As from 1 February 2009, the requirements and process for members “claiming the designation” of IAT and GIA will change.

Pending legislation for the establishment of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) will require that a formal assessment be incorporated in the awarding mechanism for all professional qualifications/designations. In addition, the IIA SA’s learnership system has matured to an established, systematic and standardized means of evaluating candidates at two levels of the IIA SA qualifications framework through the training logbooks that are prescribed for our learnership (training) programs. Assessments measured against those standards are far more efficient and credible than the recognition of letters attesting to length of relevant experience.

Therefore, there are now two routes through which a member can obtain either one of the designations:

a. Through successfully completing a learnership program
b. Being assessed as competent without doing the learnership

The key issue is that the member must be more formally assessed as being competent before the designation will be awarded.

The preferred and recommended route to obtain these designations is through the successful completion in the two learnership programs.

The entrance requirements for these two programs, which both require membership of IIA SA, are:

1. IAT – candidates must be in possession of either a NQF (National Qualification Framework) level 6 qualification or have 5 years relevant practical experience, and must be employed in an internal audit capacity.
2. GIA – candidates must be in possession of a NQF level 6 qualification, and either have completed the IAT program or have been assessed as competent by an Institute appointed assessor measured against the IAT Training logbook specifications.

Requirements for applicants who have opted not to go the Learnership program route, but to be assessed directly, are as follows:

1. IAT – candidates must be in possession of a NQF level 6 qualification, have at least 2 years relevant practical experience, and must have been assessed as competent by an Institute appointed assessor measured against the IAT Training logbook specifications. OR candidates without a NQF level 6 qualification, must have at least 5 years relevant practical experience, and must also have been assessed as per above.
2. GIA – candidates must be in possession of a NQF level 6 qualification, have at least 3 years relevant practical experience, and must have been declared as competent by an Institute appointed assessor, measured against the GIA Training logbook specifications.

Associated costs
For applicants selecting the second route to claiming the designation, there will be a charge of R 627 per hour (VAT inclusive) for the assessment. This assessment fee will be reviewed annually. An assessment takes between 1.5 to 2 hours.

If applicants are outside of Gauteng, we will endeavour to make cost-efficient travel arrangements so as not to transfer the cost implications on to the applicant. There could therefore be a delay in conducting the assessment in your area of residence/work until there are sufficient assessments to justify the related costs to the Institute.

Process to follow for those choosing the “assessment” route

• Direct your enquiry to the Education & Training department at IIA SA to discuss with Bill Shellard (011 450 1040) or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Submit the “claim your designation” form
• Pay the requisite fee
• Schedule the assessment
• Note that designations will only be granted to fully-paid up members.

NQF and proposed new framework
Note that reference is no longer made to “degree or equivalent” but instead to a NQF level of the tertiary academic qualification. As the NQF is in a state of being revised to cater for more levels, and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) is in draft proposal stage, the reference to a specific NQF level may change once these two interventions have been finalized. In terms of the draft legislation establishing the QCTO, professional body qualifications and designations will reside in a separate framework under the QCTO.