ActuarialExam SRM
SOA Exam SRM · Statistics for Risk Modeling
Updated August 2026

SOA Exam SRM Study Plan & Practice System

Exam SRM covers statistical learning and predictive modeling fundamentals. Heavy on GLMs and tree-based methods. Typically 100–150 hours of prep. Upload your study notes and PDF handouts and exclam.ai builds adaptive flashcards, quizzes, and a weekly plan tuned to the SRM syllabus.

Typical hours
~125
Typical weeks
~12
Topic areas
5
Pass rate
~55–65%

Exam format

3.5-hour computer-based test. Multiple-choice questions covering statistical learning concepts. No computer programming is required on SRM — that comes in Exam PA.

No coding on SRM — multiple-choice only. Exam PA is where you actually write R.

GLMs and decision tree-based methods dominate the content (together 60-75%).

Typically one of the higher pass rates among preliminary exams.

Often taken alongside or immediately before Exam PA.

Format details change periodically. Always verify the current exam structure on soa.org before your exam.

Exam SRM topic areas

The 5 topic areas tested on Exam SRM, with approximate weight bands from the public SOA syllabus. Click any topic for a dedicated study page.

Topic names and approximate weight bands sourced from the public SOA Exam SRM syllabus on soa.org.

How exclam.ai helps with Exam SRM

Upload your study manual

Drop in your ACTEX Exam SRM digital edition (full-corpus PDF), scanned ASM pages, TIA handouts, or your own notes. exclam.ai parses them into structured content for a fully guided study plan.

Generate flashcards & quizzes

AI generates flashcards for formulas and concepts, plus multiple-choice quizzes targeting each of the 5 topic areas. Edit any card.

Get a weekly adaptive plan

Coverage phase, review phase, and mocks — distributed across your ~12-week timeline or whatever you choose.

Exam SRM study plan

Pick the timeline that matches your exam date. exclam.ai spreads roughly 125 hours across coverage, review, and mock phases — each reading paired with its own quiz and FSRS flashcards. Switch the plan length to rebalance the schedule instantly.

Plan length
14 weeks · ~9h/week

Approximate milestones

14 weeks
CoverageMonths 1–2
  1. Basics of Statistical Learning~wk 2
  2. Linear Models~wk 4
  3. Decision Trees~wk 6
  4. Principal Components and Cluster Analysis~wk 7
  5. Time Series Models~wk 8
ReviewMonths 2–3
Mock examsMonth 3
Examend of Month 3

Your full plan · 14 weeks to exam day

14 weeks · ~9h/week
CoverageReviewMocks· chips show the task mix for that week; buffer days are the planned rest
August 2026
  1. Wk 1Aug 24 – Aug 30Basics of Statistical LearningCoverageReadQuizFlashcards7–13%4 study · 3 buffer
  2. Wk 2Aug 31 – Sep 6Basics of Statistical LearningCoverageReadQuizFlashcards7–13%4 study · 3 buffer
September 2026
  1. Wk 3Sep 7 – Sep 13Linear ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards40–50%4 study · 3 buffer
  2. Wk 4Sep 14 – Sep 20Linear ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards40–50%4 study · 3 buffer
  3. Wk 5Sep 21 – Sep 27Decision TreesCoverageReadQuizFlashcards20–25%4 study · 3 buffer
  4. Wk 6Sep 28 – Oct 4Decision TreesCoverageReadQuizFlashcards20–25%4 study · 3 buffer
October 2026
  1. Wk 7Oct 5 – Oct 11Principal Components and Cluster AnalysisCoverageReadQuizFlashcards5–10%4 study · 3 buffer
  2. Wk 8Oct 12 – Oct 18Time Series ModelsCoverageReadQuizFlashcards5–10%4 study · 3 buffer
  3. Wk 9Oct 19 – Oct 25ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
  4. Wk 10Oct 26 – Nov 1ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
November 2026
  1. Wk 11Nov 2 – Nov 8ReviewReviewQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
  2. Wk 12Nov 9 – Nov 15MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
  3. Wk 13Nov 16 – Nov 22MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
  4. Wk 14Nov 23 – Nov 29MocksMocksQuizFlashcards4 study · 3 buffer
Exam daySun, Nov 29, 2026End of week 14

Your Exam SRM plan

A visual preview of how exclam.ai turns your plan into daily reading, flashcard, quiz, review, and mock streaks across the timeline you pick.

