How to Apply for the CIA Certification
There are three main steps to getting your CIA certification: applying for the program, taking the exam, and meeting the experience and education requirements. In this blog, we will dive into applying for the CIA certification program and exam.
1. Create a Profile
To start the process of applying to the CIA certification program, you have an easy task: make an account in The IIA’s Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS). Through this website you will apply for the program, view your exam score reports, and check on your certification status, so you can think of it as your home base. In addition, you will use this website to report your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits after you have earned your certification.
When you go to the CCMS to sign up, it will look at first as though you have to be an IIA member to make an account, but you do not. Below the “Submit” button is a small bit of hyperlinked text that reads, “Create a profile without knowing IIA Member/Customer username and password.” This option allows you to sign up without paying for a membership. Once you have set up your profile, the IIA will send you a Candidate ID Number and information on how to activate your account.
2. Fill Out the Application
After creating your CCMS profile, click on “Complete a Form” in the left-hand side bar, then choose “CIA Application” or “CIA Application – Student/Professor.” The form will ask you about your education, membership, other certifications, work experience, and ethical fitness (i.e., whether you have committed a crime). It’s a pretty simple form to fill out.
Submitting the CIA application costs:
- $115 for IIA members
- $230 for non-members, and
- $65 for students
3. Upload the Required Documents
Once you submit your application to The IIA, they will send you a “Your application has been approved” email with instructions explaining how to submit supporting documentation. To complete this part of the process, you will submit photo identification, proof of education, and a character reference form through a designated document upload portal on The IIA’s website. These documents are detailed below.
| Photo Identification | Proof of Education | Character Reference Form |
|---|---|---|
| A copy of your official passport or national identity card | A copy of your degree or official transcripts | A character reference evaluation by an IIA-certified person, your supervisor, or your professor.” |
You have 90 days after submitting your application to get all of your documents approved. You read that right: it’s not 90 days to upload your documents, it’s 90 days to have your uploaded documents approved. The IIA doesn’t mention how long it takes to approve documents, so play it safe and have all of your documents ready to go the same day you submit your application. If one or more of the documents aren’t approved by The IIA in time, your application will be denied and you will have to start the process over again, INCLUDING having to pay another application fee.
Next Stop: Registering for the CIA Exam
After you have uploaded your documents and they are all approved, you can register for the CIA exam. You register for the exam in almost the same way you apply for the certification program: login to your CCMS account, click “Complete a Form” on the left sidebar, and find the CIA exam registration form for the part you want to take.
After you fill out that form and pay the exam registration fee, you will receive an email with an “authorization to test” and instructions on how to schedule your exam. The exam registration fees for each part are as follows:
| IIA Member | Non-Member | Student | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | $280 | $395 | $230 |
| Part 2 | $230 | $345 | $180 |
| Part 3 | $230 | $345 | $180 |
Once you register for an exam part, you have 180 days to schedule and sit for that part. It’s your responsibility to contact Pearson VUE–the testing center company that The IIA has contracted with–and schedule your exam appointment. There are no blackout dates for the CIA exam, so you can schedule your exam for any day as long as the testing center is open and has available appointments. The IIA requires you to wait 48 hours after getting your “authorization to test” before trying to contact Pearson VUE so they may have time to process your information.
The easiest way to schedule your exam is online, but you also have the option to call Pearson VUE. If you decide to call, make sure you know where your preferred testing location is by checking the Pearson VUE customer service page.
Adding Up the Costs for taking the CIA exam
There is an up-front cost to become a CIA, but there are a number of ways you can achieve certification for less.
| Fees | IIA Member | Non-Member | Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Membership (Optional) | $255* | – | $40 |
| Application | $115 | $230 | $65 |
| Exam Registration | $740 | $1,085 | $590 |
| Total | $1,110 | $1,315 | $695 |
*The IIA offers special membership pricing for educators ($145) and government employees ($160).
Becoming a member of The IIA and passing the exam within one year will save you hundreds of dollars. Plus, you’ll enjoy the benefits The IIA provides, such as free CPE webinars and lower rates on in-person, online, and on-demand training. If you’re still a student, you will be able to sit for the CIA exam in your senior year and experience the greatest savings of all.
Regardless of the path you choose, becoming a CIA can increase your earning potential by as much as 51% according to The IIA’s 2017 Internal Audit Compensation Study. So the price you pay now is an investment that will yield incredible gains over the course of your career. Investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do no matter your circumstances.
The Benefits of CIA Review
You want to pass all three parts of the CIA exam within one year so you can enjoy the benefits of becoming a CIA and take advantage of the biggest cost savings. And you have to pass all three parts within 4 years to avoid reapplying to the certification program and losing credit to any part(s) you have already passed.
We know you want to pass each part the first time you sit for it. A review course can feel like another expense, but it will save you tons of time and can save you money as well if you would otherwise have to pay to retake any exam parts. To pass quickly and with confidence, we recommend you purchase a CIA review course. Gleim CIA Review was the first CIA Review Course and has been an innovator in the review course market ever since. We have now integrated our SmartAdapt™ technology into the 2019 edition of our CIA Review System, and we can’t overemphasize how important it is to acquire the tools you need to set yourself up for success.
Passing the CIA Exam
Gleim CIA gives you access to a Personal Counselor who will walk you through each step of the CIA certification process and help carve out a schedule to make sure you meet your goals and timeline for passing the CIA exam. From submitting your application to passing the exam, Gleim is here to help you succeed. Wherever you are in your exam preparation, you can learn more about the CIA exam and pick up our best study tips by downloading our free CIA exam guide
