Society of Actuaries Hickman Scholar Program
The SOA Hickman Scholar Program was established to increase the number of academic actuaries who hold a PhD and an actuarial designation, and who intend to pursue academic careers in North America. The program is designed to provide stipends to doctoral candidates who will through their studies address research and education needs of the profession, including both the theoretical and practical aspects.
Eligible individuals are those who are enrolled full-time, have been recently admitted or are currently applying to a qualifying doctoral program at a North American university. A qualifying doctoral program is one in actuarial science or a related field (e.g. business, demography, economics, financial economics, insurance, mathematics, risk management, statistics) and hold fellowship-level actuarial credential or are pursuing Associateship or Fellowship membership with an accrediting actuarial organization (i.e. CAS, CIA, FA, IA, IAA, SOA).
A Doctoral Stipend is awarded on the basis of individual merit. Consideration will be given to:
- Attainment or progress toward an actuarial credential
- Statement of interest
- Likelihood that applicant will seek employment with a North American university (North American citizenship is not expressly required, but an applicant’s citizenship status may be used to evaluate the likelihood that the applicant will pursue an academic career in North America.)
Each stipend is generally $20,000 per academic year, renewable up to four times upon evidence of satisfactory progress on both the doctorate and actuarial credential, the availability of adequate funding and continuing satisfaction of any other Doctoral Stipend criteria set forth by the SOA. The stipend may be used at the discretion of the doctoral candidate for expenses that will aid in the completion of the PhD and the actuarial credential if not yet attained. Renewal of a Doctoral Stipend is not guaranteed. Stipends are awarded at the sole discretion of the SOA and all decisions are final. Failure to meet eligibility requirements on a continuing basis may subject recipients to loss of stipend.
The completed application and required documentation must be received at the SOA no later than February 17th. Further details regarding the required documentation can be found on the application. Stipend recipients will be announced April 16th. Recipients must notify the SOA of acceptance of the stipend by May 15th.