EP / day
5
daily target
Projected streak
3days
if you never miss
Study days
55
Modules
5
Per week
~9h
~125h total
To exam
14weeks

Sign in to unlock your full 14 weeks plan

Every module dated to your exam, with quizzes and FSRS flashcards generated from your own materials.

Unlock my full plan free

Week-by-week module breakdown

Your Exam SRM plan walks the syllabus module-by-module before transitioning into review and mock phases. Module weeks are allocated proportional to SOA topic weights — heavier-weighted modules get more time, lighter ones either get a single week or pair with adjacent topics on intensive paces. Change the plan length above to see the schedule rebalance.

Module 1 of 5
Weeks 1–2
Exam weight 7–13%
Basics of Statistical Learning

Supervised and unsupervised learning, model assessment, bias-variance tradeoff, and resampling methods including cross-validation. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.

Module 2 of 5
Weeks 3–4
Exam weight 40–50%
Linear Models

Ordinary least squares regression, generalized linear models, variable selection, and regularization techniques. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.

Module 3 of 5
Weeks 5–6
Exam weight 20–25%
Decision Trees

Classification and regression trees, pruning, and ensemble methods including bagging, random forests, and boosting. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.

Module 4 of 5
Week 7
Exam weight 5–10%
Principal Components and Cluster Analysis

Dimension reduction via principal components analysis and unsupervised clustering via k-means and hierarchical clustering. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.

Module 5 of 5
Week 8
Exam weight 5–10%
Time Series Models

Introduction to time series analysis including autoregressive, moving average, and ARIMA models. Build flashcards covering every learning objective and quiz yourself before moving to the next module.

Phase: Review
Weeks 9–11

Review

Weak-topic drilling. exclam.ai surfaces topics where you underperformed during coverage and re-quizzes them. Daily FSRS flashcard reps across all 5 topics to prevent decay. Start doing timed question batches focused on the heaviest-weight sections.

Phase: Mocks
Weeks 12–14

Mocks

Full-length Exam SRM practice exams under timed conditions. Target one mock every 3–5 days. Same-day error review: for every question you miss, re-derive the solution from scratch. Taper in the final 3 days — light flashcards only.

Popular Exam SRM study manuals

exclam.ai works alongside any of these vendors. Upload paths vary, ACTEX sells full digital editions as downloadable PDFs (cleanest upload), ASM print manuals can be scanned for the full corpus, and The Infinite Actuary provides downloadable PDF handouts alongside their videos. For ASM digital (app-locked) and Coaching Actuaries (online platform), upload your own notes taken while studying. We do not distribute or reproduce any vendor content, your manual stays with the publisher.

ACTEX Study Manual
Digital edition · downloadable PDF
Coaching Actuaries
Online platform · upload your notes
Introduction to Statistical Learning (free textbook)
Free textbook · full PDF

Exam SRM questions

Should I take SRM before PA?

Yes. SRM covers the conceptual foundations that PA applies in practice with R. Taking SRM first makes PA significantly easier.

Do I need to know R for Exam SRM?

No. SRM is entirely multiple-choice and tests your understanding of statistical learning concepts. Exam PA is where R proficiency becomes essential.

Is Introduction to Statistical Learning enough for SRM?

It is the most recommended free resource and covers most of the SRM content. Most candidates supplement it with a dedicated study manual and a question bank.

Start your Exam SRM plan today

Upload your ACTEX digital edition, scanned ASM pages, TIA handouts, or your own notes, exclam.ai builds a fully guided study plan around your exam date.

See pricing