CIA® Exam Part 1 — Internal Audit Fundamentals
The IIA's foundation exam — the purpose of internal auditing, ethics, governance, risk, control and fraud under the Global Internal Audit Standards.
About the exam
The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is the global credential for internal auditors. Part 1, Internal Audit Fundamentals, tests the foundations under the Global Internal Audit Standards: the purpose and mandate of internal auditing, assurance and advisory services, independence and objectivity, ethics and professionalism, governance, risk management and control, and fraud risk. Part 1 is also the exam for the IIA's Internal Audit Practitioner designation.
Part 1 has 125 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes, following the 2025 syllabus: Foundations of Internal Auditing (35%), Ethics and Professionalism (20%), Governance, Risk Management, and Control (30%) and Fraud Risks (15%).
Our practice covers every domain with scenario questions written in the language of the new Standards — mandate, advisory, Topical Requirements — plus flashcards for the key principles, case simulations where you make the audit call and see the consequence, and illustrated guides to governance, control and fraud frameworks.
How we track your progress
Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:
- Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
- Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
- DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
- ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
- Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.
The exam blueprint
2025 CIA exam syllabus aligned to the Global Internal Audit Standards (published January 2024, effective January 9, 2025); English exams on the new syllabus since May 2025 — 4 domains, each a set percentage of the exam. Tap a domain to see its topics.
1 Foundations of Internal Auditing 35% of the exam
159 practice questions in this domain so far
2 Ethics and Professionalism 20% of the exam
90 practice questions in this domain so far
3 Governance, Risk Management, and Control 30% of the exam
133 practice questions in this domain so far
4 Fraud Risks 15% of the exam
68 practice questions in this domain so far
What you get when you access this exam
Free with your QuizMe account.
Questions built on the 2025 syllabus
Every question is tagged to one of the 4 Part 1 domains and its topics — the Standard, the principle, the right call.
Hints that teach the rule
Reveal the Standard or principle behind the question when you're stuck. Every answer comes with the full rationale.
Adaptive practice
Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted like the real exam, and get harder as you get stronger.
Timed practice exams
Syllabus-weighted exams at the real pace — 125 questions in 2.5 hours — with a pacing indicator and full review.
Flashcards, case simulations and guides
120 flashcards, 8 unfolding audit cases where every decision changes what you find and report, and interactive illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.
Progress in every domain
Each domain moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.
Test at home or at a center
Apply to the CIA program through the IIA's certification portal; once approved, register for each part and schedule with Pearson VUE. You have 3 years from program acceptance to pass all three parts.
At a Pearson VUE test center
- Computer-based testing by appointment at Pearson VUE centers worldwide.
- Arrive about 30 minutes early with current government-issued photo ID that matches your IIA profile.
- Phones, bags, watches and notes go in a locker.
- Check the IIA site for current delivery options before you book.
Exam-day game plan
How to walk in ready — and how to pace 125 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours.
Pacing checkpoints
Hit these and you finish with time to revisit your flagged questions. Our timed practice exams run at this same pace.
The week before
- Take one full-length timed practice exam 3–5 days out, then rest.
- Learn the Global Internal Audit Standards vocabulary — the 2025 exam uses 'advisory' and 'mandate', not the old IPPF terms.
- Spend your last sessions on Foundations and Governance, Risk and Control — together they're 65% of the exam.
- Confirm your Pearson VUE appointment, ID and route.
During the exam
- Read the whole stem and find the cue: best, first, most appropriate, most likely.
- Separate the function from the individual: independence belongs to the internal audit function, objectivity to the auditor.
- Pick your best answer, flag it and move on; revisit flags at the end.
- Answer every question — there's no penalty for guessing.
Keep your head
- A few nerves sharpen focus. If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the stem.
- Your score is scaled against a fixed standard — 600 passes — not other test-takers.
- Change an answer only when you find a real reason in the question.
After you pass
- You have 3 years from program acceptance to pass all three parts.
- Once certified, keep the CIA active with 40 CPE hours a year, reported to the IIA each year.
- Next: Part 2, Internal Audit Engagement — passing Part 1 alone also qualifies you for the Internal Audit Practitioner designation.
Official sources and further reading
- The IIA — CIA exam syllabus (2025) ↗Official syllabus and test specifications for all three parts.
- The IIA — Certified Internal Auditor ↗Eligibility, fees and how to apply.
- The IIA — Certification Candidate Handbook ↗Scheduling, scoring and retake policies.
Ready to start?
450 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.
CIA® is a registered trademark of The Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc. QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with or endorsed by The IIA or Pearson VUE. Details are summarized from The IIA's 2025 CIA exam syllabus and certification pages; fees and policies change — always confirm at theiia.org. Our Exam ready level asks for 80% or better.