FAQs for in-person invigilated exams at exam centres

As you will have seen in our communications all exams start at 09:00 (BST). The UK has very recently switched to British Summer Time (BST) - which is GMT +1 hour, so please ensure you have calculated the local start time of your exam correctly.  

Here is a website you might find useful to check your local timings: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/  

Booking exams

1. I’ve booked an exam for the April exam session, but I’ve changed my mind and no longer want to take the exam in April. What do I need to do?

If for any reason, you decide not to take your examination, you are entitled to a full refund. To help you do this quickly and easily, we will not be applying our usual refund policy.  

To request a full refund, please complete an exam refund form and send it to memberservices@actuaries.org.uk by 17.00 UK time on 31 March (1 week before the start of the exam session).

Your refund will be credited to your original payment method. We may be managing a high volume of refund requests so please bear with us as we work through these. We aim to send refunds by 31 May at the latest. 

If you are applying for a refund after 31 March the usual refund policy will apply.

Exam location options

1. How will you allocate my exam centre location? 

We will be using your preferred contact address saved in your ‘my account’ area to select the nearest available exam centre for you.

Please log in and update your preferred contact address before 17:00 UK time on Tuesday 25 February if you think this may not be up to date.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a choice of venue, but we will match your allocated exam centre as closely as possible to your preferred contact address.  

We have done all we can to keep travel to a minimum for candidates, but inevitably some candidates may face longer travel times. 

2. Where can I find my allocated exam centre location? 

We contacted candidates based in the UK and Ireland by email to confirm their exam centre location on 7 March.
 
We contacted candidates sitting outside the UK and Ireland by email to confirm their exam centre location on 12 or 17 March.
 
You will also find your exam centre location confirmed in your joining instructions when they are published in the week beginning 24 March.  
 
You can find you exam centre location address on our webpages for: exam centres: UK and Ireland or exam centres: outside of UK and Ireland.
 
If for any reason, you decide not to take your examination, you are entitled to a full refund.
 
To request a full refund, please complete an exam refund form and send it to  memberservices@actuaries.org.uk by 17.00 UK time on 31 March (1 week before the start of the exam session).
 
Your refund will be credited to your original payment method.

If you are applying for a refund after 31 March the usual refund policy will apply.  

3. Where can I find my exam centre address? 

You can check the full address of your allocated exam centre on our webpages for exam centres: UK and Ireland or exam centres: outside of UK and Ireland.

4. What if I don’t want to sit exams in my allocated exam centre? 

We are sorry but we are unable to offer a choice of venue. However, we will match candidates as closely as possible to their preferred contact address. 

While we have tried to keep travel time to allocated exam centres a minimum, we understand that this may not be convenient for some candidates. 

If for any reason you decide not to take your examination, you are entitled to a full refund.

To request a full refund, please complete an exam refund form and send it to  memberservices@actuaries.org.uk by 17.00 UK time on 31 March (1 week before the start of the exam session).

Your refund will be credited to your original payment method. We may be managing a high volume of refund requests, so please bear with us as we work through these. We aim to send refunds by 31 May at the latest. 

If you are applying for a refund after 31 March the usual refund policy will apply.  

5. If I don’t want to sit exams in my allocated exam centre, can I sit my exam under remote invigilation? 

Unfortunately we are only able to offer remote invigilation to a very limited number of candidates.

These are:  

  • candidates with access arrangements that cannot be accommodated by their allocated in-person examination centre, and 
  • candidates based outside the UK where we are unable to allocate an in-person examination centre. 

We will contact these candidates individually with further details shortly.  

In-person exam centre experience

1. What will it be like to sit an exam in an exam centre? 

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 are aware that many candidates will not have taken IFoA examinations in-person previously.  

We have been holding webinars throughout March to provide more detailed information and for candidates to ask questions about the in-person examination process. 

Watch webinar recording

2. What equipment will I need to sit the exam in person at an exam centre?

All equipment you need to sit your exam will be provided at the exam centre. For further specification details, please see the Examination Handbook.

You will not be able to bring your own equipment to your exam  centre, unless permitted through Access arrangements.  

You will have access to a pdf version of the Formulae and Tables book on the laptop in the exam centre. However, you may also bring in your own copy of the Formulae and Tables book to use during the exam. We accept that your own copy may have annotations. Please make sure you remove any post it/sticky notes or any other attached notes.

