6729

Bachelor of Science in
Actuarial Science
BSc(ActuarSc)
For 2025/26 admission
Section 1

Programme highlights
and key features
The HKU Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science (programme Meanwhile, the Actuarial Science programme is also specifically
code: 6729) is the only programme in Hong Kong accredited by the designed to provide adequate knowledge for students to sit for the
UK’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. It provides formal academic early professional examinations organised by international actuarial
and professional training to students who wish to join the actuarial organisations, thus allowing them to successfully join the actuarial
profession. Although actuarial science is a separate discipline with profession with internationally recognised qualifications upon
its own area of knowledge, modern actuarial training requires graduation. In addition, the programme provides sufficient academic
multidisciplinary knowledge in probability, statistics, data science, training to allow students to pursue postgraduate studies in actuarial
economics, investment, finance, law, taxation and accounting. The science or related areas should they wish to.
Actuarial Science curriculum reflects this requirement by
incorporating various interdisciplinary courses into the basic yet
comprehensive actuarial training.
The programme is designed to equip students with a solid
background in actuarial science, and enable them to develop the
confidence and analytical skills needed to define and tackle
problems in actuarial science and related fields. Students should be
able to evaluate and measure various kinds of risk using effective
quantitative methods, and become proficient in formulating and
communicating practicable business strategies with professionalism
as well as accuracy.
What is an Actuary? Becoming an Actuary (精算師)
An actuary is a professional who deals with the application of To become an actuary, you could first obtain a Bachelor of Science
probability and statistical theories to problems in insurance, in Actuarial Science degree from HKU.
investment, pensions, and financial risk management. The majority To qualify as an actuary, you must obtain an Associateship and
of actuaries work for life, health and property/casualty insurance Fellowship title from a professional organisation. Qualifications from
companies, which heavily rely on actuaries’ judgment to ensure their Australia, the UK and the US are all fully recognised in the local
financial security. Other actuaries work for actuarial consulting firms, actuarial and insurance industries. The average time needed to
offering their expertise on financial services, health care, pension obtain the necessary titles ranges from three to nine years. The
plans, asset/liability management, etc. Other opportunities are relevant professional organisations are shown below.
available for actuaries in a variety of industries.
The HKU Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science programme has
The ‘Brains’ exemption arrangements for certain professional examinations with
Actuaries’ duties are varied, challenging and so important that they the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries. It
are frequently called the “brains” of the insurance business. has also obtained Validation by Educational Experience (VEE)
Actuaries work with facts, figures and people to solve business course approval from the Casualty Actuarial Society, the Society of
problems. They are not only the statisticians of the insurance Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in North America.
industry, but also have broader responsibilities in financial
management. They frequently evaluate the past, make use of
Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK actuaries.org.uk
known changes, interpret expected changes and set future
directions to determine insurance premiums and retirement benefits. Casualty Actuarial Society, US casact.org
Actuaries work in many capacities within businesses, consulting Society of Actuaries, US soa.org
firms, government agencies and universities, and often fill senior Institute of Actuaries of Australia actuaries.asn.au
managerial roles in insurance companies, even become senior
officers or company leaders. Most importantly, all actuaries must
have a strong aptitude for mathematics and the ability to apply
actuarial knowledge to a range of financial situations.
Center of Actuarial Excellence IFoA Accreditation
The Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at HKU has Under the current accreditation agreement with the Institute and
been recognised as a Center of Actuarial Excellence (CAE) by the Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), HKU joined the ranks of select
US Society of Actuaries since December 2011, reflecting its institutions worldwide that offer the maximum exemptions (CS1,
commitment to high standards in curriculum, faculty, research, and CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1, and CB2) approved by the IFoA in the UK.
industry connections. HKU has previously obtained accreditation for IFoA subjects
This prestigious designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate CT1-CT8 from the UK’s only chartered professional body dedicated
excellence in Actuarial Science by meeting strict criteria on to educating, developing and regulating actuaries based both in the
curriculum quality, number and quality of graduates, qualified UK and internationally. With the current accreditation, students who
faculty, ties with business, and beneficial research and scholarship. graduate with a BSc(ActuarSc) degree from The University of Hong
Over the years, the School has dedicated itself to world-class Kong with the required marks in specified subjects will be exempted
standards of research, teaching and learning, and it is now highly from taking various IFoA subjects in the current curriculum, as they
regarded as an international centre of research and learning in the begin their journey towards qualifying as an actuary.
field of statistics and actuarial science.

