How to Become A Certified Internal Auditor South Africa

A Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is a certification offered to accountants who conduct internal audits.

Below is to Become A Certified Internal Auditor South Africa

International Credential

Increased Earning Potential

Job Security

Opportunities for Professional Advancement

Focused Skills Improvement

Certified Internal Auditor Requirements in South Africa

Education

Before you can sit for the CIA exam, you must make sure you have the proper education.

CIA candidates are required to have a 4-year post-secondary degree (or higher). This degree must come from an accredited university that is recognized by the IIA.

As proof of completed education, you will be required to show either:

A copy of your degree or official transcripts

A letter from your university confirming your degree

A letter from evaluation services that confirms the level of your degree

Work Experience

Once you have fulfilled your education requirements, you must complete a certain amount of work experience.

Two options are available to complete your pre-CIA exam requirements.

First, if you have a 4-year degree and no experience, you must complete 24 months of verified work experience as an internal auditor or the equivalent.

Examples of work experience that could be classified as “equivalent” include compliance, external auditing, internal control, and quality assurance.

Character Reference

Given that your future career as a CIA rests on displaying a high level of integrity and morality in addition to professionalism, you are required to submit a character reference.

This reference must be signed by a CIA, CGAP, CCSA, CFSA, CRMA, or your supervisor. You can find the Character Reference Form here

Register for the Exam

Now that you’ve completed all your CIA exam requirements, it’s time to register for the exam.

As of November 2010, the program requires that you complete the certification process, which includes passing all 3 parts of the exam, within 4 years.

Should you go over this 4-year time limit, all fees and completed exam parts will be forfeited.

How much does a certified internal auditor earn in South Africa?

The average salary for an Internal Auditor in SA is R 396 180 gross per year (R 33 020 gross per month), which is 43% higher than the South Africa’s national average salary.

Salary Range: an Internal Auditor can expect an average starting salary of R 308 660. The highest salaries can exceed R 905 400

How long does it take to become a certified internal auditor?

If you remember, CIA candidates must have 12 to 60 months experience depending on their education level. So, if you have a bachelor’s degree, you would also need 24 months or 2 years of professional experience to earn your CIA. Of course, this experience would need to be in the field of internal auditing.

What qualifications do I need to become an internal auditor?

The career path to becoming an internal auditor follows a sequence, starting with obtaining an academic qualification – a Bachelor of Commerce and Honours in Accounting, as well as completing the Certificate: Theory of Accounting (CTA).

Is CIA harder than CPA?

You have more time on the CPA exam since you will have task-based simulations and multiple choice questions to answer. So when it comes to test duration, the CIA Exam is easier since it takes half the time of the CPA Exam.

Is CIA certification difficult?

CIA exams are hard. The 2019 global pass rate for the CIA program was only 42%. It is quite common to fail these exams, particularly CIA Part 3. It was no accident that I passed all of my exams at the first attempt.

Is Certified Internal Auditor worth it?

As a CIA, you won’t have to settle simply for financial stability. Instead, you can enjoy financial success. The IIA reports that CIAs in the U.S. earn an average of $38,000 more annually than those without the certification. That means you can be making as much as 51% more than your non-certified peers.

IS auditor a good career?

IT auditing tends to pay better than other areas of auditing. IT auditing offers a greater earning potential in part because the profession requires a specialized background. A shortage of high performers in this field is another reason for the elevated salaries of IT auditing.

Is internal audit a good career?

​Job growth for auditors has been very strong for much of the past decade. That has made internal auditing a great option for those entering the workforce or considering a career change. However, picking a job and flourishing in it is about more than opportunity alone.