3. How many screens will the exam centres provide?

All exams will be taken on one single screen. We are working with exam centres to provide a monitor that will be connected to a laptop.

4. How will I access my exam paper at the exam centres?

You can access the online exam system using the browser on your exam centre laptop.  

You will need to download the exam paper to your machine for reference during the exam.  

For those who have previously sat IFoA exams, the online exam system you will be using, will be the same one used in previous exam sessions.  

5. How will the exam be invigilated?

All exam centres will have invigilators in the room who will be monitoring all activity to ensure the integrity of our exams is maintained.

6. I have access arrangements in place, how will these be accommodated?

We are no longer accepting applications for access and inclusion arrangements. 

We will contact all candidates with agreed access and inclusion arrangements by Thursday 20 March. This email will confirm the agreed arrangements and provide candidates with further instructions for how their arrangements will work in a test centre. 

If we are unable to support your agreed access arrangements, we will contact you separately to try and make alternative arrangements where possible. 

If for any reason, you decide not to take your examination, you are entitled to a full refund.

To request a full refund, please complete an exam refund form and send it to  memberservices@actuaries.org.uk by 17.00 UK time on 31 March (1 week before the start of the exam session).

Your refund will be credited to your original payment method. We may be managing a high volume of refund requests so please bear with us as we work through these. We aim to send refunds by 31 May at the latest. 

7. When should I arrive at my exam centre?

We encourage you to arrive at your exam centre at least one hour before your exam start time. Arriving early will allow time to complete the mandatory ID checks, be assigned your desk, familiarise yourself with your surroundings and your exam equipment.

All examination start times are at 09:00 UK time (BST).

You should plan your journey ahead of time and check for any disruptions which may affect you.

8. Do I need an exam permit similar to previous IFoA in person exams? 

We are not using exam permits for April 2025 exams.
   
You do not need to bring a confirmation letter or exam ticket/permit to your exam. 

You must bring with a valid form of photographic identification, which matches the details we hold on our database. 

You can also bring a piece of paper which has your login details for the online exam platform. However, this will not be needed to enter the test centre. 

For further guidance, please see the Examination Handbook and Exam Rules.

9. Can I bring medication into the exam room?

With the changes to our April exams, you might need to apply for approval for things you have not needed to inform us about in the past.

To help you understand how this might apply to you, please see the comfort aid list.

10. Can I start making notes if I arrive at the exam centre early?

Once you have been assigned to your exam desk and seated, you can begin making notes on your scrap paper only. 

You cannot begin typing any notes on the equipment provided.

During the exam

1. Will the exams still be closed book?

Yes.

The only exception is the Communications Practice (CP3), where exam candidates are permitted to bring the advanced material into the exam room, along with any notes they have made in relation to the advanced material. 

2. Can I write my exam answers?

No. A laptop will be provided for you to complete your exam. 

Handwriting will only be allowed where a candidate has a pre-agreed access arrangement, permitting handwriting exam answers. 

3. Will I be able to take notes during the exam?

Yes. The exam centre will provide paper and a pencil or pen for you to use during the exam.

If you require additional paper during your exam, you will need to raise hand notifying your invigilator and additional paper will be provided.  

4. Will I be able to go to the toilet during the exam?

Yes. You will be allowed bathroom breaks during the exam. These breaks will be for you to visit the bathroom only. 

If you need a bathroom break, you will need to: 

  • raise your hand to make the invigilator aware
  • wait to be escorted to the facilities 
  • be mindful to not cause a disturbance to others

We will not be limiting the number of bathroom breaks but remind you that you will not receive any additional exam time.

5. How will I submit my exam paper?

You will need to access the exam system on the laptop and upload your submission.

For those who have previously sat exams, you will be familiar with the online exam system as this will not be changing.

6. What can I bring into the exam room?

You are permitted to bring in:

  • a calculator, should you wish to use one during the exam. The exam centre will not have any calculators available for you to use.
  • a cold beverage in a sealable bottle. Manufacturer labels are permitted. No additional labels are permitted.
  • snacks: small snacks are permitted; however, these must not contain nuts. Snacks must not cause disruption with strong smells, mess, or noisy packaging. 
  • hand sanitizer or antibacterial wipes

7. How will I access the Formulae and Table book during the exams?

You have 2 options: 

You will have access to download a PDF copy of the Formula and Tables from the Online Exams Platform. The downloadable version is available now from the platform and will be available on exam day.

