About the Internal Audit Practitioner Designation

The Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) is a foundational certification that equips students and early-career auditors with the necessary knowledge and skills to begin a career in internal auditing. It’s a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and build a path to additional professional certifications.

The Institute of Internal Auditors® (IIA®) updated the IAP Program to ensure it’s up to date with industry practices, to cover internal audit fundamentals thoroughly, and to create a path to the Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) certification.

Exam Requirement
As of May 28, 2025, Internal Audit Practitioner candidates become certified by taking the new CIA Part 1 exam, titled Internal Audit Fundamentals. This means that candidates preparing for the updated IAP exam can study with CIA Part 1 exam prep materials. CIA Part 1 has more questions and a longer testing time than the previous IAP exam. 

Continuing Professional Education 
The IAP is a permanent designation and no longer expires after three years. Beginning in 2026, The IIA IAP program will require IAPs to complete 20 hours of annual CPE. 

Languages Available
Because the CIA Part 1 exam is offered in more languages than the previous IAP exam, IAP candidates will now have many more options when choosing their preferred exam language.

See the table for a full breakdown of all of the IAP program changes.

There are many great reasons to earn your IIA IAP certification:

• Gain confidence in foundational internal audit topics.
• Develop the necessary skills you’ll use in your career.
• Demonstrate your dedication to growth to potential employers.
• Differentiate yourself from your non-certified peers.

If you’re early in your career and are trying to enter the field of internal auditing, the IAP can help you get your foot in the door. Because there are no prerequisite educational or experience requirements, the IAP is perfect for students and young professionals looking to propel their careers forward. 

The IAP is also a great way to establish a path for growth and move up in your career. Once you pass the IAP by taking CIA Part 1, you’re already on track to continue advancing with the CIA. When you apply to the CIA program after already earning the IAP, you’ll get a waiver for passing Part 1 and will only need to pass Parts 2 and 3 to become a CIA—as long as you pass the remaining parts during your waiver eligibility period, which we cover in detail later on.

The IAP exam cost depends on if you’re a student and whether or not you’re a member of The IIA—so it ranges from costing $310 to $685 to complete the IIA Internal Audit Practitioner program. See the table for a breakdown of the IAP costs. 

Once you’re certified, The IIA requires IAPs to complete an annual certification renewal process, but the cost varies depending on where you’re located. 

The IAP is an achievable and cost-effective certification designed to help entry-level audit professionals start their careers strong. This investment in your career will pay off quickly since you’ll be equipped to begin your career with a certification already under your belt.

As of May 28, 2025, Internal Audit Practitioner candidates become certified by taking Part 1 of the Certified Internal Auditor Exam. This exam covers Internal Audit Fundamentals by testing you on four key topic areas.

The exam is 2.5 hours long and has 125 multiple-choice questions. On average, you’ll need to study for about 75-85 hours over 7-9 weeks to prepare for the exam.

This table breaks down the content tested on the CIA Part 1 exam. Go to The IIA’s IAP Exam Syllabus page Opens in new window to see the detailed exam syllabus and topic breakdown.

If you apply for the Internal Audit Practitioner program on or after May 28, 2025, once your application is approved, you have two years to pass the exam before your program window expires.

Because the Internal Audit Practitioner exam uses the CIA Part 1 exam as of May 28, 2025, the version of the CIA Part 1 syllabus you are tested on will depend on what language you’re taking it in and when your exam is scheduled for.

The IIA also updated the CIA exam with a new syllabus to align with the latest Global Internal Audit Standards. The new CIA exam content is testable as of May 28, 2025, in English, and will continue to be testable in additional languages according to this table of language release dates. 

To help you determine your exam timeline, be sure to check when the updated IAP (CIA Part 1) exam will be available in your chosen exam language. The IIA will be rolling out the updated CIA exam over an extended time period. Depending on what language you’re testing in, you may have significantly more time to sit for the current IAP (CIA Part 1) exam before the changes go into effect. 

To become an IAP, you’ll need to have a government-issued ID, and you’ll have to submit an application to the IIA IAP Program. There aren’t any prerequisite education or experience requirements you have to meet before you can earn the IAP.

Once you have the Internal Audit Practitioner certification, The IIA will require you to complete 20 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) annually beginning in 2026.

In order to maintain your certification status, you’ll also be required to complete The IIA’s Annual Certification Renewal process. 

Once you become a certified Internal Audit Practitioner, the next step on your internal audit career path is to become a Certified Internal Auditor. You’ll already be ahead because you’ll have passed the CIA Part 1 exam to earn your IAP, so you’ll only need to pass CIA Parts 2 and 3 to complete the CIA exam.

IAPs receive a waiver for CIA Part 1 when applying to the CIA program, according to the following requirements.