Everything you need to know about upcoming CIA exam changes, when the new exam will be tested, and more. Plus, learn about past exam changes to see how the exam and profession have developed over the years.
The IIA is updating the Global Internal Audit Standards Opens in new window, International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) Opens in new window and the the CIA exam syllabus Opens in new window. The new Standards have been approved and will be effective January 2025. Beginning in May 2025, candidates will begin to sit for the updated CIA exam.
The upcoming changes to the CIA exam:
The IIA released updated CIA exam syllabi that are available on their website Opens in new window. The syllabi provide topic breakdowns for each exam part, including the weighting of the topics tested.
Keep reading to get an overview of the changes coming to each part of the CIA exam.
Current Exam | Updated Exam |
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Foundations of Internal Auditing – 15% | Foundations of Internal Auditing – 35% |
Independence and Objectivity – 15% | Ethics and Professionalism – 20% |
Proficiency and Due Professional Care – 18% | Governance, Risk Management, and Control – 30% |
Quality Assurance and Improvement Program – 7% | Fraud Risks – 15% |
Governance, Risk Management, and Control – 35% | |
Fraud Risks – 10% |
Part 1 of the CIA exam, Essentials of Internal Auditing, currently tests 6 sections. On the new CIA exam, Part 1 is being renamed to Internal Audit Fundamentals, and it will be reduced to 4 sections with updates to the emphasized topics.
The current sections titled Independence and Objectivity, Proficiency and Due Professional Care, and Quality Assurance and Improvement Program will no longer be Part 1 sections.
The new exam will still have the Foundations of Internal Auditing and Fraud Risks sections, and both will have a larger emphasis than they do now. The Governance, Risk Management, and Control section will have a slight decrease in emphasis on the new exam. A new section titled Ethics and Professionalism will also be tested on Part 1.
Current Exam | Updated Exam |
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Managing the Internal Audit Activity – 20% | Engagement Planning – 50% |
Planning the Engagement – 20% | Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation – 40% |
Performing the Engagement – 40% | Engagement Supervision and Communication – 10% |
Communicating Engagement Results and Monitoring Progress – 20% |
CIA Part 2: Practice of Internal Auditing is being updated to test 3 sections instead of 4. Part 2 is also being renamed to Internal Audit Engagement.
All of the current sections are being updated, and there will be a greater emphasis on Engagement Planning, Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation.
Current Exam | Updated Exam |
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Business Acumen – 35% | Internal Audit Operations – 25% |
Information Security – 25% | Internal Audit Plan – 15% |
Information Technology – 20% | Quality of the Internal Audit Function – 15% |
Financial Management – 20% | Engagement Results and Monitoring – 45% |
Part 3 CIA exam, Business Knowledge for Internal Auditing, will be titled Internal Audit Function and it will still test candidates on 4 sections. The section content is being updated with a greater emphasis on Engagement Results and Monitoring and Internal Audit Operations.
You can still apply to enter the CIA program at any time. Once you’re approved into the program, you’ll have three years to complete it. So when you schedule your exam, you can either schedule it before or after the new exam releases.
If you’re currently a CIA exam candidate, you should carefully review the IIA’s new exam syllabus when it’s available. Compare it to the current syllabus to determine which is the best choice for you—sitting for the current exams or sitting for the new exams beginning May 2025. Be sure to factor in where you’re at in your program eligibility window to ensure you have enough time to pass all 3 parts within your time limit.
We recommend that current candidates go ahead and complete all 3 exams if possible to avoid the uncertainty of sitting for a new exam. But ultimately, you should make the best choice for your personal situation.
If you pass an exam part before the new exam releases, you’ll retain your passing score for that part when the new exam releases. You’ll only need to re-take exam part(s) if your program window expires.
Learn more on The IIA’s FAQ page Opens in new window.
The IIA plans to offer the updated CIA exam in different languages according to the release schedule below.
Language | Release Date |
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English | May 2025 |
Chinese Traditional, Japanese | July 2025 |
Thai, Korean | August 2025 |
Portuguese | September 2025 |
Spanish, French | October 2025 |
Polish, German | November 2025 |
Turkish, Russian | December 2025 |
Chinese Simplified, Arabic | September 2026 |
See below for information on previous changes to the CIA exam.