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On January 1, 2019, The IIA made major content updates to the English version of the CIA exam. These changes included adding new testable topics and reorganizing topics on the CIA exam. These extensive changes were made in an effort to keep the CIA exam up to date with current auditing best practices and the role of an internal auditor. Throughout 2019 and 2020 The IIA will be updating the translated versions of the exam.
Want to learn about any CIA exam changes? You will find all you need to know about changes and updates to the CIA exam syllabus right here in our comprehensive guide.
In response to worldwide Pearson VUE test center closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The IIA has partnered with Pearson VUE to offer online testing of CIA exams. This option became available starting April 29, 2020, for an initial 3-month trial period. The IIA will then determine whether to continue online testing or not.
The IIA has updated their Certification Candidate Handbook, Appendix D, to incorporate information about online proctoring.
Online testing allows CIA candidates to take their exams in the safety of their own home or office. During this time of uncertainty, this ensures candidates are able to complete their exams and meet their certification requirements.
Online testing is available in multiple languages, but candidates will need to communicate with the proctor in English. See our chart below for language availability dates. Pearson VUE greeters, proctors, and tech support are only available in English, and you must be able to communicate with your proctor in English to participate.
| Language | Start Date |
|---|---|
| English | April 29, 2020 |
| Japanese | May 6, 2020 |
| Arabic, Turkish, Russian, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Thai, and Korean | May 27, 2020 |
| Czech, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, and Polish | June 7, 2020 |
| English CIA Challenge Exam for Specialty Programs | Coming Soon |
Note: Online testing is not available everywhere. Currently, Cuba, mainland China, North Korea, Slovenia, Sudan, and Syria are not offering online testing.
You will need three things to sit for your exam at home: a reliable device with a webcam; a quiet, private location where you won’t be interrupted; and a strong internet connection.
System requirements can be found on the Pearson VUE online testing page. Gleim and The IIA recommend you read these requirements carefully before scheduling your exam. You may download the Pearson VUE software in advance to test your system for compatibility. Pearson VUE has technical support available to assist with any issues that arise.
Candidates must ensure their workspace fulfills the security requirements of the exam, which includes having only one monitor and no other computers on during your exam. If you are suspected of cheating or tampering with the software, your exam will be immediately terminated. This will be reported to Pearson VUE and The IIA, potentially invalidating your exam.
Candidates are advised to test in a quiet, private room in their home or office. The room must be inspected by a proctor prior to beginning your exam. This is done via photos submitted through the downloaded exam software. If you have any whiteboards or items with writing on a wall, these will be inspected prior to your exam. If your room fails the inspection, you will be labeled a “no-show” and will need to register and pay the exam fees again.
You cannot have anyone else in the room with you while you are testing. If the exam proctor suspects a third party in the room, your exam could be terminated. Be sure to alert any individuals that are in your office or home not to disturb you during your exam! You are not allowed any paper, notebooks, or writing utensils within arm’s reach of your workspace. You cannot have any physical scratch paper or whiteboards.
Pricing for the English exams is listed below. Online testing is the same cost than testing at a Pearson VUE test center, so be sure your home or office meets the testing requirements before you pay to register! Candidates who would normally go through their local affiliate to register and schedule their exams must still do so.
| Part | Member Price | Nonmember Price |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | $280 USD | $395 USD |
| Part 2 | $230 USD | $345 USD |
| Part 3 | $230 USD | $345 USD |
Register to sit for your exam using online testing through your CCMS account. Be sure to read the Pearson VUE online testing page thoroughly to make sure this is a viable option. There is an option to “Test my system,” which can be helpful to determine if your station meets the technical requirements.
When registering for your exam on CCMS, select “At my home or office” on the “Select Exam Delivery Option” page. You can schedule exams every quarter hour (9 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., etc.) and may even be able to schedule your exam on the same day you take it, depending on availability.
NOTE: If you do not see the option to schedule for online testing, click “Help” in CCMS and open a new case. Select the “Request OP-Delivery for Existing Registration” category.
Pearson VUE has instructions on their site for exam-day procedures. You will still need to be on time for your exam, but you should plan to be there up to 30 minutes earlier to complete the check-in process, including submitting your ID and other security details. If you are late due to a prolonged check-in process, you can be labeled a “no-show” and risk registering and paying the exam fees again. It can take up to 10 minutes to get a proctor, who will be monitoring you both visually and audibly during your entire exam.
According to Pearson VUE, the most common technical issues are an unreliable internet connection (less than 3 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up) or an unauthorized program running simultaneously. CIA candidates can verify both by testing their software and making sure all unauthorized programs are exited before their exam.
If you have a minor internet outage, the exam will pause until connection is resumed. However, if your connection is disrupted for a long period of time, the exam will be terminated and a case will be opened for review.
If you have any other technical issues after meeting with the greeter, Pearson VUE will automatically log a case on your behalf. Due to high volume, it may take 3-5 business days for Pearson VUE to review your case. However, if your exam is terminated or paused, you will not be able to resume your exam session.
Contact Pearson VUE’s IIA-specific customer service via online chat or over the phone. Remember, all greeters, proctors, and technical support are only available in English.
THE 
SOLUTION
Practice testing in an environment similar to the exam! With Gleim’s exam-emulating software, you can practice answering questions under these conditions. Take note of anything that distracts you during your quizzes (outside noises, room decorations, etc.) and learn to work past these distractions or identify whether you should remove them during future quizzes and your exam! Be sure to clean your desk of any papers or notes. If you take notes during your quizzes, use an online note taking tool to mimic the digital whiteboard instead of physical paper.
Some of the major differences of the online exam are as follows:
The IIA has streamlined the CIA exam by redefining the three exam parts according to The IIA’s 2017 global job-analysis study. Each part will better test the knowledge and skills required of current internal auditors.
Now, content is more evenly distributed across all three parts and topics in Part 3 no longer overlap with those in Parts 1 and 2. This redistribution has made it more important to take Part 3 last, but it is now more feasible for candidates to take Part 3 either first or last. Parts 1 and 2 should continue to be taken in numerical order because topics tested in Part 2 still build on those found in Part 1.
Part 3 still requires a basic knowledge of topics that relate peripherally—but not directly—to auditing. However, now Part 3 has an increased focused on IT-related topics and how they pertain to auditing.
The new CIA exam syllabus took effect January 1, 2019, for the English version of the exam. The new exam has been translated into 14 languages as of 2021. Some previously offered languages are being discontinued.
The following languages have either been discontinued or will be discontinued, and the last dates to sit for the 2018 version of the exam in these languages are listed.
| Language | Last Date |
|---|---|
| Hebrew | December 31, 2020 |
| Indonesian | December 31, 2020 |
| Czech | September 30, 2021 |
| Italian | September 30, 2021 |
The IIA has always set the level at which new CIAs need to perform. To do this, it conducts a standard-setting study to determine what constitutes a passing score.
The passing score will remain the same on the new exam: 600 on a scale of 250-750. However, because there will be a lot of changes all at once, the first candidates to take it will actually help The IIA determine how hard the new exam is, and what percent of answers correct is needed to achieve a 600. A 600 has always been a moving target. 600 equals 75% when the test is of a moderate difficulty level, and sometimes 600 is less than 75% when the test is more difficult.
The format of the test will stay the same. You will still be asked the same number of questions and given the same amount of time to finish each part of the exam.
125 questions 150 minutes
100 questions 120 minutes
100 questions 120 minutes
The fees and requirements to take the CIA exam will also stay the same.
You can read The IIA’s outline for the exam syllabus changes here. It is incredibly granular and much of the information isn’t relevant to your exam preparation, but it does offer more details if you need them.
