IFoA CM1 exam-day guide
IFoA CM1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam format and venue or platform with the provider
CM1 is sat through the IFoA's own arrangements, and the sitting format (in-person at a test centre versus online with remote invigilation) can change between sessions. Check your joining instructions and admission details on your candidate portal in the week before the exam rather than relying on what a colleague experienced last sitting. If anything in the instructions is ambiguous, confirm with the provider.
Valid photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original document (typically a passport or photocard driving licence) with the exact name used on your IFoA record. A mismatch between your registered name and your ID is a common cause of admission problems. Check the provider's accepted-ID list and whether a signature is required; confirm with the provider if your only ID is in a different name.
Printed or downloaded admission confirmation
Have your candidate number and exam booking confirmation accessible. For online sittings this is often needed to enter the invigilation platform; for centre sittings it may be checked at reception. Do not rely on a web page you cannot open offline.
Approved calculator (and spare batteries)
CM1 requires a non-programmable scientific calculator. Confirm the provider's current calculator policy before the day, since permitted models and any approval process are set by the IFoA. Practise on the exact model you will take so that statistical and financial functions are second nature; confirm with the provider whether your model is permitted.
Formula book or permitted reference material
The IFoA normally supplies its own formulae and tables rather than allowing personal notes. Check what is provided in your sitting format and whether any printed tables are allowed. Do not bring annotated material unless the instructions explicitly permit it; confirm with the provider.
Practice with the actual exam interface or answer format
CM1 is a written-style actuarial exam, so the answer format matters as much as the maths. If you are sitting online, rehearse typing and formatting full solutions, including equations, in the practice environment. If you are sitting on paper, rehearse handwriting under time pressure. Confirm the interface with the provider if you have not seen a demo.
Prepare rough-work and answer conventions in advance
Decide now how you will lay out workings: state the formula, substitute numbers, give the result with units, then interpret. Examiners award method marks, so visible structure protects you when a final number is wrong. Write a one-page template and use it in every practice question this week.
Rehearse timing with a full past paper under exam conditions
Do at least one complete timed paper in the final week, using the same calculator and interface you will use on the day. Record how long each question actually took versus your plan. The goal is a realistic per-mark pace and a decision rule for when to abandon a stuck question.
Build a one-page summary sheet of your weak topics
Distil the areas where you lose most marks into a single sheet: key definitions, standard derivations, and the traps you keep falling into. Review only this sheet in the final 24 hours rather than rereading whole chapters, which mostly produces familiarity without recall.
Plan logistics: travel, arrival time, food, and water
Work out the route and a backup route, and aim to arrive with buffer time before the start. Plan a light meal and hydration so you are not distracted mid-paper. For online sittings, treat the room setup, power, and internet as logistics too, and have a fallback plan.
Check equipment the night before
Test the calculator, replace batteries if unsure, and charge devices. For online sittings, run the system and equipment checks the provider specifies, confirm your room meets the requirements, and note the support contact in case of technical failure.
Read the full instructions before the clock starts
When the paper opens, read the front-page instructions: number of questions, marks, any compulsory sections, and how to submit. Confirm how much time is allowed and whether there is reading time. Misreading the rubric is an avoidable loss.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new material to consolidating. Do one full timed paper and mark it honestly against the scheme, then spend the remaining time on the two or three topics that cost you the most marks. Finalise your one-page summary sheet. Confirm exam logistics, ID, calculator policy, and interface details with the provider now, so any query can be resolved before the day.
Do a light review of your summary sheet only: definitions, standard formulae, and recurring traps. Rehearse the answer layout template once. Check equipment, print or download your confirmation, and lay out ID, calculator, and permitted materials. Set two alarms, confirm travel or room setup, and stop studying early enough to sleep properly; a rested brain outperforms an extra two hours of cramming.
Eat a normal meal and avoid new caffeine levels. Arrive early or, for online sittings, log in well before the start and complete any identity checks. Do a five-minute warm-up on a simple question to get calculating, not a hard problem that could dent confidence. Keep your summary sheet for a last glance, then put it away as the rules require.
Read the instructions and scan the whole paper. Note the marks per question and sketch a time budget with a little slack. Start with a question you can do cleanly to build momentum, but do not spend more than the budgeted time on any single part.
Show workings in the structured layout you rehearsed, state assumptions, and give units and a brief interpretation where asked. If you get stuck, write down the method you would use, mark the question, and move on; return later. Watch the clock at planned checkpoints rather than continuously. In the last ten minutes, check that every question has an answer and that nothing is left unsubmitted.
Rules to check
Bring and present the ID and admission documents the provider requires, with names matching your registration. If your documentation is unusual, confirm with the provider in advance rather than on the day.
Follow the provider's rules on permitted calculators, reference material, and notes. Non-permitted items are typically removed or can lead to disciplinary action, so confirm anything you are unsure about with the provider before the sitting.
Electronic devices such as phones and smart watches must be switched off and stored as instructed; do not keep them on your person unless the rules explicitly allow it.
For online sittings, follow the invigilation requirements exactly, including room scans, camera and microphone use, and permitted desk items. Unclear cases should be confirmed with the provider beforehand.
Breaks are governed by the sitting rules and are usually limited; check whether leaving the room is permitted and how it is supervised, and plan hydration accordingly. Confirm the break policy with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates about the paper during the exam or in any window the rules prohibit afterwards, and do not share or discuss question content in breach of the provider's confidentiality rules.
Marks are awarded for method as well as final answers, so write down formulae, substitutions, and assumptions even when the final number is uncertain. An unanswered question scores zero; a partial solution often scores several marks.
If a technical failure or disruption occurs, use the provider's stated support channel immediately and follow their instructions; do not attempt to resolve it in ways that breach the rules. Confirm the incident-reporting procedure with the provider before the exam.