Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$990-$1,515
Provider
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Validity
Annual, 40 CPE hours
Available
Global
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
1-3 years of hands-on experience recommended
Specific Requirements
- A master's degree or higher plus one year of internal audit experience, or a bachelor's degree or equivalent plus two years
- An active Internal Audit Practitioner holder without a degree needs five years of internal audit experience, two of them within the past three years, and receives a waiver for Part 1
- Proof of education: a copy of the degree or official transcripts, a letter from the university, or a letter from an evaluation service
- A valid government issued photo ID
- Qualifying experience may come from internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit or assessment disciplines, compliance, external audit, or internal control
- Candidates may sit all three parts before completing the experience requirement
- Candidates residing in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or South Africa must be IIA members to apply
- ACCA qualified members have education and work experience requirements waived; active US CPA licence holders have the education requirement waived
Number of Questions
325 across three parts: 125 in Part 1, 100 in Part 2 and 100 in Part 3
Duration
390 minutes across three parts: 150 minutes for Part 1, 120 minutes for Part 2 and 120 minutes for Part 3, each sat separately
Question Format
Multiple choice with four options and one best answer
Passing Requirement
600 on every part
How It Is Delivered
Pearson VUE test centres. The IIA discontinued online testing on 27 May 2025
Languages Offered
English, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish
Rules specific to this exam
- Vietnamese registration opens effective 28 August 2026
- Arabic runs the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026 and transitions to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026
- Simplified Chinese is available only in mainland China and transitions to the 2025 syllabus during the December test window
- The IIA does not prescribe an order for the three parts
- Active Internal Audit Practitioner holders receive a waiver for CIA Part 1 and sit only Parts 2 and 3
Visit the official The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
Score Scale
250 to 750 scaled score, reported for each part separately
Score You Need
600 on every part
How It Is Calculated
Each part is scored on multiple choice items only, with no penalty for a wrong answer, and raw performance is converted to the 250 to 750 scale so that 600 represents a fixed standard across exam forms. Part 1 draws on 125 items, Parts 2 and 3 on 100 items each. Because the conversion is not a straight percentage, candidates cannot compute a target number of correct answers in advance.
When You Get Results
One official result within three weeks of the exam date, notified by system generated email. Delayed scoring took effect on 1 April 2026 for the three part CIA
- No unofficial score is shown at the end of the test centre session
- The IIA states that delayed scoring lets it detect anomalies and protect exam integrity
- The 30 day retake waiting period is unaffected, because results arrive before it expires
- The IIA does not publish pass rates for any CIA part
- Passing all three parts still leaves experience verification before the designation is awarded
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)?
A master's degree or higher plus one year of internal audit experience, or a bachelor's degree or equivalent plus two years. An active Internal Audit Practitioner holder without a degree needs five years of internal audit experience, two of them within the past three years, and receives a waiver for Part 1. Proof of education: a copy of the degree or official transcripts, a letter from the university, or a letter from an evaluation service. A valid government issued photo ID. Qualifying experience may come from internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit or assessment disciplines, compliance, external audit, or internal control. Candidates may sit all three parts before completing the experience requirement. Candidates residing in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or South Africa must be IIA members to apply. ACCA qualified members have education and work experience requirements waived; active US CPA licence holders have the education requirement waived.
How much does the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) cost?
The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam costs $990-$1,515. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)?
Visit the official The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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