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 9, 2025. Beginning May 2025, candidates will begin to sit for the updated CIA exam.
The upcoming changes to the CIA exam:
The updated CIA exam syllabi were released in May 2024 and are available on The IIA’s website Opens in new window.
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 will be reduced to 4 sections with updates to the emphasized topics.
The Independence and Objectivity, Proficiency and Due Professional Care, and Quality Assurance and Improvement Program sections will no longer be on Part 1.
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% | Managing the Internal Audit Function – 25% |
Planning the Engagement – 20% | Planning and Performing the Engagement – 50% |
Performing the Engagement – 40% | Engagement Results and Monitoring – 25% |
Communicating Engagement Results and Monitoring Progress – 20% |
CIA Part 2: Practice of Internal Auditing is being updated to test 3 sections instead of 4.
The current Planning the Engagement and Performing the Engagement sections are being combined into one section that will comprise of 50% of the content for Part 2.
The Managing the Internal Audit Activity section is being renamed to Managing the Internal Audit Function, and the current Communicating Engagement Results and Monitoring Progress section is being renamed to Engagement Results and Monitoring. Both of the new sections are increasing in emphasis from 20% to 25%.
Current Exam | Updated Exam |
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Business Acumen – 35% | Organizational Strategic Planning and Management – 25% |
Information Security – 25% | Common Business Processes – 45% |
Information Technology – 20% | Information Technology – 30% |
Financial Management – 20% |
On Part 3 of the CIA exam, Business Knowledge for Internal Auditing, there are currently 4 sections, but the new exam will decrease to 3 sections.
The Business Acumen and Financial Management sections are being removed, and the Information Technology section is increasing from 20% to 30% of the content tested. Two new sections titled Common Business Processes and Organizational Strategic Planning and Management are being added and will account for 45% and 25% of the content tested respectively.
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, CIA Challenge Exams | May 1, 2025 |
Chinese Traditional, Japanese | July 1, 2025 |
Thai, Korean | August 1, 2025 |
Portuguese | September 1, 2025 |
Spanish, French | October 1, 2025 |
Polish, German | November 1, 2025 |
Turkish, Russian | December 1, 2025 |
Chinese Simplified, Arabic | October 1, 2025 |
See below for information on previous changes to the CIA exam.