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CIAs are respected worldwide as an elite group of professionals who have passed the CIA exam and have met these stringent requirements of the CIA Program:

• Academic performance which measures the candidate's preparation for their chosen profession.
• Educational Requirements
• Educational Equivalency
• A reputation for trustworthiness and ethical principles.
• Character Reference
• Verification of at least two years of technical proficiency as a practitioner.
• Professional Experience
• Required maintainance of skills upon certification
• Continuing Professional Development

Educational Requirement
Academic performance at an accredited college-level institution confirms a CIA candidate's professional preparation and commitment to professional excellence. Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college-level institution. A copy of the candidate's diploma, transcripts, or other written proof of completion of a degree program must be submitted with the registration or forwarded to The IIA by the college or university. Candidates will not be allowed to sit for the exam until the educational requirement is met.

Educational Equivalency
To ensure adequate consideration for cultural and societal differences around the world, IIA national institutes and chapters have been given the authority to recommend educational and experience criteria for their countries.

In addition, certain international professional designations (such as Chartered Accountant) may be accepted as equivalent to a bachelor's degree.

Internal auditing work experience or educational performance may be taken into account when a non-degree candidate has completed more than 90 percent of the academic requirements needed for a degree (in the U.S., approximately 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours of degree credits at an accredited college-level institution).

Applicants who do not possess a bachelor's degree and who are unsure whether their educational achievements or professional designation qualify as equivalents should submit related educational/professional information with their registration and request evaluation to The IIA for review by the Board of Regents. Information submitted should be sufficiently detailed to enable the Board of Regents to determine equivalency.

Character Reference
CIAs must exhibit the highest moral and professional character and abide by The IIA's Code of Ethics. Candidates must submit a character reference from a responsible person such as a CIA, supervisor, manager, or educator. The Character Reference Form must accompany the Application Form.

Professional Experience
CIAs are required to complete 24 months of internal auditing experience or its equivalent. Equivalent experience means experience in audit/assessment disciplines, including external auditing, quality assurance, compliance, and internal control. Either a master's degree or work experience in related business professions (such as accounting, law, or finance) can be substituted for one year of experience. Candidates may sit for the CIA exam prior to satisfying their experience requirement, but they will not be certified until the experience requirement has been met.

A candidate's work experience in internal or external auditing should:

• Be printed on the Internal Audit Experience Verification Form or on the organization's letterhead.
• Include the specific dates of employment in an auditing capacity.
• Specify the position(s) held along with a brief description of duties and responsibilities.
• Contain the signature and title of the candidate's supervisor, another appropriate member of the organization, or a Certified Internal Auditor.

The Internal Audit Experience Verification Form should be sent with the candidate's application or later when criteria have been met. However, prompt submission of the Experience Verification Form will expedite certification processing once the candidate has passed the exam.

Note: The Board of Regents is the final judge of the acceptability of professional or educational attainment offered in lieu of a bachelor's degree and of equivalents offered for consideration as work experience.

Continuing Professional Development
Upon certification, CIAs are required to maintain their knowledge and skills and stay abreast of improvements and current developments in internal auditing standards, procedures, and techniques. Practicing CIAs must complete and report 80 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) every two years.

To initiate the CPD reporting process, 80 CPD hours are awarded to a candidate for passing the CIA exam (40 hours awarded in the year the exam is passed and 40 hours in the subsequent year).

It is the CIA's responsibility to assure that the CPD hours claimed conform to the guidelines established by The IIA's Board of Regents. These guidelines are available on The IIA's Web site, or by contacting The IIA's Customer Service Center at 407 830-7600, Ext. 1.