What you need to know about the CIA Challenge Exam

The Institute of Internal Auditors® (IIA®) offers the CIA Challenge Exam as a way for qualified candidates to earn the Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) certification through an expedited process.

Normally, CIA candidates must pass all three exam parts to prove their understanding of the content. However, eligible candidates have the opportunity to take the one-part CIA Challenge Exam, which contains only the CIA exam content that isn’t on their qualifying certification exam.

We’ve answered some of the most common questions to help you decide if this opportunity is right for you!

The IIA offers two exam options depending on what qualifying certification you already have.

1. CIA Challenge Exam for Qualified Accounting Bodies
   Active Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and Chartered Accountants (CAs) can take this version of the exam, which only tests candidates on the CIA content that wasn’t already covered on their CPA or CA exams. 
2. CIA Challenge Exam for Qualified Information Systems Auditors
   Active Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification holders can take this version of the exam, which only covers CIA content that they were not already tested on for their CISA exam.

Candidates for the Qualified Accounting Body version of the exam must be a current member of one (or more) of the following accounting bodies to qualify. Before applying, you’ll need to contact your local accounting body to obtain a letter of good standing. 

The window for candidates to apply, register, and schedule is April – September. 

The first attempt testing windows for candidates who apply are:

• February
• June
• August
• November

Candidates are able to register for and schedule their retakes throughout the year, but they must retake their exam in the testing windows above. 

The exam is offered through Pearson VUE Opens in new window around the world, and candidates are expected to spend three hours completing the exam.

Follow these steps to apply:

1. Log in to the Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS) Opens in new window
2. Select “Apply for Certified Internal Auditor”
3. Select “CIA Challenge Program for Qualified Chartered Accountants and Certified Public Accountants” or “CIA Challenge Program for Qualified Information Systems Auditors”
4. Complete your application and payment
5. Upload proof of your government-issued ID and a letter of good standing
   1. Candidates for the Qualified Chartered Accountants and Certified Public Accountants exam must upload proof of good standing from their accounting body.
   2. Candidates for the Qualified Information Systems Auditors exam must upload proof of good standing from the public registry.

Once your application to the program is approved, you’ll be able to register for and schedule your exam. To do this, select “Manage my program” and then choose “CIA” and click “Register.” Once you application is accepted, you must sit for the exam within 180 days of your application being approved.

The IIA offers a bundle that includes the application fee, registration fee, and access to the Standards to help you prepare. 

The IIA offers discounted exam costs to IIA members, while non-members have to pay a higher fee. See the table for a breakdown of each fee depending on your membership status. 

The IIA designed the Challenge Exam for members who already hold a professional accounting certificate or license and want to earn their CIA certification. The exam combines CIA Parts 1, 2 and 3 and removes all of the information tested on the exam for the certificate or license members already hold.

The IIA provides a syllabus for candidates looking to see what topics they need to study. It shows what topics come from each CIA exam part, the proficiency needed in each tested topic, and the approximate number of questions from each section.

Knowing what will be on the exam isn’t enough to pass it. Candidates should enlist the help of a review provider to get everything they need to prepare. The exam is difficult, and there are limited opportunities to sit for it, so candidates should work to master all testable topics to the best of their ability.

We examine the exam syllabus so you don’t have to. Our CIA Challenge Exam Review Course, based on our industry-leading Premium CIA Review System, has everything you need to pass with confidence.

The exam syllabus lists all three CIA exam parts, their domains, and the topics within those domains that are testable. For example, CIA Part 1 – Essentials of Internal Auditing, Domain 5 – Governance, Risk Management, and Control, includes 6 testable topics (instead of the normal 11 for CIA Part 1).

The syllabus also lists the percentage of questions pulled from each part, listed below.

• CIA Part 1 | Essentials of Internal Auditing — 35%
• CIA Part 2 | Practice of Internal Auditing — 43%
• CIA Part 3 | Business Knowledge for Internal Auditing — 22%

The CIA Challenge Exam has 150 multiple-choice questions based on the exam syllabus and the examination time is up to 180 minutes. Questions are divided into two categories based on proficiency:

• Basic, marked with a B on the syllabus, only require that candidates be aware of these topics.
• Proficient, marked with a P on the syllabus, demand that candidates have a deep understanding of, and the ability to apply, these concepts.

Candidates must earn 600 points out of a possible 750 to pass the exam. The exam is graded based on scaled scoring Opens in new window. The CIA Challenge Exam pass rate is 47% based on exams delivered in all countries globally. 

Candidates should use CIA Challenge Exam Review materials to help with their exam preparation. Having help from an experienced review provider can make the difference!

Additionally, candidates should plan their studies on a calendar or scheduler to help them stay on track. Our course comes with a Study Planner that you can personalize to your exam schedule and free time. The Challenge Exam covers a wide array of topics, and you need to be sure you are meeting your goals in order to pass. 

It also helps to understand the interface and format of the exam. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, so the interface is the same as the traditional CIA exam.

The CIA Challenge Exam is only offered in English. To best prepare, study and practice questions in English to make sure there are no translation issues on exam day.