At just 49 pages, the CAS Syllabus of Basic Education contains a plethora of useful information. It covers exam registration, the frequency of exams, and even what candidates should do when they encounter an item that may be defective. Despite the wealth of knowledge within this document, many candidates haven’t read it. When you have hundreds, if not thousands, of pages of source material to read, it makes sense that you wouldn’t want to read 49 more pages.

To help candidates quickly find information in the Syllabus of Basic Education, check out some of the helpful topics the Syllabus covers, along with the page number (based on the 2025 Syllabus of Basic Education).

• Announcements for the new year (p. 3–4)

For 2025, this highlights the New CAS Portal, increased exam frequency and the new PCPA requirement.

• Requirements for ACAS, FCAS, and CERA Designations (p. 5–6, 39)
• CAS DISCs (p. 7)
• Order of Examinations and VEE Topics (p. 8–9)

There’s a nice table on the second page that highlights any assumed prior knowledge for an exam.

• CAS Code of Professional Ethics for Candidates (p. 10)
• Exam Schedule (p. 11–13)
• Exam Registration Information (p. 14–18)

This section includes deadlines and test center information.

• Exam Fees (p. 19–20)

There is information here on the Actuarial Exam Support Program and the Fee Discount Program in Qualified Countries.

• Making Exam Registration Changes (p. 21–23)
• Special Testing Arrangements and Accommodations (p. 24–25)

There are instructions on how to request accommodations for languages other than English, for candidates with a disability or condition, for candidates who are pregnant or nursing and for candidates who are observing a holiday during the exam window.

• Preparing for Your Exam (p. 26–27)

This section covers the different item types in an exam and describes the various Bloom levels for questions.

• Study Resources (p. 28–29)

There is information here on Sample Exam Questions, including links to exams from 2020 and earlier.

• Exam Day (p. 30–33)

This chapter includes exam day policies and the CAS Examination Discipline Policy.

• Scoring of Examinations (p. 34–36)

Find some incredible information on how exams are scored, how the final pass mark is determined and how ambiguous or defective questions are handled. If you ever have questions about exam scoring, this is the place to start!

• Candidate Feedback and Candidate Grievances (p. 37–38)

There are excellent resources in this section on how to flag questions that may be defective and how to submit a candidate grievance.

• Exam Governance (p. 40–41)

This section highlights the different CAS volunteer groups associated with exams, including the Candidate Advocate Working Group and the Syllabus & Examination Working Group.

• Transition Programs (p. 42–43)

This covers how the CAS will reward credit for prior examinations. For example, if a candidate received credit for Exam S prior to 2018, they would earn credit for MAS-I.

• Waiver of Examinations (p. 44–49)

If you’ve ever had questions about any of these topics, I highly recommend you read through the Syllabus of Basic Education. There’s something to learn whether you’re studying for MAS I or Exam 9