CAE Research Grant

The Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at HKU received
a CAE Research Grant of US$281,490 from the SOA for a
three-year project on dependent risks, making it the first university in
Asia to be awarded such a grant and one of only five
CAE-designated universities in Asia.

For details of the Department’s SOA-funded project, please visit:

saasweb.hku.hk/center-actuarial-excellence
SOA - University-Earned Credit (UEC) Program Actuarial University Ranking
The University‐Earned Credit (UEC) program of the Society of HKU was ranked No.2 worldwide and No.1 in Asia based on
Actuaries (SOA) allows university students to become eligible for research contributions from the top 4 actuarial journals (Insurance:
SOA exam credit by attaining a designated UEC mark on university Mathematics and Economics, North American Actuarial Journal,
courses at approved Centers of Actuarial Excellence (CAE). ASTIN Bulletin, and Scandinavian Actuarial Journal) from 1994 to
HKU, as one of the CAE designated by the SOA, obtained the UEC 2019. It was 1994 when the BSc in Actuarial Science programme
status approved by the SOA in July 2022, as one of the 13 inaugural was launched. HKU was even ranked No.1 in 2006 and 2013
UEC participants. Students who have taken the approved courses worldwide in this global study conducted by the University of
at HKU (not by credit transfer) and received a UEC mark of 60% or Nebraska-Lincoln.
above are eligible to apply for the corresponding UEC from the
SOA for exam exemption
The UEC mark of a student taking an approved HKU course refers
to Final Exam mark of that course.
The related SOA exams and the corresponding approved HKU
course(s) are listed as follows:
Exam FM STAT2902
Exam SRM STAT3907, STAT4904
Exam ASTAM STAT3908, STAT4903
Exam ALTAM STAT3909, STAT3956
Note: Exam P is not eligible for UEC.
Section 2

Curriculum structure
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4

Actuarial Core (Advanced)

(66 credits)

Capstone
Internship or Project
(6 credits)
Actuarial Core (Introductory)
(48 credits)
Actuarial Electives (Advanced)
(12 credits)

Free Electives / 2nd Major / Minor(s)

(54 credits)

University Requirements
Common Core, Language Enhancement
(54 credits)

Students are expected to be in full-time status for eight academic

semesters (in additional to their six-month or longer full-time
internships) in order to fulfill the degree requirements.
Students may optionally take Majors or Minors outside the
BSc(ActuarSc) programme, provided that they fully satisfy the
requirements.
Section 3

Entrance requirements
and admission formula
Entrance requirements

JUPAS route:
Programme English Chinese Mathematics Citizenship and Elective Subject:
Language Language Social Category A subjects
Deveopment and Extended Module
1 or 2 in Mathematics
(M1/M2)

6729 BSc 3 3 4 Attained Level 4 in M1/M2

(ActuarSc) Level 3 in 1 subject

Non-JUPAS route:
Applicants with other local/international/national qualifications (e.g., IB,
GCE-AL, SAT/AP, NJCEE) will be considered on an individual merit basis.
More details are available from the programme website at
cds.hku.hk/prospective-students/undergraduate

