IFoA SP6 exam-day guide
IFoA SP6 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam booking and sitting format
Log in to your IFoA/assessment account and verify the date, start time (in your local time zone), and whether you are sitting on-site at a test centre or online with remote invigilation. The IFoA has changed delivery arrangements for some sittings in recent years, so confirm the current format for your session with the provider rather than relying on what a colleague did last year.
Valid photo ID matching your booking name
Bring the exact ID type the provider specifies (commonly a passport or driving licence). The name must match your exam booking. If your ID is expired, in a different script, or shows a different name from your registration, contact the provider before the exam day. Confirm the accepted ID list with the provider.
Printed or downloaded exam instructions and formulae/statistical tables
SP6 is a specialist application paper, so you will rely on standard actuarial reference material. Check whether the provider supplies formulae and tables within the exam platform or expects you to use your own permitted copy. Confirm exactly what reference material is allowed and in what form.
Approved calculator (with spare batteries)
Use only a calculator model on the provider's approved list. Check the list on the provider's website before the exam. Bring spare batteries or a second approved calculator if the rules permit, and practise with the same model you will use on the day.
Word-processing setup that meets the technical requirements
SP6 answers are typically typed. Confirm the required software (e.g. a specified word processor and file format for uploads) and that your device meets the minimum specification. Test the platform's practice/mock environment on the same machine you will use.
Reliable internet and a backup plan (remote sittings)
If sitting remotely, test your connection, webcam, and microphone in advance. Have a backup: a phone hotspot, a second device, and the provider's support/helpline number saved. Confirm the provider's procedure for technical failure during the exam.
Quiet, cleared workspace and permitted items only
Clear your desk of notes, phones, smart watches, and unapproved materials. Confirm whether water, tissues, and rough paper are permitted and in what form. For remote sittings, check the room-scan and desk-clear requirements in the provider's instructions.
Review the exam format and mark allocation
Re-read the current SP6 syllabus and the exam-style guidance so you know the number of questions, whether there is choice, the total marks, and the time allowed. Practise allocating roughly 1.8 minutes per mark and leaving time to review.
Timed practice under exam conditions
Complete at least one full past paper or specimen paper to time in the final week, typing your answers as you will on the day. Mark it against the solutions and note where you lost marks: breadth of points, application to the scenario, or calculation slips.
Summary sheet of SP6 core material
Condense the syllabus into a few pages: the main product types, pricing and reserving approaches, regulatory and capital considerations, and recurring exam themes. Use this for final revision only, not as a crib sheet during the exam.
Plan your route, arrival time, and logistics
For a test centre, confirm the address, parking or transport, and the arrival time the provider requires. For a remote sitting, plan to log in early for the ID and environment checks. Build in a buffer for delays.
Provider contact details and your candidate number
Save the provider's exam-day support number and your candidate/registration number. If anything goes wrong (platform failure, ID query), you will need to report it promptly and follow the provider's incident procedure. Confirm the exact reporting process with the provider.
Plan the day
Finish content revision and switch to consolidation. Re-read your summary sheet and the syllabus to check coverage, then do one timed paper or a substantial set of past questions. Mark honestly and list your three weakest areas. Spend the remaining time on those areas rather than re-reading everything. Confirm your booking, ID, calculator, and technical setup now so problems can be fixed with time to spare.
Do a second timed practice, focusing on exam technique: reading the verb in each question (state, explain, discuss, calculate), structuring answers with clear headings, and showing workings for calculation marks. Practise applying material to the scenario in the question rather than writing generic textbook answers. Review the mark scheme to see how marks are earned for breadth and application.
Light revision only: your summary sheet, key formulae, and a handful of questions you previously got wrong. Do not start new topics. Prepare everything you need: ID, approved calculator and spare batteries, permitted reference material, and any printed instructions. Test your device, connection, webcam, and the exam platform login. Check the start time in your local time zone and set two alarms. Get a full night's sleep.
Eat properly and avoid cramming new material. Do a final check of your equipment and workspace, or your bag and route if travelling. Log in or arrive with plenty of buffer for ID checks. Keep water nearby and silence phones and notifications. Read the provider's instructions on the screen carefully before starting.
Read the instructions and note the time allowed and mark allocation. Skim the whole paper to identify question choice and difficulty. Plan your time per question (roughly 1.8 minutes per mark) and decide your order, starting with a question you can answer confidently to build momentum.
Answer the question asked: use the scenario, apply the relevant SP6 material, and give a balanced range of points. For calculations, show formulae, inputs, and units so method marks are available. For discussion questions, write short structured paragraphs or bullet points rather than long prose. Watch the clock and move on when a question's time is up. Leave the final minutes to check you have answered every required question and saved or submitted correctly.
Confirm your submission is complete (upload confirmation or on-screen receipt) before closing the platform. If anything went wrong, report it to the provider promptly using their incident procedure and keep any evidence such as screenshots or reference numbers. Then stop analysing the paper and rest.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID the provider requires, with your name matching your booking. If your ID is unavailable or does not match, you may be refused entry or your paper may not be accepted; contact the provider in advance about any discrepancy.
Use only approved calculators and permitted reference material. Phones, smart watches, and unapproved notes must be out of reach for the whole sitting. Confirm the permitted-items list with the provider before the day.
For remote sittings, expect identity and environment checks, possibly including a room scan and continuous webcam monitoring. Follow the invigilator's or platform's instructions exactly. Do not leave the camera view without permission.
Breaks are usually not permitted during a timed sitting, and the clock generally keeps running. Confirm the provider's policy on breaks, toilet visits, and any rest breaks or extra time you are entitled to as an approved adjustment.
Do not communicate with anyone other than the invigilator or platform support during the exam, and do not share or discuss paper content afterwards in a way that breaches the provider's confidentiality rules.
If the platform fails or your connection drops, stay calm, note the time and error, and follow the provider's technical-failure procedure. Report the incident promptly; outcomes depend on the provider's process, so confirm the steps in advance.
Marks are awarded for applying material to the scenario and for breadth of relevant points, not for length. Show workings for calculations. Read the verb in each question and answer at the level it asks for.
Check the provider's rules on what happens if you submit late or fail to submit. Many platforms auto-submit at the deadline, but confirm how your answers are captured and saved during the sitting.