By Dr. Joana Amorim, VP, Global Product Development and Strategy and

Nardine Andrawos, BSc, Actuarial Analyst

The SOA has released their ASTAM and ALTAM exams curricula change for the Spring 2025 sitting. Let us dig in and see what they have changed.

ASTAM Changes

For the ASTAM exam the changes are few. They primarily affect the combination of the topics and the weights allocated to each topic, but not the learning outcomes.

• Firstly, topics 6 and 7 (Reserving/Pricing for Short-Term Insurance coverages) are combined into topic 6.
• Secondly, there is a minor change in the topic weights. The Severity Models’ weight decreased by 4%, whereas the Coverage Modifications increased by the same percentage. The Reserving & Pricing for Short-Term Insurance coverages’ weight went down 2%, while the weight of the Construction and Selection of Parametric Models went up 2%. Below is a summary chart for the recently posted weights.

Check out the new syllabus here: SOA ASTAM syllabus. And remember to check out our ASTAM study materials!

ALTAM Changes

The changes for the ALTAM exam are relatively more than ASTAM’s. Here, the main changes affect the topics’ learning outcomes—thus altering the relevant sections in the textbook: Actuarial Mathematics for Life Contingent Risks.  

• Firstly, two learning outcomes have been removed from topic 5. Therefore, section 11.12 (Retiree health benefits) in the textbook is excluded from the exam. 
• Secondly, one learning outcome has been added to topic 1: “Understand and explain features of typical mortality curves and heterogeneities in mortality.” Sections 3.4 (National life tables) and 3.10 (Some comments on heterogeneity in mortality) in the textbook are thus included in the exam.
• Lastly, section 18.5 (The alive-dead model) is added to the textbook. Since this model is already covered in Chapter 8, there is no change in the learning outcomes.

Check out the new syllabus here: SOA ALTAM syllabus. And remember to check out our ALTAM study materials!

For reference, review the posted updates on the SOA website: ASTAM and ALTAM.

If you have any questions, reach out to us on LinkedIn or on our Discord Channel! Good luck in your studies 🙂