CIA 2025

No. CIA candidates retain exam parts successfully completed before the new exams are released. Should your program expire, you will be required to retake previously passed exam parts and will be subject to the new syllabi.

Each candidate must determine the answer to that question based on where the candidate is within the program. A careful review of the current and new syllabi will assist in determining which version to take.

We can’t speak for all CIA resources. CIA review providers will determine when updated materials will become available. If you are unsure about your exam preparation resources, please contact the provider directly.

No. Candidates retain all successfully completed exam parts.

The IIA does not prescribe the order in which to take exams. You should review the current and revised syllabi to determine what is appropriate for you.

Yes. CIA candidates will be able to register and sit for the current exams until the revised exams are available in May 2025 (English only).

The decision when to apply to the CIA program is at your discretion. You should review the current and revised syllabi to determine what is appropriate for you.

Please refer to the publishing timeline above (subject to change).

An exam syllabus is essentially an outline that summarizes the topics covered on an exam. There is a separate syllabus for each part of the CIA exam (CIA Part One, CIA Part Two, and CIA Part Three). Together, the three CIA syllabi serve as a guide to help candidates identify the content on which they will be tested to demonstrate their internal audit knowledge and proficiency and earn the CIA certification.

The purpose of the three-part CIA exam is to identify individuals who meet the requisite global competencies in current internal audit practice.

To ensure that the exam’s content remains current and valid, The IIA periodically conducts a CIA global job analysis study, whereby The IIA reaches out to candidates, certification holders, academics, experienced internal audit professionals, and other stakeholders around the world to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities most relevant to today’s internal audit professionals. The IIA conducted a global CIA job analysis study in 2023. An external psychometrician was contracted to ensure the independence of the CIA job analysis study. The results of the study confirmed the need to revise the current three-part CIA exam. The CIA examinations are being updated to align with the new Global Internal Audit Standards.

Yes, the CIA program requires the successful completion of exam Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

CIA candidates must continue to meet the same program eligibility requirements. The number of questions on each exam part and the time allotted to complete the exam part also remains the same:

• Part 1 – 125 questions, 2.5 hours (150 minutes)
• Part 2 – 100 questions, 2 hours (120 minutes)
• Part 3 – 100 questions, 2 hours (120 minutes)

The IIA will conduct a standard-setting study based on the revised CIA syllabi. The IIA’s Professional Certifications Board will use these results to determine the passing score of the exams. For each CIA exam part, a raw score (the number of items answered correctly) will be converted into a scaled score ranging from 250 to 750 points. A scaled score of 600 or higher is required to pass a CIA exam.

Yes. Candidates seeking the CRMA designation will be required to successfully complete their CIA to meet the CRMA certification requirements. 

The updated CIA exams are expected to be released May 2025, initially in English only.  The updated CIA exams in non-English languages will be released gradually following the schedule above.

Individuals may apply to the CIA program at any time. Once approved into the program, candidates have three years to complete the program. As an approved individual, a candidate can then register for the exam, at which point, the candidate has 180 days (unless the registration window extends beyond the candidate’s program expiration date) to schedule and sit for an exam.

If a candidate chooses to sit for a new exam, the candidate should register for the exam no sooner than 180 days prior to the exams’ release.

No. CIA candidates retain credit for successfully completed exam parts.

Candidates will continue to sit for the current exams until the revised exams are released, initially in English in May 2025, followed by additional languages. Upon release of the revised CIA exams, the previous CIA exams will be retired and will no longer be available.

We found that each candidate chooses different methods to prepare for the CIA exams. The following is not an exhaustive list, but a few suggestions:

• Utilize and study the reference materials, which are listed at the end of the syllabus for each CIA exam part. This list will be updated when the syllabus is launched, no later than May 2024.
• Utilize the study materials developed by review course providers. Contact them directly to learn about the availability of updated CIA study materials.
• Participate in CIA preparation training provided by IIA chapters and affiliates. Contact your local affiliate if English is not your primary language.

The CIA application and exam registration fees will not change when the new exams are released. For pricing information, visit The IIA’s Certification Pricing page.

No. Candidates who have successfully completed all three CIA exam parts and earned the CIA certification do not need to take any action other than fulfilling annual certification renewal.

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