This document serves to confirm the procedures for the CIA, CCSA, CGAP and CFSA examinations

The Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIA SA) does not:

• Guarantee the right to sit for any of the exams offered
• Accept registration forms that are incomplete or incorrectly completed
• Process any unpaid registrations

GENERAL

• The IIA SA will not accept responsibility for registration forms sent directly to IIA Inc. IIA Inc will not accept a South African registration form unless received via IIA SA.
• An authorization letter, which contains information on how to book an exam appointment, will be e-mailed to the candidate as soon as the registration with the IIA Inc has been confirmed. This letter is needed alongwith your government issued ID to gain entrance to the examination site. If you have not received an authorization letter 4 weeks after your registration and payment has been received, please contact the Certifications Administrator via e-mail on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Tel: (011) 450-1040. You will not be allowed to book an exam appointment without an authorization letter.
• Authorisation letters as well as result letters will be sent via e-mail (unless requested to the contrary). The onus is on the candidate to notify the Institute in the event of his / her e-mail address being changed.

MEMBERSHIP

Please note that only fully paid-up members of the IIA SA will be allowed to take part in the CIA/CCSA/CGAP/CFSA examination program. Should you wish to take part in the examination program, but is not a member of the IIA SA, please contact the Membership Administrator on Tel: (011) 450-1040 for information on how to become a member of the IIA. Should you not have paid your membership fee, please ensure that your  membership fee is paid up before you submit the Exam Registration Form.

EXAM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Candidates wishing to enter the CIA exam program must be in possession of either a relevant three year degree or diploma and three years relevant experience OR a four year degree or diploma plus two years relevant experience.
• Candidates may sit for the CIA exam prior to satisfying the professional experience requirement, but they will not be certified until the experience requirement has been met.
• Candidates wishing to enter the CCSA exam program must be in possession of a relevant three year degree or diploma, two years relevant experience and at least seven hours of acceptable facilitation experience or 14 hours acceptable facilitation training.
• Candidates wishing to enter the CGAP exam program must be in possession of a relevant three year degree or diploma as well as a minimum of three years experience in the public sector.
• Candidates wishing to enter the CFSA exam program must be in possession of a relevant three year degree or diploma as well as three years relevant experience in a financial services environment.
• Please contact the Certification Administrator via e-mail on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Tel: (011) 450-1040 to confirm whether your qualification/s and experience will be accepted as meeting the minimum entrance requirements before you submit your registration and payment.

DOCUMENTATION

The following documentation must accompany the registration form. Registrations will not be processed before all the information has been received.

• Character reference form
• Experience verification
• Copy of qualification
• CCSA facilitation validation form (For CCSA registrations)
• Government auditing experience form (For CGAP registrations)
• Financial services auditing experience form (For CFSA registrations)

EXAM PROCESS

The exams are administered by means of Computer Based Testing. Once the candidate has received his/her authorization letter he/she should contact the IIA appointed service provider, Pearson Vue, to book an exam appointment. A candidate has 6 months from the date of authorisation to sit the exam part/s. If a candidate fails an exam part the candidate may only register for the applicable part after 90 days.

TEST STRUCTURE
The CIA exam parts each consists of 100 multiple choice questions. A total of 2 hours and 45 minutes are allocated for these exams. The speciality exams each consist of 125 multiple choice questions. A total of 3 hours and 15 minutes are allocated for these exams. These time allocations should be taken into consideration when deciding on a time for the exam appointment.

NO SHOWS
Candidates are required to be at the exam site ½ hour before the exam is due to start. A candidate who has not arrived at the exam site when the exam is due to start, will be regarded as a no show. A candidate who is a no show will forfeit the full registration fee.

DEFERRALS
Due to the flexibility offered by the CBT system, the need for a deferral process has fallen away. No requests for deferrals will be entertained. Candidates who do not sit for an exam within the 6 month period will forfeit the registration fee.

TERMINOLOGY
IIA SA - The Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa. An affiliate of the global IIA.
Authorisation letter - The formal notification to the candidate that he has been registered for the exam and that he may book an exam appointment. This letter contains the process to be followed in booking an exam as well as the period for which the registration is valid
No show - A candidate who does not show up for an exam at the time for which the exam appointment has been booked
Computer Based Testing - Candidates have to answer exam questions on a computer. There will be no pen and paper processes involved
Character reference form - Form completed by the candidate’s supervisor, manager or educator which confirms that the candidate exhibits high moral and professional character Experience verification - Form that confirms that the candidate has the prerequisite experience
CCSA facilitation validation form - Form that confirms that the candidate has the prerequisite experience
Government auditing experience form - Form that confirms that the candidate has the prerequisite experience
Financial serves auditing experience form - Form that confirms that the candidate has the prerequisite experience
Application fee - Once off non-refundable fee. This amount covers the initial application that gives the candidate access to the exam program
Registration fee - This fee covers the actual cost of the exam. In the case of the CIA, the registration fee indicated is per part. There are 4 CIA exam parts Student - Fulltime student who has successfully completed at least three years of academic learning
Academic - Fulltime lecturer at an academic institution
Part IV professional recognition credit (PRC) - Candidates who are eligible may receive an exemption for the CIA Part IV exam. A fee must be paid when candidates apply for PRC.