Everything You Need to Know about the CIA Challenge Exam

Advancing your career as an internal auditor means earning your Certified Internal Auditor (CIA^®) certification. But if you already have a related professional certification, you may be eligible to join the streamlined CIA Challenge Exam program, which lets you get on the fast track to being a CIA. 

What Is the CIA Challenge Exam? 

The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA^®), governing body of the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA®) certification, developed the CIA Challenge Exam to provide certain qualified professionals with a fast-track option to the CIA credential. 

Whereas the normal process to becoming a Certified Internal Auditor requires you to fulfill specific education and experience and pass the three-part CIA Exam, the CIA Challenge Exam is a single-part exam and the only requirement (apart of application) to CIA certification. It builds upon your current credential or experience to offer a faster and more economical way to advance your internal auditing career as a CIA¹. 

CIA Challenge Exam Eligibility 

The CIA Challenge Exam is designed for professionals who already possess solid professional expertise as demonstrated through specific, relevant credentials or seven years of experience in specific disciplines. You are eligible to apply for the CIA Challenge Exam option through one of the following pathways. 

Standard Pathway 

Until 2026, only select credential-holders were eligible for the Challenge Exam. These credentials include:

1. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license or Chartered Accountant (CA) credential from one of the following bodies:
   • CPA license from any US State Board
   • Accountants Association in Poland (AAP)^®
   • Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)^®  
   • Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)^®
   • Chartered Accountants Ireland^®
   • Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada)^®
   • CPA Australia^®
   • FSR - Danske Revisorer^®
   • EXPERTsuisse^®
   • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA)^®
   • Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland)^®
   • Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Bulgaria (ICPAB)^®
   • Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)™
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka^®
   • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ)™
   • Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU)™
   • Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI-CMA)^®
   • Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)^®
   • Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer (KSW)^®
   • Koninklijke Nederlandse Beroepsorganisatie van Accountants (NBA)™
   • Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)^®
   • Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)™
   • Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA)^®
   • Ordem dos Contabilistas Certificados (OCC)^®
   • Ordem dos Revisores Oficiais de Contas (OROC)^®
   • Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)™
   • Registro Oficial de Auditores de Cuentas (ROAC)™
   • Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants (SOCPA)™
   • South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)™
   • State of Israel Ministry of Justice-Board of Accountants^®
   • Suomen Tilintarkastajat ry^®
   • Wirtschaftsprüferkammer (WPK)^®
   • Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZiCA)™
      
2. An active Certified Information Systems Auditor™ (CISA) credential of ISACA 

Note that students are ineligible for the CIA Challenge Exam.² 

New Experience Pathway 

Beginning in 2026, The IIA is opening another path of eligibility for the CIA Challenge Exam for highly experienced internal auditors. Even without one of the above-listed credentials, you can be eligible for the Challenge Exam if you possess seven or more years of experience in the following areas:   

• Internal Audit
• Quality Assurance
• Risk Management
• Audit/Assessment Disciplines
• Compliance
• External Audit
• Internal Control  

For those applying through eligibility by experience, you must complete an experience verification form³ during the application process that documents your previous roles and responsibilities, organizations, and time spent in each position. 

CIA Challenge Exam Process 

The Challenge Exam is designed to cover the information essential for CIAs, which was not on the exam you took to earn your professional credential. The Challenge Exam process from start through certification is: 

1. Apply
2. Prepare
3. Take (and pass!) the CIA Challenge Exam 
    

Apply 

The IIA is opening applications for the updated CIA Challenge Exam on April 1, 2026, after which applications will be open year-round. You must create a profile or log in and apply through The IIA’s Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS).  A

fter paying the application fee of $150 for members of The IIA and $380 for non-members, you must upload a letter of good standing from the qualified accounting body or public registry or application form detailing your prior experience, plus a government-issued ID. Once approved, you then have three years to complete the CIA Challenge program. 

Prepare 

Even though you've proven professional expertise with your current credential and experience, it's vital that you learn the new material specific to internal auditing best practices that will be covered on the Challenge Exam. This will require study and dedicated preparation if you hope to pass on your first try, avoiding duplicate fees, delays in credentialing, and disappoint.  