Or

You can bring your own copy of the Formulae and Tables (2002 publication, orange in colour) book to use during the exam. This will need to be an original copy version; printed or XEROX copies will not be permitted. We accept that your own copy may have annotations. Please make sure you remove any post-it/sticky notes or any other attached notes.

Please note you are not permitted to bring in any other exam materials, including your own study notes. The only exception is the CP3 advanced materials, which are provided 3 days in advance of the exam.

8. What versions of the Formula and Tables will be permitted? 

Candidates are permitted to use any IFoA version of the Formule and Table book. We recommend using the most recent ‘orange book’ 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. 

9. Why is the IFoA allowing annotations in Formulae and Tables books used in exams?

Considering the changes candidates have been faced with for the April exam 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 risks 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. 

10. What happens if my exam is disrupted by something out of my control at the centre?

If you feel your exam efforts have been impacted by something out of your control, we encourage you to apply for mitigating circumstances.

Visit our website for more information on our mitigating circumstances policy.

11. Will I be provided a paper copy of the exam paper? Or could I print the paper? 

All candidates will be downloading the exam paper from the IFoA exam platform. 

Unfortunately, printing facilities will not be available at the exam centres. 

12. Can I bring my own earplugs?

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.

13. Will the use of Word, Excel and R in exams still be permitted to aid calculations?

Yes. 

You are permitted to use Microsoft Word or Excel in any exam. And Excel can be used to support calculations. 

However, the use of the ‘R’ / R Studio / R Studio online ‘help’ pages are specifically permitted for use during the CS exams only. You can use them in Paper A or Paper B.

For further guidance on permitted resources and software available during your exam, please refer to the Exam Rules.

14. I am sitting a CS exam, will I need to download R and the data packages onto the exam, on exam day?

R and RStudio will be preloaded and set up on each computer. 

The datasets required for the CS exams will be preloaded onto each computer and will be available within RStudio in the Files pane (bottom right of screen). 

15. Is there a mandatory font which I should use for my exam?

No, there is no mandatory font. 

16. Will I be allowed to copy and paste in the exam? 

Yes, ‘copy and paste’ function is allowed.  

You are permitted to copy and paste the IFoA Standard Keyboard Notation or the PDF copy of the Formula and Tables into your exam submission, should that assist you in answering your exam paper. 

However, we do not expect to see large amounts of text copied from an alternative original source, please be careful not to plagiarise unless your exam specifically requires you to use copied text from the exam material, like CP3 for example.  

17. Can I bring in a dictionary? 

No, you are not permitted to bring in a physical dictionary. You will however be able to use the standard functionality within Microsoft Word, which includes dictionary.  

For further guidance, please see the Examination Handbook and Exam Rules.

18. Where will I store my bag during the exam?

There will be a designated place for you to store your belongings during your exam. However, please do not bring any valuables.

You are only allowed to bring permitted items to your exam desk. Non permitted items should be stored in bags. For further guidance, please see the Examination Handbook / Exam Rules.

19. Can I use a whiteboard during my exam?

No, candidates sitting at a test centre are not permitted to use a whiteboard unless granted through access arrangements.

You will receive two pieces of scrap paper at the start of the exam. If you require more scrap paper, raise your hand, waiting for an invigilator to present themselves, and then request additional paper.

20. Will I need my phone to log onto the online exams platform? 

No, you will no longer need to use your phone to access the online exams platform, as two-factor authentication will no longer be required. 

If you bring your phone with you, this should be put on silent and stored away in your bag until you have left the test centre. 

21. English is not my native language, what language should I use to complete my exam?

You must type your answers in English. You are not allowed to use any translation tools during the examination.

22. Will I receive a copy of my exam script once I have completed my exam and left the exam test centre?

Once you have  successfully uploaded your exam onto the online exam’s platform, you will receive a confirmation emailed receipt. Unfortunately, the email receipt does not contain a copy of the submitted work. 

Exam submissions once uploaded for marking remain the intellectual property of the IFoA and will not be shared with candidates.

23. Can I use LN, EXP, FORECAST, and other similar built-in functions in Excel to facilitate quicker calculations?

You can use standard functions within Microsoft Excel, Word and R (for the CS exams only). 

