2025 in Actuarial Updates: The Big Moves (and Why They Matter)

Written By Pearika Chordia

“Change is the only constant” — and in the 2025 actuarial world, CAS and SOA are hustling to keep up.

For actuarial students and early-career actuaries, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity, flexibility, and fresh challenges.  Here’s what’s new, what’s changing, and what you might want to watch.

Exam Updates

CAS (Casualty Actuarial Society)

  • MAS-I & MAS-II → now offered three times a year (April, August, October).

  • Exam 7 → available twice a year (April/May, October/November).

  • Other exams → mostly in April & October.

  • Quebec candidates → exams (except 6U, 6I) now in English & French.

    Student takeaway: More sittings mean less waiting and faster credentialing.

SOA (Society of Actuaries)

  • Rolling out 23 new modular FSA courses (starting Fall 2025).

  • Tracks get clearer requirements — e.g., General Insurance now needs:

    • GI 101: Ratemaking & Reserving

    • One GI elective (e.g., Reinsurance, Advanced Reserving).

  • Pathway is now more structured, flexible, and specialized.

 Student takeaway: Think of it like “choose your own adventure” — you tailor your FSA to your future career.

Events, Scholarships & Opportunities

  • CAS Hackathon (new in 2025): A hands-on, team-based event where students tackle real data & insurance problems. Great for resumes, coding practice, and networking.

  • CAS Trust Scholarship: $5,000 awards for standout students.

  • CAS Annual Meeting 2025: Austin, TX (Nov 9–12), offering up to 16.3 CE credits.

  • SOA Annual Meeting 2025: Mix of professional development, networking, and cutting-edge talks.

  • SOA Regional Symposium 2025 (Cairo): Theme → The Modern-Day Actuary: Pushing the Boundaries.

Emerging Risks & Hot Topics

Both CAS & SOA are doubling down on emerging risks:

  • Climate change & resilience

  • Cyber risk

  • AI in actuarial modeling

  • Diversity in risk assessment

Student perspective: These aren’t “future topics” anymore — they’re part of interviews, projects, and case studies you’ll face right now.

Perspective: Why This All Matters

  • If you’re a student or early-career actuary:

  • Flexibility is your friend. More exam sittings and modular learning mean you can design a pathway that fits your life, not the other way around.

  • Practical skills count. Events like the CAS Hackathon show the profession is moving beyond theory.

  • Stay curious. The actuaries who stand out are the ones who ask about AI, climate, or cyber before they become mainstream.

Think of 2025 as the year actuarial education adapts to you — not the other way around.

Pearika Chordia
Next

Suleman Sadiq Beyond Columbia