People nowadays have the opportunity to arrange their financial matters well. After a burglary, an illness or a car accident, the proper insurance will cover the damage. An actuary or insurance mathematician calculates the amount of premium that needs to be paid for example for fire and theft-, disability-, or car insurance. This is not as easy as it seems. Should a heavy smoker have to pay more premium for health insurance than a non-smoker? The relationship between accidental occurrences and financial risks is a central one when defining the amount of a premium. Actuaries take into account interest, inflation and cost development, as well as societal aspects. They use models, statistics and information science when determining a premium. They are also involved in investment policy. The UvA is the only university in the Netherlands offering a study programme in Actuarial Studies. Students will do a lot of calculating, analysing and predicting. This way you learn how to solve economic and managerial problems. You will also often use mathematical models and other representations of reality. The first one and a half year of the programme coincides with the Bachelor’s programme in Econometrics and Operational Research. This means that students can delay their final choice for one of the two studies until halfway during the second year. Later on in the Bachelor’s programme there is the opportunity to follow courses from other UvA economics programmes. The Bachelor's programme in Actuarial Studies maintains close ties with the professional association, the Actuarial Society, as a result of which a lot of attention is paid to the interaction of actuarial theory and practice. A binding study advice applies to all Bachelor’s programmes of the Faculty of Economics and Business. During the first year, your study progress will be monitored and discussed during consultations. Students who have successfully completed the programme will be awarded the title Bachelor of Science (BSc).

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