CIA Part 1 exam: format, syllabus, cost and passing score

What is the CIA Part 1 exam?

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) from The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is earned through a three-part exam: internal audit fundamentals, the internal audit engagement, and the internal audit function. Part 1 is the foundation the other two build on.

Under the 2025 syllabus, CIA Part 1 is called Internal Audit Fundamentals. It tests what internal auditing is for, the ethics and professionalism expected of auditors, governance, risk management and control, and fraud risk. The IIA says the revised syllabi are designed for alignment with its Global Internal Audit Standards.

CIA Part 1 doubles as the exam for the IIA’s Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) designation: the Candidate Handbook calls it the “IAP (CIA Part 1) exam”, and the IIA states that an active IAP waives CIA Part 1.

Source: The IIA — Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Checked 10 October 2026.

2025 syllabus vs 2019 syllabus: which CIA exam part 1 will you sit?

The IIA announced that the revised CIA exam would replace the old one no sooner than May 2025, starting in English only. In English, Part 1 now follows the 2025 syllabus, Internal Audit Fundamentals.

Some languages switch later. According to the IIA, the Arabic exam stays on the 2019 syllabus until 27 December 2026 and moves to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026, and the Simplified Chinese exam for mainland China moves during the December test window. If you test in one of those languages, check which syllabus applies on your exam date.

Be careful with study material: the IIA’s own “Exam Syllabus Part 1” web page still shows the 2019 version, titled Essentials of Internal Auditing, with six domains. The 2025 test specifications, linked below, have four sections with different weights.

Source: The IIA — CIA 2025. Checked 10 October 2026.

CIA Part 1 exam format: questions, time and passing score

The CIA Part 1 exam has 125 questions and a time limit of 150 minutes — 72 seconds per question on average. The IIA delivers it as a computer-based test through Pearson VUE test centers worldwide.

Results are reported on a scale from 250 to 750, and you need 600 or higher to pass. That is a scaled score, not a percentage: the IIA converts raw scores to the reporting scale, so 600 is not the share of questions you answered correctly.

Some items are field-test questions. In its description of how the CIA exam is developed, the IIA explains that during field testing a question is included on an exam but does not count toward your score, so treat every question as if it counts.

Source: The IIA — Certification Candidate Handbook (March 2026). Checked 10 October 2026.

CIA Part 1 syllabus: the four sections

The 2025 Part 1 syllabus has four sections. Foundations of internal auditing carries 35% and governance, risk management and control 30% — together almost two thirds of the exam. Ethics and professionalism adds 20% and fraud risks 15%.

Within those sections, the test specifications list topics such as the internal audit mandate and charter, assurance versus advisory services, independence and objectivity, due professional care, organizational culture, the risk management process, internal controls, fraud schemes, red flags and fraud investigation.

• Section A. Foundations of Internal Auditing — 35%
• Section B. Ethics and Professionalism — 20%
• Section C. Governance, Risk Management, and Control — 30%
• Section D. Fraud Risks — 15%

Source: The IIA — 2025 CIA Part 1 Expanded Test Specifications. Checked 10 October 2026.

How much does CIA Part 1 cost?

The CIA Part 1 exam fee is US$310 for IIA members and US$445 for non-members. Before you can register for any part, you pay the CIA application fee once: US$120 for members or US$240 for non-members.

Parts 2 and 3 cost US$280 each for members and US$415 each for non-members, so Part 1 is the most expensive of the three. The Candidate Handbook notes that the member discount on application and registration fees only applies if your membership is fully processed before you submit the application.

• CIA application (once): US$120 members, US$240 non-members
• Part 1 exam: US$310 members, US$445 non-members
• Part 2 and Part 3 exams: US$280 members, US$415 non-members each

Source: The IIA — Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Checked 10 October 2026.

CIA eligibility requirements

To become certified, the IIA asks for proof of education, a valid photo ID and internal audit experience: one year with a master’s degree or two years with a bachelor’s degree. Candidates on these routes must pass all three exam parts within three years of applying.

If you are a student or have no degree, the IIA route is to pass the IAP exam — CIA Part 1 — within two years of applying; experience requirements then vary by education. Qualified accountants (CPA/CA) and CISA holders can take a single CIA Challenge Exam instead of the three parts.

