Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Certification

About the CIA Exam

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification is the only internationally recognized credential for internal auditors. Not sure if the CIA Certification is right for you? We can help!

Education and Experience

Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) candidates must meet at least one of the following requirements: - Earn a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least two years of verified professional experience in internal audit (or its equivalent). A masters degree may count towards one of the two years of professional experience. - Complete at least two years of post-secondary education and five years of verified experience in internal audit (or its equivalent) - Complete at least seven years of verified experience in internal audit (or its equivalent) Note: Candidates are able to sit for the exam before the professional education requirement has been met, but will not be certified until then.

Examination Requirements

The CIA examination consists of 3 separate exams that must be completed within a 3-year eligibility window:
Part 1 - Essentials of Internal Auditing
Part 2 - Practice of Internal Auditing
Part 3 - Business Knowledge for Internal Auditing

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What is on the CIA exam?

The CIA Exam measures candidates’ knowledge of disciplines related to and affecting the practice of internal auditing, including technical competencies. Candidates must be able to apply and organize their knowledge in a logical manner as well as be able to communicate their conclusions clearly and concisely.

Part 1

Essentials of Internal Auditing

Duration

2.5 Hours

Exam Question Count

506 Questions

Sections

 1. Foundations of Internal Auditing (15%)  2. Independence and Objectivity (15%)
 3. Proficiency and Due Professional Care (18%)
 4. Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (7%)
 5. Governance, Risk Management, and Control (35%)
 6. Fraud Risks (10%)

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Part 2

Practice of Internal Auditing

Duration

2 Hours

Exam Question Count

654 Questions

Sections

 1. Managing the Internal Audit Activity (20%)
 2. Planning the Engagement (20%)
 3. Performing the Engagement (40%)
 4. Communicating Engagement Results and Monitoring Progress (20%)

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Part 3

Business Knowledge for Internal Auditing

Duration

2 Hours

Exam Question Count

1012 Questions

Sections

 1. Business Acumen (35%)
 2. Information Security (25%)
 3. Information Technology (20%)
 4. Financial Management (20%)

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What is the CIA certification?

Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is the only internationally recognized credential for internal auditors. The CIA certification is granted by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) upon passing the CIA exam.

What is the CIA exam?

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam is a three-part test that measures candidates’ knowledge of internal auditing disciplines. The CIA exam is administered by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).

What types of questions are on the CIA exam?

The CIA Exam is made up of three parts, with 125 questions on part 1 and 100 questions on both part 2 and part 3. All of these questions are multiple choice questions.

How much does it cost to take the CIA exam?

The cost of the CIA Exam depends on whether you're a member of the IIA or not. But, at most (not including the member's discount), the cost is:

Application fee: $230
CIA Exam Part 1 Fee: $395
CIA Exam Part 2 Fee: $345
CIA Exam Part 3 Fee: $345

A membership to the IIA is typically recommended for CIA candidates, not only because of the discounts but also for the community of like-minded people and networking opportunities.

How difficult is the CIA exam?

The CIA Exam's global pass rate hovers at around 42% - and has done since at least 2016, according to the IIA. Using a Review Course that features an exam readiness indicator (like Surgent's ReadySCORE) will help you to know whether you're ready to sit - alongside tailoring the content asked to your weak spots specifically, that's how Surgent students are Exam ready 73% faster than students using other courses.