Landing an actuarial internship can feel like a big hurdle, but one of the smartest moves you can make is to build a standout portfolio showcasing your skills and projects. A well-crafted actuarial internship portfolio not only demonstrates your technical abilities but also sets you apart from other candidates by telling a story about your problem-solving approach and eagerness to learn. For 2025 hiring success, focusing on the right types of projects can make all the difference.

First, it helps to understand why a portfolio matters. While exam progress and GPA are important, many employers today want to see practical evidence of your skills in action. A portfolio shows that you can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, handle data, and communicate your findings clearly. It’s a way to prove you’re ready for the hands-on work that actuaries do daily, from modeling risks to creating reports that influence business decisions.

So, what should you include in your actuarial internship portfolio? Here are three key project types that will impress recruiters and hiring managers in 2025:

1. Data Analysis and Visualization Project

Actuarial work revolves around data. A project that highlights your ability to gather, clean, analyze, and visualize data will catch attention. For example, you could take publicly available insurance claims data or financial datasets and perform a risk assessment or trend analysis.

Practical advice for this project:

• Use Excel or a programming language like Python or R to analyze the data. Employers highly value Python and SQL skills in 2025, as they are essential for handling large datasets and automating tasks.
• Create clear visualizations (charts, graphs) that tell a story about the data—whether it’s spotting trends, identifying outliers, or forecasting future claims.
• Write a brief summary explaining your approach, tools used, and key takeaways. This shows communication skills alongside technical expertise.

A concrete example: Analyze a dataset of auto insurance claims over the past five years. Calculate claim frequency and severity by year and visualize the results. Then, provide insights on whether claims are increasing and suggest potential reasons or actions an insurer might take.

2. Actuarial Modeling and Scenario Testing

Another critical skill is building actuarial models to estimate liabilities or predict outcomes. A portfolio project here might involve constructing a simple reserving model or mortality table analysis using Excel or actuarial software.

Tips to make this project strong:

• Explain the assumptions behind your model clearly.
• Show how you tested different scenarios or sensitivity analyses—for instance, how changes in mortality rates affect reserves.
• If you’re new to specialized actuarial software, mention any exposure you’ve had or use Excel’s advanced functions to simulate models.

Example project: Build a loss reserving model for a hypothetical insurance portfolio. Use historical claims data to estimate outstanding reserves and then perform scenario testing by adjusting key assumptions like claim development patterns.

3. Research and Reporting on Emerging Risks

Actuaries don’t just crunch numbers—they keep an eye on emerging risks that could impact companies. Including a project where you researched a topical risk and wrote a professional report shows your initiative and ability to connect actuarial concepts to business.

How to approach this project:

• Pick a current issue such as climate change risk, cyber insurance, or pandemic impacts on mortality.
• Summarize relevant actuarial challenges, data trends, and possible strategies companies might use.
• Make your report concise, clear, and well-structured—think of it as a mini white paper.

For instance, you could write a report on how rising climate risks affect property insurance pricing, incorporating recent weather event data and industry responses.

When assembling your portfolio, keep these tips in mind:

• Keep it organized and accessible. Use a PDF or an online portfolio platform like GitHub or LinkedIn to showcase your projects. Make sure each project includes a description, your methodology, results, and any code or visuals.
• Highlight technical skills but also soft skills. Employers want to see you can communicate findings and work collaboratively, so include notes on how you managed deadlines or worked with team input.
• Update regularly. As you pass more actuarial exams or gain new skills, add fresh projects to keep your portfolio current and relevant.
• Tailor your portfolio for the role. If you’re applying to an insurance company focused on life products, emphasize mortality modeling projects; for a consulting internship, highlight versatile data analysis and reporting.

Building this portfolio doesn’t mean you need real company data—many successful candidates use publicly available datasets or university project work. The key is showing your ability to handle typical actuarial tasks with confidence and curiosity.

Remember, internships are stepping stones. The projects you showcase should demonstrate not just what you’ve done, but your potential to grow and contribute. Employers in 2025 look for candidates who combine exam progress with practical, applied skills and a proactive attitude.

By focusing on these three project types—data analysis and visualization, actuarial modeling and scenario testing, and research/reporting on emerging risks—you’ll create a portfolio that speaks directly to what hiring managers want. Start early, keep learning, and use your portfolio to tell your unique actuarial story. This approach will give you a strong edge in securing that coveted internship and setting a solid foundation for your actuarial career.