Review: Actuarial Science, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus

(Written by a Thammasat student — not written by me)

• The Actuarial Science program is under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Thammasat University.

• The 2023 revised curriculum takes 3 years total with no internship, while the [other/original] curriculum takes 3.5 years total. Students study at Thammasat's Rangsit Campus for the entire program.

• Admission to Actuarial Science at Thammasat is offered in Admission Round 3 (55 seats) and Direct Admission Round 4 (16 seats). Interested students can apply through the TCAS system.

• Admission criteria: General Aptitude Test (TGAT) 30%, Science, Technology, and Engineering Aptitude Test (TPAT3) 30%, and A-Level Applied Mathematics 1 (core + additional) 40%.

• Once you pass these criteria, you must come for an interview at the university. The chance of getting in after being invited to interview is very high (spoiler: if you're granted an interview slot, you're essentially guaranteed admission).

• The following program review is based on the 2019 curriculum.

• In Year 1, you'll take general courses similar to other universities — calculus, statistics, basic mathematics, English, and fundamentals of insurance principles. Most of the insurance-related courses throughout the program are taught by specialized guest lecturers from the insurance industry, including from the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), Bangkok Insurance, and others. Year 1 isn't too intense — you can take it fairly easy and still pass comfortably.

• Thammasat's curriculum includes Thammasat's own general education courses (TU xxx), which are mostly social science courses. Most of these are considered easy courses for boosting your GPA. If you don't want to take the TU courses, you can take the TU GREAT exam instead — passing it exempts you from TU101, TU102, TU100, TU106, and TU103.

• In Year 2, courses become more specialized — subjects like introduction to business, financial mathematics, probability, risk management, life contingencies/actuarial mathematics for life insurance, and insurance law. Year 2 is considered noticeably harder than Year 1, with more workload requiring more dedication and effort to understand the material.

• In Year 3, the focus shifts to statistical tools, various modeling techniques, and subjects related to insurance operations, along with a Pre-Project. There are also seminars on using various insurance-related tools/software, organized by the program. Year 3 isn't extremely difficult content-wise, but the workload is heavy — you'll be presenting almost every class, every week. For internships, students can choose where they want to intern — whether at a non-life (general) insurance company or a life insurance company — with program faculty always available to give guidance.

• In Year 4, you'll need to choose your track, since the courses offered are specific to whichever path you pick — life insurance, non-life insurance, or underwriting. Year 4 only has 2 class periods per week, alongside working on your senior/capstone project.

• This program isn't focused heavily on passing professional exams (exam-book style study), but rather emphasizes building innovation in insurance. The program has faculty who specialize specifically in innovation, and students can consult with them anytime.

• The university's central facilities are excellent — reading rooms, a movie room, a fitness center, a swimming pool, meeting rooms, and the library even has board games available. Great for people who like doing activities with friends in their free time.

• Getting around campus is easy — there are EV shuttles to various locations around campus. For those who enjoy light exercise, there are also Anywheel bicycles available for rent. And for quick trips, motorcycle taxis operate around campus as well.

• The atmosphere at Thammasat is calm and shaded — very "Thammasat." Every evening you'll regularly see people exercising or doing activities on the lawns.

• As for food, you're guaranteed variety and good taste, with plenty of trendy food stalls to try. Prices are moderate — cheap compared to restaurants in the city (a nearby curry shop sells 3 dishes for 40–45 baht).

• On campus there are various cafeterias to eat at, and in the evenings there's a night market where you can shop and stroll around.

• As for dormitories, you can choose based on your preference. On-campus dorms offer convenience, while off-campus dorms (the newer ones) tend to be quite new and appealing to those who like having their own room, since the off-campus dorms here are considered quite comfortable to live in.