Source: The IIA — Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Checked 10 October 2026.

Scheduling, retakes and time limits

Once you register for Part 1, your exam window is open for 180 days or until your programme expires, whichever comes first.

If you fail, the earliest date you can retake the exam is 30 days after your last attempt, and the IIA limits you to eight attempts at an exam during your programme eligibility window. The whole programme has a three-year clock from acceptance, so a slow start on Part 1 squeezes the time left for Parts 2 and 3.

Source: The IIA — Certification Candidate Handbook (March 2026). Checked 10 October 2026.

How to study for CIA Part 1: official practice questions and test prep

Start with the 2025 Part 1 test specifications. They are the authoritative syllabus: four sections, their weights and the topics in each. Check any study plan or course against them, and make sure the material is built for the 2025 syllabus, not the 2019 one.

The IIA sells official CIA practice questions. It says they are retired questions from past CIA exams, with rationales for both correct and incorrect answers, and that each practice examination allows a maximum of two attempts.

Because 600 is a scaled score, there is no percentage target to aim for. Aim instead for consistency in all four sections, with extra depth in foundations and in governance, risk and control, which together carry 65% of the test.

Source: The IIA — CIA 2025. Checked 10 October 2026.

Exam content is confidential

The Candidate Handbook states that the IIA’s exam and exam content are confidential and protected by intellectual property and non-disclosure terms. Violations can lead to IIA discipline up to and including a permanent ban on obtaining an IIA certification.

So-called recalled questions or dumps from the live exam fall under that rule. The IIA’s own practice questions are the legitimate route to real, retired exam items.

Source: The IIA — Certification Candidate Handbook (March 2026). Checked 10 October 2026.

After you pass: keeping the CIA

Passing Part 1 is the first step; you are certified once all three parts and the experience requirement are complete. After that, the IIA requires certified individuals to self-attest every year that they meet the renewal requirements.

For active, practising CIAs, the IIA lists 40 CPE hours a year, reported in the annual renewal window from 1 October to 31 December.

Source: The IIA — CPE Requirements. Checked 10 October 2026.

CIA Part 1 practice questions on Certsqill

Certsqill’s CIA Part 1 practice questions are expert-developed and aligned to the 2025 syllabus: every question explains each answer option, and a readiness score for each of the four sections shows where you stand before you pay the exam fee.

CIA Part 1 questions people ask

How many questions are on the CIA Part 1 exam?

125 questions in 150 minutes. Source: The IIA, checked 10 October 2026.

What is the passing score for CIA exam part 1?

A scaled score of 600 or higher on a scale of 250 to 750. It is not a percentage. Source: IIA Certification Candidate Handbook, checked 10 October 2026.

How much does the CIA Part 1 exam cost?

US$310 for IIA members and US$445 for non-members, plus a one-time CIA application fee of US$120 or US$240. Source: IIA CIA page, checked 10 October 2026.

What is on the CIA Part 1 syllabus?

Four sections: Foundations of Internal Auditing (35%), Ethics and Professionalism (20%), Governance, Risk Management, and Control (30%) and Fraud Risks (15%). Source: IIA 2025 test specifications, checked 10 October 2026.

Is CIA Part 1 on the 2025 or 2019 syllabus?

The 2025 syllabus in English. Arabic stays on 2019 until 27 December 2026; Simplified Chinese moves in the December window. Source: The IIA, checked 10 October 2026.

Can I take CIA Part 1 online?

The IIA describes delivery at Pearson VUE test centers and does not mention online proctoring in its March 2026 Candidate Handbook. Checked 10 October 2026.

How soon can I retake CIA Part 1?

No earlier than 30 days after your last attempt, with at most eight attempts in your eligibility window. Source: IIA Candidate Handbook, checked 10 October 2026.

Is CIA Part 1 the same as the IAP exam?

Yes. The IIA calls it the “IAP (CIA Part 1) exam”, and an active IAP waives CIA Part 1. Source: The IIA, checked 10 October 2026.

Does the IIA offer CIA Part 1 practice questions?

Yes. The IIA sells practice questions built from retired CIA exam questions, with rationales; each practice exam allows two attempts. Source: The IIA, checked 10 October 2026.