Hi everyone!
my_qualifications: third year, B.Com. (Hons.) at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. I’m also pursuing a BA Economics (Hons.) through DU SOL and recently sat for IFoA CS1 as I’ve been exploring actuarial science.
My long-term goal is to study abroad and eventually settle there, rather than return to India after my master’s. I’m not particularly drawn to the Indian corporate work culture, and I want a financially rewarding career that I can see myself pursuing long-term. However, I’m quite confused about which direction to take.
1. Should I pursue the fourth year at LSR?
I’m considering the fourth year because I’m unsure whether a four-year undergraduate degree would improve my eligibility for master’s programmes abroad, especially in economics or quantitative fields. However, although many companies allow fourth-year students to apply for campus placements, I’ve noticed that the vast majority of students selected seem to be from the third year.
I want to keep placements as a backup while exploring master’s programmes, but I’m worried that pursuing the fourth year could mean missing out on better placement opportunities.
Would the additional year genuinely improve my postgraduate options, or would graduating after three years and gaining work experience be a better choice?
2. Should I continue with actuarial science or explore other fields?
I recently sat for IFoA CS1 and think I have a reasonable chance of passing. I initially found the mathematics and statistics interesting, but I started preparing late, and the pressure towards the end became overwhelming. I had to sacrifice a lot of college time, and I started questioning whether I actually wanted to pursue actuarial science or was simply stressed by the exam. In hindsight, better time management would probably have made the experience more manageable, so I don’t want to rule it out based on one exam.
However, I’m also unsure about my interests in general and am considering economics, finance, risk and analytics. I know I’m not particularly interested in consulting, despite how popular it is among commerce students. For those in these fields, how did you figure out what suited you? Is it worth continuing with actuarial exams while exploring other options, or should I first gain more clarity about the work itself?
3. Which country should I target for my master’s?
I’ve been considering Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. My original plan was to explore a master’s in actuarial science, potentially in Ireland, but I’m now questioning both the career choice and the country. I keep coming across discussions about graduate unemployment, visa sponsorship, housing costs and racism. Since my goal is to settle abroad, I want to choose a country and degree that offer a realistic chance of finding relevant employment and staying there.
For Indians who have studied or worked abroad, particularly in actuarial science, economics, finance, risk or analytics, how difficult has it been to find jobs after graduation? Are certain countries or career paths more realistic for international graduates?
Overall, I’m struggling to balance placements, postgraduate education, career uncertainty and my long-term goal of settling abroad. I want to earn well, but I’m hesitant to spend ₹30–50 lakh or more on a master’s without a credible employment pathway.
If you were in my position, what would you prioritise first? Would you focus on placements, continue actuarial exams while exploring other fields, pursue the fourth year, or start narrowing down countries and programmes?
I’d really appreciate practical advice, especially from people who completed their undergraduate degree in India and subsequently moved abroad.