LN and EXP and FORECAST are considered core functionality within Excel and permitted for use during the exam. 

Unless specifically advised not to, you will need to include all calculation steps, and/or sufficient formulae for examiners to understand and assess how you determined your answer.

24. Can I use Equation Editor?

Yes, you can use Equation Editor as this is considered standard functionality and you may find using Equation Editor a more efficient method of setting out your answers to algebraic questions. 

Unless specifically advised not to, you will need to include all calculation steps, and/or sufficient formulae for examiners to understand and assess how you determined your answer.

25. Can I use Math Autocorrect?

Yes, you can use Math Autocorrect as this is considered standard functionality.

However, if you choose to use Math Autocorrect, you should be aware that this function could change your response to certain questions, answering incorrectly, and therefore we advise that this should not be used during examinations.

Study support

1. Will the types of questions change with the re-introduction of closed book or closed web?   

Yes, questions may be worded differently or contain different information to reflect a closed book or closed web environment. 

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.  

2. Will the exams be more difficult under closed book/closed web conditions?

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.  

Each exam paper has been attempted under closed book exam conditions by a test candidate, with a focus on reporting any difficulty with completing the paper in a closed book environment. Test candidates have recently qualified and have experience in both the subject matter and exam technique.    

Test candidate feedback from completing the paper in closed book exam conditions has been shared with IFoA Examiners and modifications to final papers made where appropriate. 

3. Which past papers should I use to support my preparations for the exams? 

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.   

While past papers delivered before 2020 were sat under closed-book conditions, they may no longer align completely with the current syllabus. Therefore, we recommend candidates review the syllabus before using pre-2020 papers as a revision resource.  

Please note that while these papers were also delivered in exam centres, answers were handwritten. 

Therefore, past papers from April 2020 will include modifications to account for answers being typed.   

4. Will IFoA release any specimen papers for April 2025 exams?  

As our focus is to provide exam papers for the April 2025 session, we have not had the capacity to draft specimen papers. As previously stated, the exam questions are written in a way that provides all of the necessary information 

The 2020-2024 papers delivered under open-book rules are still a valuable study resource as they more closely reflect the current syllabus objectives.   

You can find all past papers and examiners reports on our website.   

5. Will ActEd be updating their study materials?  

It is our understanding that ActEd has no plans to change its published materials.    

However, ActEd (BPP) is a third party tuition provider and we highly recommend that you reach out to ActEd directly for guidance.    

6. Will the CB exams be held in the current format or Object Based Assessment (OBA) format?  

The CB exams will remain in their current format for 2025.  

We will update you on the introduction of OBAs as we make progress with procuring a new exam platform.    

7. Will the IFoA release any support webinars?   

We have already run a series of webinars focusing on sitting a closed book exam and exam techniques required to support this. If you would like to watch the webinar recording, you can find it on our Virtual Learning Environment.  

We will be running a series of webinars during March which will focus on the experience of sitting in an exam venue and what you can expect.  

Book your place

8. Will the IFoA release pre-exam materials in line with previous recent exam sessions?  

Yes.   

Pre-exam materials will be released for CS1B, CS2B and CP3 only.   

CS1B and CS2B materials will be provided two weeks before the exam. Candidates sitting in an exam test centre will still receive the pre-exam materials.  

CP3 materials will be provided 3 days before the exam.   

9. Where I can I watch a recording of the in-person webinar?

Watch webinar recording

Security measures

1. I am seeing social media posts that claim to have leaked April exam papers or purport to be internal emails from the IFoA. Are these real?

We are aware of a number of social media posts claiming to have leaked exam papers or sharing supposedly leaked internal emails. These matters have been thoroughly investigated and there is no evidence of a leak, and the emails have been proved to be fakes. Unfortunately, we believe there are likely to be further attempts to unsettle candidates.

We are committed to communicating updates about the April exam session as quickly and accurately as possible. The most up-to-date information available will be sent via official IFoA channels or can be found on our website.

Related resources

Preparing for the April 2025 exam session

All the information and resources you’ll need as we adopt more modern and digital methods of assessment.
Learn more

Exam system technical requirements

All the technical requirements for our new exam system
Learn more

Access arrangements

Key information about access arrangements and how to apply
Access arrangements