Admission formula

1.2 x Eng + 1.2 x Math + 1.2 x M1 / M2 + Best 2 Subjects

Section 4

Scholarships
Dr Patrick S C Poon Scholarship in Actuarial Science Sir Edward Johnston Prize
Dr Patrick S C Poon, SBS, Honorary University Fellow of HKU, (awarded by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK)
generously pledged to establish a scholarship scheme to encourage The Sir Edward Johnston Prize is awarded to the best performing
young talents to pursue a career in the actuarial profession and to graduating students on the actuarial programmes at the five
promote the development of actuarial science in Hong Kong. Five universities (in South East Asia), including HKU, which are linked to
awards shall be awarded annually to first-year BSc(ActuarSc) the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA). For details, please visit
students freshly admitted through JUPAS with the most outstanding the IFoA’s website: actuaries.org.uk
entrance record. Each Dr Patrick S C Poon Scholarship in Actuarial
Science is valued at HK$50,000, whilst an additional HK$10,000 will
be awarded to successful candidates who achieve Level 5** in
HKDSE English Language or who urgently require financial
assistance to complete their studies. The scholarship is renewable
based on satisfactory performance in each year of study.
Statistics and Actuarial Science (SAAS) Scholarships The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers Scholarship
Twenty-eight scholarships, each worth between HK$4,000 and In 2012, the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers Educational Trust
HK$20,000, are made available each academic year by the kindly pledged an annual donation to support scholarships for
Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science. The Department undergraduates majoring in Actuarial Science at HKU, with the
awards these scholarships annually on the basis of academic merit objective of encouraging tertiary education in insurance. A maximum
to outstanding students in different years of study who are pursuing of six scholarships, each of the value of HK$20,000, shall be
a BSc degree in Actuarial Science. awarded annually to outstanding BSc(ActuarSc) Year 3 or above
local students.
The Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong Scholarship
In 2022, The Life Underwriters Association of Hong Kong and The YF Life Scholarship in Actuarial Science and Risk Management
LUA Foundation Limited have both pledged an aggregate annual In 2023, YF Life Insurance International Limited kindly pledged to
donation, for an initial period of five years, to support undergraduate establish the YF Life Scholarship in Actuarial Science and Risk
students through scholarship and bursary. Two scholarships shall be Management at HKU, with an objective of nurturing talents for the
awarded annually to year 2 or above local full-time undergraduate insurance industry. Five scholarships, each of the value of
students reading the Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science OR HK$15,000, shall be awarded annually to outstanding
Bachelor of Science (Major in Risk Management) programs under undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Science in Actuarial
the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science. The Scholarship Science or Bachelor of Science (Major in Risk Management)
shall be awarded based on academic merit with cumulative GPA3.2 degrees on the basis of academic merit and performance in an
or above. In cases of students of equal academic merit, participation interview, if arranged by the Selection Committee.
of community service shall also be taken into consideration. The
Scholarship shall be of the value of HK$10,000 each.
For details about all HKU’s scholarships, please visit:
aas.hku.hk/scholarship-opportunities
Section 5

Career prospects and

employment statistics
Career Prospects
Employment statistics
Given Hong Kong’s booming insurance industry and the rapid
development of the mainland China market, actuaries enjoy very Employment Sector Basic Salary of 2023
attractive career prospects. Recent graduates hold positions in BSc(ActuarSc) Graduates
Commerce
major insurance and reinsurance companies, actuarial consulting Education
& Industry $50,000
$50,000
4.2%
firms, and investment banks such as AIA, AXA Insurance, BOC 95.8%
$40,000
Group Life Assurance, HSBC Life, Manulife, Sun Life Financial, $30,000 $29,741 $28,000
Prudential, Willis Towers Watson, General Re, Reinsurance Group $20,000
$23,000

of America, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, Ageas Insurance, $10,000

Ernst and Young, Mercer, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte
$0
Touche Tohmatsu and many others. Min. Mean Median Max.