Becker is the official partner of The IIA for CIA and CIA Challenge Exam prep. Combining The IIA's guidance in the practice of internal auditing and expertise in Challenge Exam content, with Becker's nearly 70 years of leadership in professional exam review, we designed the Becker—The IIA CIA Challenge Exam Review as the best option to fully prepare you for success on the Challenge Exam. 

Take (and pass!) the CIA Challenge Exam 

When you're ready to take the CIA Challenge Exam, enter your CCMS platform to register. Testing windows are June, September, November, and February each year and you can schedule your exam during any of these months. However, it's important  to note that, once you register and pay for the exam, you have to schedule and take it within 180 days.  

The cost for Challenge Exam registration is $845 for members of The IIA and $1,245 for non-members. However, if you fail, you will have to pay the registration fee again to re-take the exam.  

Within three weeks of completing the exam at one of the Pearson VUE testing centers across the globe, you will receive an email notification to view your score report. You must earn at least 600 (of a total 750) points to pass.⁴

After passing the CIA Challenge Exam—congratulations!—you officially complete the program and join the network of certified CIAs who together work to advance the practice of internal auditing. You must maintain your credential through annual renewal and completing continuing professional education (CPE) requirements.

About the 2026 CIA Challenge Exam 

The CIA Challenge Exam was updated with changes taking effect on June 1, 2026. The exam contains 150 multiple-choice questions. The 2026 syllabus covers concepts split into five focus areas: 

1. Internal Audit Professionalism and Quality (20%)
2. Internal Audit Operations and Audit Plan (15%)
3. Engagement Planning (20%)
4. Engagement Performance (25%)
5. Engagement Results and Monitoring (20%)

CIA Challenge Exam FAQ 

What's the Difference Between the CIA Exam and CIA Challenge Exam? 

The CIA Exam is a three-part exam that all candidates must pass to earn the Certified Internal Auditor certification. The CIA Challenge Exam offers a streamlined pathway for candidates who possess eligible credentials (like a CPA license), which builds on current expertise and offers a single-part exam instead of the traditional three-part exam.

How Do I Know If I'm Eligible for the CIA Challenge Exam? 

To be eligible for the CIA Challenge Exam, you must either: 

1. Possess an active, eligible credential from the list offered by The IIA. This includes a CPA license, CISA certification, and others. 

2. Possess seven or more years of professional experience in internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit/assessment disciplines, compliance, external audit, internal control. 

When Can I Take the CIA Challenge Exam? 

Once you've been accepted into The IIA's Challenge Exam program, with applications opening April 1, 2026, you can register to sit for the exam during any of the Challenge Exam testing windows: February, June, September, or November. 

However, once you have registered and paid for the CIA Challenge Exam, you have 180 days to schedule and take the exam. If you do not test within this 180-day window, you lost your registration fee and must pay again before scheduling.⁵

What Score Do I Need to Pass the Challenge Exam? 

You need at least 600 of the maximum 750 points to pass the CIA Challenge Exam. 

What Is the CIA Challenge Exam Pass Rate? 

According to The IIA, the current CIA Challenge Exam pass rate is 47%.⁶ At less than half of exam-takers who pass, it's important that you prepare thoroughly with a trusted source for the updated exam. 

Where Do I Access CIA Challenge Exam Review? 

Becker is the official exam review partner of The IIA, the governing body of the Challenge Exam and standard-setting for the international best practices of internal auditing. With trusted, proven resources and content built with the team who wrote the exam, it's the best option to get you ready to pass the exam. 

Pass the CIA Challenge Exam  

As the golden standard for internal auditor credentials, the CIA certification comes with many benefits and career-changing opportunities. Pass the exam with Becker—The IIA CIA Challenge Exam Review to boost your internal audit career as a CIA. 

Pass the CIA Challenge Exam with the
Official Partner of The IIA^®

Start Now