In the present competitive auditing landscape, finding and growing in a career requires an additional accreditation, such as the CIA. You get an advantage over those who are not certified if you have a certification. Employers give a more alluring salary package to match your certified competence, which could also be helpful when negotiating pay. The Certified Internal Auditor Exam in the UK verifies that prospective candidates possess the abilities needed to function at the industry’s standards.
The CIA exam is broken up into three sections that assess a wide range of cognitive capabilities since the CIA must be prepared to carry out its duties. Each of these three sections of the CIA exam must be taken and passed separately by prospective CIA candidates. In this blog, we will walk you through each section of the CIA exam, including the format, syllabus, the most frequently asked questions around passing percentage, minimum score, and study duration.
CIA Exam Format
| CIA Part 1 | 125 multiple-choice questions | 2.5 hours long |
| CIA Part 2 | 100 multiple-choice questions | 2 hours long |
| CIA Part 3 | 100 multiple-choice questions | 2 hours long |
Certified Internal Auditor Exam: Syllabus Overview
As stated, the CIA exam includes 3 parts. The overall exam is comprehensive for internal auditing. However, each CIA exam part covers specific content areas.
1: Internal Audit Fundamentals
- Foundations of Internal Auditing (35%)
- Ethics and Professionalism (20%)
- Governance, Risk Management and Control (30%)
- Fraud Risks 15%)
2: Internal Audit Engagement
- Engagement Planning (50%)
- Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation (40%)
- Engagement Supervision and Communication (10%)
3: Internal Audit Function
- Internal Audit Operations (25%)
- Internal Audit Plan (15%)
- Quality of the Internal Audit Function (15%)
- Engagement Results and Monitoring (45%)
CIA Exam Format
The CIA exam incorporates multiple-choice questions covering various themes in each of the three sections of the CIA exam. The exam does not include essays or free-response questions.
The CIA exam can be challenging, according to candidates, and offers two very similar response options. Always choose the best or most accurate response from the list of possibilities, and if you’re unsure, make your best educated guess.
No one, not even professional review programs like Gleim, has access to the CIA exam’s questions because it is non-disclosed.
Because each exam draws from a vast collection of questions, no two exams will be precisely the same.
How to Register for the CIA Exam
To begin the process, you must log into your CCMS account, choose the registration links for each section, accept the Pricing Provisions and Conditions statement, and pay the fees for the sections.
What is the CIA challenge exam UK?
The CIA Challenge Exam is a limited-time chance to get the Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) title through a streamlined “fast track” procedure. You will save time and money by simply having to pass one multiple-choice exam to become a CIA, which is offered for a short period of time each year.
How to apply for the CIA exam?
To apply for the Certified Internal Auditor exam:
Step 1: Verify that you fulfill the requirements for the CIA exam.
Step 2: (optional) Become an IIA Member…
Step 3: Apply for the CIA program by creating a profile in IIA’s Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS).
Step 4: Send in the necessary paperwork….
Step 5: Sign up for the test…
Step 6: Schedule the exam
Which CIA exam part should I take first?
Gleim advises that most people take the CIA exam in consecutive sequence, while candidates are free to take it in any order. Since each section’s topics build upon the one before it, mastering Part 1 will help you prepare for Part 2, and mastering Parts 1 and 2 will help you prepare for Part 3.
How to pass the CIA exam?
Follow this step-wise process to qualify for the CIA exam in the UK
- Understand the topics. Modifying responses to CIA questions requires a thorough comprehension of the subject matter.
- Work with practice questions.
- Don’t commit answers to memory.
- Take timed tests and quizzes.
- Continue going over “old” material.
What is the minimum score for the CIA exam?
Each CIA Exam Part has a minimum passing score of 600 points, even though the number of questions varies—Part 1 contains 125 questions, while Parts 2 and 3 each have 100. The IIA uses a scaled scoring system to enable this.
How many questions are in the CIA exam?
There are three sections to the CIA exam. There are 125 questions in the first section of the CIA exam, which takes two and a half hours to complete. There are 100 questions in Parts 2 and 3, and each part takes two hours to finish.
How long to study for the CIA exam?
CIA applicants should set aside at least 40 hours for Part 1 studies, 40 hours for Part 2, and 50 hours for Part 3 of the CIA exam in the UK. Your experience, reading speed, and study preferences will all affect how long you spend studying.
Which is the hardest CIA exam?
CIA Part 3 is considered the most difficult CIA exam for a variety of reasons.


