Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) Eligibility Requirements
Program Requirements
Candidates in the CIA program agree to accept the conditions of the program, including eligibility requirements, exam confidentiality, Code of Ethics, and Continuing Professional Education (CPE), along with other conditions enacted by The IIA's Professional Certification Board (PCB).
| ENTRY REQUIREMENTS | EXIT REQUIREMENTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Valid Government Issued ID | Character Reference | Experience | 3 Exams | Experience |
|
Master's Degree (or equivalent) |
X | X | Exit Requirement | X | 1 year IA experience or equivalent** |
| Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent) | X | X | Exit Requirement | X | 2 years IA experience or equivalent** |
| Active Internal Audit Practitioner designation holder | X | X | Exit Requirement | X | 5 years IA experience or equivalent** |
| Other Education* | X | X | 5 years IA experience or equivalent** | X | |
* High School Diploma, Associates Degree, GCE, A-Level or their equivalent
** Experience can be in any of the following: Internal Audit, Quality Assurance, Risk Management, Audit/Assessment/Disciplines, Compliance, External Audit, Internal Control
Entry Requirements
To be approved into the CIA program, the candidate must either:
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or
- Hold an active Internal Audit Practitioner designation, or
- Possess five years of internal audit experience, or
- Be an active student in your final year of college, or *
- Be an active student with an approved Internal Audit Education Partnership (IAEP) school.*
*Note: You are able to take the CIA exams, however, your certification will not be awarded until your degree is completed and all program requirements met.
Acceptable Documents:
- Copy of your degree or official transcripts (If your name has changed since you earned your degree, you must also include your legal name change document.)
- Letter from university confirming degree.
- Letter from evaluation services confirming degree level.
Character Reference
Candidates must exhibit high moral and professional character and must submit a Character Reference signed by a CIA, CGAP, CCSA, CFSA, CRMA, QIAL, or the candidate's supervisor. The character reference is completed electronically via the CCMS.
Proof of Identification
Proof of identity is required to apply to all IIA certification programs. The identification submitted must be current and valid. Refer to the proof of identification in the certification handbook for additional details. When you are ready to sit for your exam(s), you will be required to show your identification. Please note that the identification you present on the date of your exam(s) must match the information in your CCMS profile.
Certification Candidate Handbook
Exit Requirements
CIA Exam
Once candidates have been accepted into the CIA program, they must pass all three CIA exam parts within the program eligibility period.
Work Experience
Candidates may apply to the certification program and sit for exams prior to obtaining the required work experience. However, candidates will not be certified until unless the experience requirement is met within the program eligibility period. Experience for the CIA’s certification program is based on the entry method (refer to the program requirements table above).
- Internal Audit
- Quality Assurance
- Risk Management
- Audit/Assessment/Disciplines
- Compliance
- External Audit
- Internal Control
Supporting Requirement Exemptions
The Professional Certification Board (PCB) has approved work experience and education exemptions for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualified members and an education exemption for U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) active license holders pursuing the CIA certification. The supporting requirement exemptions were granted by the PCB because the experience and education requirements for ACCA members and education requirements for U.S. CPAs meet and/or exceed these requirements for the CIA program.
| Certification/License | Supporting Requirements Waived |
|---|---|
| Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Qualified Members | Education and Work Experience |
| U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Active License Holders | Education |
By completing the appropriate fields indicated on the CIA application, candidates can be considered for these exemptions. CIA applications submitted by ACCA qualified members and U.S. CPA active license holders will be placed into a pending status while certification administrators verify memberships and licenses are active.
ACCA members, please click here to view more information regarding the work experience and education exemptions for the CIA program.
Confidentiality
The CIA exam is a nondisclosed examination. Candidates in the program agree to keep the contents of the CIA exam confidential and therefore may not discuss the specific exam content with anyone except The IIA's Global Certifications Department. Unauthorized disclosure of exam material will be considered a breach of the Code of Ethics and could result in disqualification of the candidate or other appropriate censure. For more information regarding exam security and confidentiality, please visit The IIA’s Exam Security webpage. If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding exam security, misconduct, or the testing center, contact The IIA at examsecurity@theiia.org.
Code of Ethics
CIA candidates agree to abide by the Code of Ethics established by The IIA.
Learn about the Code of Ethics
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Upon certification, CIAs are required to maintain their knowledge and skills and stay abreast of improvements and current developments by satisfying CPE requirements.
IIA Membership
In most cases, you do not have to be a member of The IIA to take the CIA exam or become a CIA, but we encourage you to consider its advantages. There are some countries, however, that do require candidates to be IIA members to take the CIA exam. Candidates in any of the countries listed on the map located at the top right of this page should contact their local institute to verify this requirement.
IIA members receive discounts on CIA review materials and courses and have access to the latest exam preparation resources, networking opportunities, and current CIA news and information.