Bachelor of Science (Actuarial Science)

Actuarial science is the maths of risk. At Curtin, the Bachelor of Science (Actuarial Science) is a three-year degree built on probability, statistics, financial mathematics and economics. You'll study how to model uncertain events — when someone will die, when a car will crash, what interest rates will do — and how to price insurance and superannuation products that depend on those events. Core units cover calculus, linear algebra, probability, statistical inference, life contingencies and survival models. Later years bring in finance, accounting and economics so you can read a balance sheet and understand how markets behave, not just how the numbers add up.

Australian bachelor degrees sit at level 7 of the Australian Qualifications Framework and normally take three years of full-time study. Curtin runs its academic year in semesters, with most units worth 25 credit points and a full-time load of 100 credit points a year. You'll complete around 24 units across the degree. Actuarial science at Curtin includes a capstone unit in your final year where you work through a substantial applied problem, often using real data and software like R, Python or Excel. There's no mandatory professional placement in this degree, but many students take internships with insurers, super funds or consulting firms over the summer break, and the university's industry connections in Perth's insurance and resources sectors help with that.

You'll graduate with skills employers actually ask for: building and testing statistical models, valuing cash flows, quantifying risk, and explaining technical results to people who don't have a maths background. You'll use actuarial software and programming languages, and you'll learn to work with messy real-world data rather than textbook examples. The degree is recognised by the Actuaries Institute, and completing it with the required grades gives you exemptions from some of the Institute's foundation exams — confirm the current exemption rules with Curtin and the Institute before you enrol.

This course suits students who liked maths and statistics at school and want a career with a clear professional pathway. It's demanding — expect a lot of problem sets and exams — but the payoff is a qualification that opens doors in insurance, superannuation, banking and consulting. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets you stay and work in Australia for a period that depends on your qualification and visa rules at the time. English requirements are IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for most undergraduate courses, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced accepted as equivalents. Check the official CRICOS entry for the current tuition and the Curtin course page for exact admission details.

• Actuarial analyst — insurance companies, superannuation funds and consulting firms across Australia.
• Data analyst — banks, fintechs and government agencies that need statistical modelling.
• Risk analyst — financial services, energy and resources companies managing exposure to uncertain events.
• Investment analyst — funds management and wealth advisory firms.
• Pricing analyst — general insurers and health insurers setting premiums.
• Superannuation analyst — the large industry and retail super funds.
• Graduate roles in banking and finance — the major banks and professional services firms.

Many graduates go on to complete the Actuaries Institute's professional exams while working, which leads to full qualification as an actuary.