Membership Requirements
Academy membership is reserved for those who meet the profession’s highest standards. Explore our membership requirements and see if you’re ready to join a network of leading actuarial professionals.
New membership requirements are coming in 2026.
Current Membership Requirements
An actuary is eligible to become a member of the American Academy of Actuaries if they:
- have met the basic educational requirements for Associateship in the Casualty Actuarial Society, Associateship in the Society of Actuaries, M.S.P.A. or F.S.P.A. in the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries, membership in the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, Enrolled Actuary status under Title 3, Section C of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Fellowship in the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, Fellowship in the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the United Kingdom, Membership in the Colegio Nacional de Actuarios in Mexico, or Fellowship in the Institute of Actuaries of Australia. Any other actuarial educational credentials must be approved by the Membership Committee and the Executive Committee.
- certify their familiarity with U.S. laws and practices in their actuarial practice area, which is intended to mean casualty, health, life, and pension.
- have read and attests to reviewing and having a reasonable understanding of the “Professionalism for U.S. Actuaries, Outline of Concepts and Structure” (as of October 2021) and the following related documents and the items listed below:
- Code of Professional Conduct
- United States Qualification Standards (pages 1-10) (USQS)
- The following documents related to actuarial standards of practice (ASOPs):
- Nos. 1, 21, 23, and 41, and
- The Applicability Guidelines for my area(s) of actuarial practice; and
- Articles IX and X of the Academy’s bylaws (relating to member discipline and the role of the ABCD)
New Membership
Requirements Coming
Jan. 1, 2026
The Academy’s Board has adopted the following requirements for admission of new members to the American Academy of Actuaries, with a target effective date of January 1, 2026:
Part A—Education / Basic Education
a. Compliance with the Competency Framework, which includes baseline knowledge of key actuarial competencies, U.S. laws and practices, and U.S. actuarial professionalism, and
b. Achievement of an actuarial credential from an actuarial organization, both of which are recognized by the Academy.
Part B—Experience
Three years of responsible actuarial experience, including at least one year of responsible U.S. actuarial experience.
For purposes of this requirement, responsible actuarial experience is defined as work that requires knowledge and skill in solving actuarial problems.
Read the FAQs to learn more.