Review: Actuarial Science – 2 years at Mahidol and 1.5 years at Curtin, Perth

Review: Actuarial Science – 2 years at Mahidol and 1.5 years at Curtin, Perth

• What is "2 years at Mahidol and 1.5 years at Curtin, Perth"? In the first semester of the 3rd year, students can choose whether or not to transfer to study at Curtin University. If you decide to go, you will receive a dual degree (degrees from both universities).

• How do you get into this program? In the past, this program offered a direct admission round which consisted of an entrance exam covering two subjects: Mathematics and English. If your scores met the criteria, you would pass directly to the interview stage. The interview round is not difficult. It is conducted in both Thai and English; if you can demonstrate your dedication and determination, I believe you will get accepted. You can use an IELTS score or other English proficiency test scores instead of taking the English entrance exam. As for the Mathematics exam, it primarily focuses on Statistics, Probability, and Calculus. Admission criteria are subject to change. For those who are interested in applying, please call the faculty, check their website, or go speak with the faculty staff in person.

• How many years does it take to graduate? If you don't get an F, don't drop, don't withdraw, and pass all your classes, you will graduate in 3.5 years. You can choose whether to go to Curtin University during the last 3 semesters.

• Where are the classes held? You will study at Mahidol University (Phayathai Campus), which is next to Ramathibodi Hospital, for the entire 3.5 years.

• Is the entrance exam difficult? Is studying there hard? This is a difficult question to answer because it varies from person to person. Some people would say it's hard, while others would say it's easy. I'd rather not comment on this, but I can give you a fact: more than half of the applicants pass the entrance exam.

• You can transfer your grades to get credits for Actuarial Exams and VEE. This is something that was implemented recently; it didn't exist when I was studying. If you study and your grades meet the specified criteria, you can immediately transfer them as credits for Exam P, Exam FM, and VEE. This is considered very good because you don't have to take the professional exams yourself. However, my understanding is that the university exams for these courses must have become harder than before.

• How much is the tuition fee? If you stay in Thailand, it is approximately 70,000 Baht per semester. If you go to Curtin, it is approximately 500,000 Baht per semester, which is all-inclusive (depending on whether your lifestyle/spending is cheap or expensive, whether your rent is cheap or expensive, how much you save, whether you work a part-time job, or if you get an F which delays your graduation).

• What is life like at Curtin? During the first week, there will be an orientation. Curtin’s support system is better than any university in Thailand (and better than Mahidol's too). The university has a building called "Curtin Connect" that advises and helps students with absolutely everything. It is open Monday to Friday. (And I really mean everything—from course enrollment to processing a course drop, or even housing issues if you don't have a place to stay, they will help you.)

• What about food? For the most part, you will buy ingredients to cook your own meals because it is much cheaper. Eating out at restaurants or ordering food is expensive. However, if money is not an issue, you can definitely eat at restaurants.

• What about the temperature? Is it cold? During the winter, the temperature can drop down to -5°C at night, and it rains very frequently. In the summer, it is as hot as Thailand during the day, but the nights get quite cool. The temperature difference between day and night is very large.

• Is it better to live in an off-campus or on-campus dorm?

• Off-campus dorm: You have to look online and contact an agent. If you look carefully, you can find accommodation that is close to Curtin and cheaper than the on-campus dorms. The downside is that you need to be physically present in Perth to sign the contract; you cannot book it in advance from Thailand.

• On-campus dorm: You can book this directly through Curtin's website. It is more expensive, but they regularly organize activities in the common room, such as ping-pong tournaments and free food distributions.

• 
  

• Is studying at Curtin difficult? I believe everyone would agree that studying at Curtin is much more difficult compared to Mahidol. It consists almost entirely of exams, and the exams are roughly as difficult as the professional actuarial exams.

• If your grades are high enough at Curtin, you can pass the professional exam components directly. For almost every exam component before attaining the ASA (Associate of the Society of Actuaries) designation, if you study at Curtin and your grades reach the required threshold, you can transfer them directly to clear those exam components. However, in my opinion, I think trying to get the required grades is just as difficult as taking the professional exams on your own.

End of Review.

Looking for a tutor?

• Preparation for Mahidol entrance exam: 400 Baht/hour

• Exam P, Exam FM (Live/Private): 30 hours for 12,500 Baht

• Video Courses for P, FM: 2250 Baht

Feel free to contact me: Line ID: @actuarialtutor Tel: 0806501333