Skip navigation
You are viewing our beta course page.

Actuarial Science with a Foundation Year

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 22/09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Bay Campus
Awarded by:
Swansea University (Prifysgol Abertawe)

Course summary

If you enjoy mathematics and want to apply your knowledge to solve real-world business problems, then the actuarial science programme at Swansea University is an excellent route to meet your goals.

An actuary is a highly trained and influential business professional who uses advanced mathematical modelling and business understanding to analyse future risks.

Students who pursue this course will gain a solid foundation the first year in mathematics, business, and study skills. They will be prepared for greater success in the mathematics and management modules that follow. The programme is accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), so programme modules in mathematics, accounting, finance and economics are aligned with the IFoA professional examinations. Graduates can obtain up to six exemptions from IFoA professional examinations, which is a tremendous head start toward obtaining actuarial employment and succeeding as an actuary.

Your learning will be shaped by inspirational and internationally-renowned business professionals with many years of industry experience including Dr Jafar Ojra, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Modules

The foundation Year (Year 0) combines both subject specific and study skill content, to enable successful integration into Year 1 of the Actuarial Science programme.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Economics for Accounting and Finance, Accounting for Managers, Probability and Statistics & Foundations of Finance.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Probability Theory, Corporate Finance, Credibility, Liability and Ruin & Principles of Financial Accounting.

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Cashflows and Interest Rates, Financial Mathematics in Discrete Time, Machine Learning & Risk and Survival Models.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

  • Actuaries, Institute and Faculty of

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
N325
Institution code:
S93
Campus name:
Bay Campus
Campus Code:
B

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If you are an International Student, please visit our International pages for more information about entry requirements:- http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/students/requirements

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

A level - CCD

Applicants who took Mathematics at A-Level should have CCD. Applicants who did not study Mathematics at AS or A-Level should have BBC and a B grade for GCSE Mathematics.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

Applicants with a BTEC or 'Access to Science' background are welcomed.

Access to HE Diploma - M: 27 credits

Access to HE (Science): 27 Merits to include Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points

IB: 24 (including 4 in Maths Higher Level).

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Welsh Baccalaureate: Requirements are as for A levels where you can substitute the same non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Level Core Grade.

Overseas applicants should have CDD equivalent and IELTS 6.0 (all components at least 5.5).

All applications will be considered on an individual basis, and we will look at the whole application when deciding whether to make an offer of a place, including: the balance, nature and quality of A-level, AS and GCSE subjects (or equivalent); personal statement and referee’s comments.

General Studies and Key Skills qualifications are normally excluded from our offers.

Unfortunately, we are unable to consider applicants with GCSE qualifications alone.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) and no less than 5.5 in each component.

English Language Requirements at Swansea University https://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/english-language-requirements/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

UK applicants who meet course requirements are guaranteed a conditional offer. We assess applications on individual merit. We consider making reduced offers, eg. to Care Leavers or students with extenuating circumstances. We encourage you to disclose any relevant circumstances.

The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales is considered as equivalent to one full A-Level and students can take x2 A-levels alongside this. EPQ students predicted Grade B or above will receive a one-grade offer reduction.

Learn more on the Swansea University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

For the latest fee information, please check the individual course page on our website. Our full range of programmes are listed here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/

Further information on tuition fees can be found here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/

Sponsorship information

The Mathematics Department of Swansea University offers Mathematics prizes/scholarships worth up to a total of £3000 for students starting their university studies in September 2025. The prizes will be awarded on the basis of a competitive two-and-a-half-hour examination. Usually, applicants take the exam in their school or college, but this year arrangements will be made to enable applicants to sit the exam remotely.
Applications are open to both home and overseas students that have made any undergraduate course from the Mathematics department at Swansea one of your UCAS selections.

These scholarships can be used in conjunction with our Excellence and Merit scholarships. If you are interested in taking the scholarship exam, then you should complete and return a Mathematics Scholarship Application us via email. https://www.swansea.ac.uk/maths/scholarships/

Note: The University will also award Excellence Bursaries worth £3,000 to students who achieve AAA at A-level (or equivalent) and £2000 to students who achieve AAB at A level (or equivalent). For further details please see https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/scholarships/excellence-bursaries/

Like this page