Some of our graduates have also pursued postgraduate studies in

world-renowned universities such as Harvard University, Cambridge Number of Job Offers Received
University, Oxford University, the London School of Economics and by 2023 BSc(ActuarSc) Graduates
% of graduates
Political Science, The Wharton School of the University of 50%
45%
Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University and 40%
40%

Cornell University. 30%

Career Advising Programme (CAP) 20%

10%
10%
The School has introduced the Career Advising Programme (CAP) 0%
5%

to help students pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses in terms of One Two Three Four or
more
interview/CV writing skills and better prepare students to seize Number of job offers

career opportunities readily. Besides one-to-one career consultation,

the CAP will organise career-related activities to deepen students’
understanding of the industries.
Internship Programme Partial list of companies participating in the School’s internship
There is no better training than obtaining solid hands-on experience programme:
in the real workplace. Our Internship Programme serves precisely • Ageas Insurance (富通) • Manulife (宏利)
this purpose. As an intern, the student will gain insight into the • AIA Group Limited (友邦) • Mercer (美世)
challenging world and daily activities of an actuary while • AXA Insurance (安盛) • Morgan Stanley (摩根士丹利)
Prudential (保誠)
strengthening his/her technical, analytical and communication skills.
• BOC Group Life Assurance •
Under the Internship Programme, BSc(ActuarSc) students are (中銀人壽) • RGA Reinsurance
eligible to use the School’s Internship/Job Online-Application • Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (美國再保險)
System, where related internships and other job openings including (德勤) • Sun Life Financial (永明金融)
Ernst and Young (安永) Standard Chartered (渣打)
graduate positions will be posted. Our alumni may wish to know that
• •
normally they will still be eligible to use the System after graduation
from our School. • FWD Life Insurance (富衛) • Swiss Reinsurance
• General Re (通用再保險) (瑞士再保險)
Goldman Sachs (高盛)
The Internship Programme assists students by advertising part-time,
• • Willis Towers Watson
(韋萊韜悅)
summer, temporary and full-time internship positions, sending the
CVs of interested students to employers, and arranging interviews • HKSAR Government
for shortlisted students. (香港特別行政區政府) • Zurich Insurance (Hong Kong)
• HSBC Life (滙豐保險) (蘇黎世保險)
For details about our Internship Programme, please visit: • JP Morgan (摩根大通)
saasweb.hku.hk/teaching/internship-details.php
More information

Computing Facilities HKU Worldwide Undergraduate Student Exchange Programme

The School currently houses a statistical computer laboratory, which At HKU, we aim to equip our students with not only academic
is equipped with up-to-date statistical software for teaching and excellence, but also the knowledge, skills, and values needed to
learning and research purposes. become influential citizens in today's globalised world. To achieve
this goal, we offer a variety of overseas learning opportunities.
Student Society Studying abroad can be a transformative experience, and we
The Statistics and Actuarial Science Society (SASS) has dedicated actively encourage our students to take advantage of these
itself to promoting the study of actuarial science, decision analytics, programmes.
risk management, statistics and applied artificial intelligence. It also
The HKU Worldwide Undergraduate Student Exchange Programme
serves to provide a sense of unity, promote the welfare of its
(HKUWW) provides exchange places from partner institutions (or
members and maintain a harmonious relationship between staff
host institutions) of the University for one or two semester(s).
members and students.
Students are offered exchange opportunities in world-renowned
Every year, the SASS organises a variety of functions, including the universities such as Harvard University, Columbia University, McGill
alumni mentorship scheme, annual dinner, annual survey, firm visits University, the University of Toronto, the University of California at
and many more. The SASS works closely with the School and Berkeley, Davis, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, the University of
serves its members with enthusiasm. It strives in the best interests Melbourne, the University of British Columbia, the University of New
of their members and aim to ensure they enjoy a fruitful and joyful South Wales, the University of Amsterdam, Georgetown University,
university life. the University of Waterloo, just to name a few.
Alumni Mentorship Scheme
The alumni mentorship scheme provides two-way communication
between mentors and mentees. Through regular gatherings and
mutual sharing, mentees can learn from their mentors’ life
experience and, at the same time, better understand the
employment situation and their career prospects. In return, mentors
receive up-to-date information on the current student population, the
Statistics and Actuarial Science Society, the School and the
University at large. Mentors also enjoy opportunities to become
acquainted with their counterparts working in similar fields.
For more information about the programme, please visit our website:
cds.hku.hk/prospective-students/undergraduate

+852 3917 2180

[email protected]