Society of Actuaries Announces Courses and Transition Rules for Fellowship Pathway Enhancements
May 14, 2024, Chicago, IL – The Society of Actuaries (SOA) today announced course details, transition rules and additional information for the evolution of the Fellowship pathway. These details build upon the Fellowship FSA 2025 pathway announcement in July 2023, which aims to address candidate challenges and the needs of both employers and the global actuarial profession. The Fellow of the SOA (FSA) pathway enhancements will provide a better candidate learning experience, increased flexibility, and ensure greater global relevancy while maintaining the rigor and high standards of the FSA designation.
In developing these FSA pathway enhancements, the SOA conducted extensive market research and in-depth interviews with candidates and employers around the globe to understand the challenges both face. Responding to their feedback, the SOA has shifted from a highly specialized track structure to a flexible pathway where candidates can choose courses from a single practice area or create a combination of courses relevant to their career. There is no impact on the length of time to complete the designation. Detailed transition rules ensure candidates receive credit for every exam completed and no exam credit is lost.
“At the SOA, we are committed to the education and advancement of actuaries, and these advancements will strengthen the value of this global designation while maintaining our standards of excellence. Today we are sharing details on the courses and transition timing to inform candidates pursuing the FSA, in advance of the implementation set for fall 2025, so they can plan ahead,” said Greg Heidrich, SOA Chief Executive Officer. “I want to thank and congratulate the SOA Board of Directors for their guidance and policy direction throughout the development of these enhancements, as we help prepare future actuaries to address the evolving risks impacting business and society.”
The SOA has seen an increase in demand for actuarial talent in global markets, and this flexible pathway will allow all candidates to pursue a more personalized pathway and, for those outside North America, to have the option to bypass deep regulatory material specific to the U.S. and Canadian market. The SOA will also continue to offer the same depth and rigor of both U.S. and Canadian-specific courses and content for candidates needing that material.
To earn the FSA designation, candidates will complete four technical courses, including two-sequenced courses in the same practice area where one builds on the prior course and two additional courses. They will also complete the Decision Making and Communication (DMAC) Course and the Fellowship Admissions Course (FAC). The pathway enhancements will be implemented in fall 2025.
The SOA recognizes that timely feedback is critical to the learning experience and is providing faster grading. Exam turnaround time will be reduced from 11 weeks to four weeks, plus candidates will receive more exam feedback with detailed score reports and the option to receive personal feedback for those close to passing. To provide candidates with more flexibility, the SOA will offer high-demand courses three times per year starting in 2026. This will provide candidates with more options to accommodate their personal and work schedules.
Through these enhancements, the SOA will continue to maintain the rigor and high standards of the FSA designation. Visit the Evolution of the FSA Pathway site fsa2025.soa.org for more details, including in-depth questions and answers, and an interactive pathway builder. To learn more about the enhancements, attend an upcoming town hall.
About the Society of Actuaries
With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world’s largest actuarial professional organization with more than 32,000 actuaries as members. Through research and education, the SOA's mission is to advance actuarial knowledge and enhance the ability of actuaries to provide expert advice and relevant solutions for financial, business and societal challenges. Visit www.soa.org/.