Actuarial Science

Heriot-Watt is a world-leading centre of teaching and research in actuarial mathematics, financial mathematics, risk management, probability and statistics. As the first department to offer a BSc in Actuarial Science in the UK, we have over 40 years of experience in delivering excellence and our actuarial programmes are fully accredited by the UK actuarial profession (IFoA). We are also recognised as a Center of Actuarial Excellence by the North American Society of Actuaries (SOA), the world’s largest actuarial professional organization. We are the only Center of Actuarial Excellence in Europe.

Our Actuarial Science degree is ideal if you’re interested in maths and looking for a course that offers a rewarding career – both intellectually and financially. Good performance means exemptions from professional examinations (CT1-CT8), giving prospective actuaries a head-start to their career. At the same time our programme opens doors to the wide range of careers available to maths graduates.

Actuarial Science students at Heriot-Watt can take advantage of our international campuses by taking part in an Inter-Campus Transfer. This gives you the opportunity to study at our Malaysia campus for a semester or a year, while still benefitting from the same accreditation by the IFoA as in Edinburgh, with the chance to gain the same professional exemptions.

Our programmes also offer the chance of a year-long industrial placement or a year studying abroad in Canada or Australia. Once an Actuarial Science student at Heriot-Watt, you could also apply to join the PwC Actuarial Flying Start Programme which includes two six-month, paid, work placements with PwC. It's the perfect way to gain valuable industry experience during your time at university. If successful, you'll join PwC's actuarial team in London and work directly with their clients - helping them plan for uncertainty as well as identifying, quantifying and managing their risks. They are known for the outstanding training they provide to graduates and if you do well, you could also get a job offer for when you graduate.

Our Students’ Actuarial Society (SAS) is entirely managed, enthusiastically and professionally, by our Actuarial Science students. With over 250 members, it is one of the largest societies dedicated to actuarial studies in the UK. Regular conferences, professional development and networking events with leading actuaries keep members up-to-date with the profession and in a prime position to begin their careers.