Adding more testing dates is a key component of the Admissions Transformation Plan, designed to enhance the candidate experience and uphold the credentials’ value to employers. “By carefully considering stakeholder impacts, this shift to testing expansion not only provides greater flexibility and accessibility but also lays the groundwork for future enhancements that come out of the Actuarial Professional Analysis,” says Ashley Zamperini, CAS director of certification products.
Art Zaremba, FCAS, chair of the Syllabus and Examination Working Group, acknowledges the extra effort from volunteers and the CAS that will be necessary to administer more testing dates. “Several steps have been taken to prepare us for increasing the frequency of exam offerings,” says Zaremba.
“From a writing standpoint, we’ve been adding to our item bank in recent years. From a grading standpoint, we’ve been increasing our use of grading software to alleviate the pressure on volunteer time when additional exams are offered each year. We’ve also been able to take our best practices from Exams 5-6 [which are already offered twice per year] and apply them to Exams 7-9. Finally, we made sure to work through the proposed changes with leadership from Exams 7-9 and MAS I & II and obtain their approval prior to making the announcement.”
So how will this improve the candidate experience? According to Zaremba, the addition of more testing dates is a much-needed change and improvement. “I was in attendance at the 2024 CAS Annual Meeting business session when CEO Victor Carter-Bey made the announcement, and the room erupted in cheers,” says Zaremba. “For candidates who fail an exam, especially 7-9, this allows them to immediately start preparing for the next sitting rather than having to wait one year to retake. This also eliminates gap sittings that occur for many, where you may only have one exam remaining to complete yet have to wait a year to sit for it. It should help speed up travel times, and when it does, please come and volunteer for the Exam Committee.”
2025
MAS-I and MAS-II Exams will be given three times in 2025: April/May, August, and October/November.
Starting in 2025, Exam 7 will be offered twice a year: April/May and October/November.
All other April/May and October/November offerings will remain the same.
Also, starting in 2025, all CAS exams will be available in English and French for candidates sitting in Québec.
2026
Starting in 2026, MAS-I and MAS-II Exams will be administered four times per year: January/February, April/May, July/August, and October/November.
Starting in 2026, Exam 8 and Exam 9 will be administered twice per year: April/May and October/November. By April 2026, all CAS exams, except for 6I,* will be offered at least twice a year. The PCPA examination is available on demand, with the project being administered quarterly. The increase in exam frequency is the final initiative being delivered through the Admissions Transformation Plan.
“We have heard from our candidates for many years that they want the opportunity to sit for CAS exams more frequently, as they strive to balance the achievement of their career goals with their personal lives. With the development of test item banks for our exams and with the dedication of our many Syllabus and Examination Working Group volunteers, we are now able to deliver more frequent exams,” said Frank Chang, CAS immediate past president. “Our 2025 Strategic Plan includes a focus on enhancing the candidate experience, and we will continue working hard to streamline and optimize our credentialing process for our candidates in the years to come.”
* 6I will be offered once a year during the October/November exam administration. We will continue to explore the possibility of offering more frequent sittings of 6I in the future.
