you are using.

Scheduling an Appointment

How and when do I schedule my exam appointment at Prometric?

Visit the Registering and Scheduling An Appointment page to learn more about how to schedule your CBT exam appointment with Prometric. 

Where can I find my candidate number?

Your acknowledgment letter contains your assigned candidate number for the specific exam registration. 

Why is my candidate number not working when scheduling an appointment?

Your candidate number will be uploaded to Prometric approximately 1-hour after receiving your acknowledgment letter. 

If the information is not at Prometric after a few hours, email soaexams@soa.org to ask for a review of why your candidate number has not been uploaded to Prometric. 

Records experience upload issues if they have a missing or invalid primary phone number, primary email address, or primary mailing address.

How do I request a change of exam center & appointment date?

Rules around rescheduling are dependent of which exam you want to reschedule. Learn more about rescheduling an exam appointment.

Preparing for Exam Day

What time do the exams start and how long are they?

Exam duration can be found on the first page of the specific exam's syllabus.

CBT Exams – Exam date and time are dependent on what exam appointment you selected. Check the exam schedule and review the procedures for CBT exam day for specifics.

Paper/Pencil Exams – A predetermined exam date for each exam offered. Check the exam schedule and review the procedures for paper/pencil exam day for specifics. 

Where can I find out the address of the exam center?

CBT Exams – Go to the Prometric site, locate ACTIONS, use “Locate”.

Paper/Pencil Exams – Go to the Exam page, scroll down until you locate, Exam Center Location (PDF document).

What calculators can I use during exams?

Review the approved calculators page for details on what models are approved for use and where they can be purchased. 

What identification do I need?

Information on identification requirements can be found on the Identification Requirements page.

Can I bring food or a water bottle into the testing room?

Water bottles are allowed in testing rooms if they meet requirements. Please review our Food & Beverage policy.

I'm taking a multiple-choice CBT exam. What can I expect to see on the screen?

On the computer screen, you'll see the current question, answer choices, time remaining, question navigation, and any related materials. Learn more on the Procedures for CBT Exam Day page. 

Center Closings and Technical Difficulties

Do exam centers ever change/close prior to exam day?

CBT Exams – Prometric test centers can be closed due to weather-related issues or events outside of the test administrator’s control. You will be contacted by the Prometric Candidate Care Team if this occurs. Learn more about Test Center Closings.

Paper/Pencil Exams – locations can change from the time they are confirmed up until exam day. The candidate is responsible for checking for any changes. If changes are last minute, an effort will be made to send out an email to the affected exam candidates.

What do I do if I encounter a technical issue at a Prometric exam location?

If you experience technical difficulties during an exam beyond a momentary freeze, it is critical that you notify a test center administrator immediately for the purposes of both troubleshooting and documentation.

More information on technical difficulties, including what to do when they occur, can be found on the Technical Difficulties page.

Grades

When can I expect to receive my exam results? 

Passing candidate numbers for most exams will be posted on the exam results web page approximately 8 weeks after the exam session. View the grade release schedule for more details. 

Additionally, some multiple-choice CBT exams offer instant results and feedback. 

All FSA Exams will have an “Analysis Breakdown” for all candidates who are unsuccessful on the exam on their transcripts approximately one week after the grades are posted. 

How do I obtain an Official Transcript or a specific grade slip?

To access your transcript/grade result, go to www.soa.org, My SOA, Login, Click on My Education and Exams, then locate Education and Exams and at the bottom of the box click on Transcripts. View or Print as needed. You can print off your entire transcript which only shows the exams that you have successfully completed or if you only require a specific grade slip, you can print an individual one.

If you need a transcript with a water mark, or any other assistance, contact SOA Customer Service or at +1-888-697-3900.

I think I had a faulty question on my exam. What do I do?

Visit the Defective Exam Questions page to learn about the process and report a defective question.

What is hand scoring? How can I request it?

Hand scoring is a verification that the scantron sheet that was received was scored correctly. See the hand scoring page for more information.

Testing Accommodations

How can I request testing accommodations?   

Visit the testing accommodations to learn about the process for requesting testing accommodations and to access related forms and documents. 

If I need testing accommodations, how/when should I schedule my exam appointment? 

Do not schedule your exam appointment until your accommodations are approved. Accommodations cannot be added to an existing appointment.

If your accommodations are approved, you will receive an email from Accommodations advising that you can schedule your appointment and with instructions on how to do so. 

Review the testing accommodations homepage and the Prometric guide on testing accommodations.

For more information, contact accommodations@soa.org

Contact

Have a question that isn't answered on this FAQ? Contact us.

Please send only one email per topic/question. Multiple emails with the same question create an additional backlog and slow responses for everyone. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.