IIA CCSA Exam (Certification in Control Self-Assessment (IIA-CCSA)) Detailed Information
Certification in Control Self-Assessment® (
CCSA®)
Earning a professional credential from The IIA is the best way to demonstrate your commitment to advancing in this competitive niche and communicating your breadth of knowledge.
Be poised to drive organizational change with a Certification in Control Self-Assessment®. This designation makes a statement to executives and your colleagues about your knowledge of CSA fundamentals, processes, and related topics such as risk, controls, and business objectives.
The
CCSA exam is offered in the following languages: Chinese (Traditional), English, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish.
Computer-based Testing
The
CCSA exam is available through computer-based testing, allowing you to test year-round at more than 500 locations worldwide. Candidates are able to sit for exams at any IIA-authorized Pearson VUE testing center worldwide, regardless of whether the testing center is located in your hometown or country. To locate the testing centers nearest you, visit the Pearson VUE website. You must apply and register in The IIA's Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS) prior to scheduling an exam.
Six Steps to Certification
If you need help getting started, refer to the six steps to certification an internal auditor should review when making the decision to become certified in the profession.
Quick Links
CCSA Eligibility Requirements
CCSA Exam Syllabus
Sample Exam Questions
CPE Requirements for
CCSAs
CCSA Exam Preparation Resources
Access CCMS and visit the Complete a Form section to begin the
CCSA application process.
Certification in Control Self-Assessment® (
CCSA®) Eligibility Requirements
By applying to become a candidate in the
CCSA program, an individual agrees to accept the conditions of the program. These include eligibility requirements, exam confidentiality, Code of Ethics, Continuing Professional Education (CPE), and any other conditions enacted by The IIA's Professional Certification Board (PCB).
Requirements
CCSA candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements for education, character, work experience, facilitation experience/training, and identification. Before a candidate application can be approved, ALL documentation (proof of education, character reference, and identification) must be received and approved by The IIA’s Certification staff.
Education
CCSA candidates must hold a 3- or 4-year post-secondary degree (or higher). For further details please, refer to the Certification Candidate Handbook.
Important change to the Education Requirement for the
CCSA: The Global Board of Directors has approved an alternate path to eligibility for the
CCSA for those candidates who do not possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
Candidates may now become eligible for the
CCSA, subject to approval, who possess:
Two years post-secondary education and five years verified experience in internal audit or its equivalent, OR
Seven years verified experience in internal audit or its equivalent.
Download the Certification Education Requirement Exceptions FAQ and Application.
Once you have completed the form, please access the Certification Document Upload Portal and upload your form(s) there. (Submit the document type as Educational)
Character Reference
CCSA candidates must exhibit high moral and professional character and must submit a Character Reference Form signed by a CIA, CGAP,
CCSA, CFSA, CRMA, or the candidate's supervisor.
Character Reference Form
Once you have completed the form, please access the Certification Document Upload Portal and upload your form(s) there. (Submit the document type as Character Reference.)
Work Experience
CCSA candidates must obtain one year of control-related business experience, such as CSA, auditing, quality assurance, risk management, or environmental auditing. A completed Experience Verification Form is required. Candidates may apply to the program and sit for the exam prior to satisfying the professional experience requirement, but will not be certified until all program requirements have been met.
Experience Verification Form
Once you have completed the form, please access the Certification Document Upload Portal and upload your form(s) there. (Submit the document type as Professional Experience.)
Facilitation Experience/Training
CCSA candidates must obtain at least seven hours of acceptable facilitation experience or at least 14 hours of acceptable facilitation training. To be considered acceptable, facilitation experience or training must meet the guidelines listed on the facilitation validation form. Validation of facilitation experience/training may accompany application or be submitted later.
CCSA Facilitation Validation Form
Proof of Identification
Candidates must provide proof of identification in the form of a copy of the candidate’s official passport or national identity card. These must indicate current status; expired documents will not be accepted. All documents must be scanned and uploaded through the Document Upload Portal in a manner that ensures the photo is clearly legible.
Once you have completed the form, please access the Certification Document Upload Portal and upload your form(s) there. (Submit the document type as Other.)
Eligibility Period
Effective November 2010, the certification program’s eligibility requires candidates to complete the program certification process within four years of application approval. If a candidate has not completed the certification process within four years, all fees and exam parts will be forfeited.
Confidentiality
The
CCSA certification exam is a non-disclosed examination. Candidates in the program agree to keep the contents of the
CCSA exam confidential and therefore may not discuss the specific exam content with anyone except The IIA's Certification Department. Unauthorized disclosure of exam material will be considered a breach of the Code of Ethics and could result in disqualification of the candidate or other appropriate censure.
Code of Ethics
CCSA candidates agree to abide by the Code of Ethics established by The IIA.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Upon certification,
CCSAs are required to maintain their knowledge and skills and stay abreast of improvements and current developments by satisfying CPE requirements.
IIA Membership
In most cases, you do not have to be a member of The IIA to take the
CCSA exam or become a
CCSA but we encourage you to consider its advantages. There are some countries, however, that do require candidates to be IIA members to take the
CCSA exam. Candidates in any of the countries listed on the map located at the top right of this page should contact their local institute to verify this requirement.
IIA members receive discounts on
CCSA review materials and courses and have access to the latest exam preparation resources, networking opportunities, and current
CCSA news and information.
Certification in Control Self-Assessment® (
CCSA®) Exam Syllabus
The
CCSA exam includes 115 multiple-choice questions. Candidates are given two hours and fifty-five minutes to complete the exam. Some of the exam questions are included for research purposes only and do not affect the candidate's score. These research questions are not identified, so candidates should answer all questions to the best of their ability. The use of research questions benefits
CCSA candidates by allowing The IIA to include only pretested, statistically valid questions in scoring the
CCSA exam.
Exam Non-disclosure
The
CCSA exam is a non-disclosed examination, which means that current exam questions and answers will not be published or divulged.
CCSA Exam Topic Outline
The topics tested on the
CCSA exam are framed in the context of a variety of industry situations. Candidates are not expected to be familiar with industry-specific controls, but should be able to relate to risks and controls that generally apply to business processes in various industries. Exam topics are subject to change.
CCSA Exam Domains
The
CCSA exam core content covers six domains:
Domain I: CSA Fundamentals (5-10 percent)
Domain II: CSA Program Integration (15-25 percent)
Domain III: Elements of the CSA Process (15-25 percent)
Domain IV: Business Objectives/Organizational Performance (10-15 percent)
Domain V: Risk Identification and Assessment (15-20 percent)
Domain VI: Control Theory and Application (20-25 percent)
Certification in Control Self-Assessment® (
CCSA®) Exam Preparation Resources
CCSA Study Guide
The killexams publishes a
CCSA study guide to assist candidates in preparing for the exam. It is available through the killexams.com (powered by the TruTrainers). The guide provides a general overview of the topics that will be covered in the exam. However, it is critical that candidates perform additional study in areas where their experience or background dictates the need for additional review. A list of reference materials is included in the study guide to provide additional resources to supplement your studies.
