A candidate in Saudi Arabia pays the IIA’s standard fees in US dollars through CCMS. As of November 2026 that is $990 as an IIA member or $1,515 as a non-member for the application and one attempt at each of the three parts: SAR 3,712.50 or SAR 5,681.25 at the fixed rate of 3.75 riyals to the dollar, before tax, study materials or membership. The cheapest route to member pricing is the national institute, which is no longer called IIA Saudi Arabia: since April 2025 it is the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors (SAIA), and its individual membership costs SAR 402.50 including VAT and carries IIA membership with it. The IIA’s prices rise on 4 January 2027, so the next eight weeks are a sensible time to apply.
The exam is the same three-part, computer-based exam as everywhere else, delivered only at Pearson VUE test centers, in English or Arabic. What differs in the Kingdom is the institute, the identification rules for a national ID or Iqama, the Arabic exam’s move to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026, and a job market in which SAMA’s rules name the CIA and Saudization reaches internal audit roles. This guide covers those local layers and leans on the complete CIA exam guide, the cost guide and the requirements guide for the global rules.
In this guide
- IIA Saudi Arabia is now SAIA
- What the CIA costs in riyals
- Eligibility and documents
- National ID, Iqama or passport, and test centers
- English or Arabic
- Where CIAs work: regulators, Vision 2030 and Saudization
- What the salary guides say
- Review course options and employer sponsorship
- A study plan around the Saudi calendar
- Questions readers ask
- Related guides
IIA Saudi Arabia is now SAIA
The institute was established in 2011 as the Saudi Institute of Internal Auditors under Council of Ministers Decision No. 84. On 29 April 2025 Council of Ministers Resolution No. 763 renamed it the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors (الهيئة السعودية للمراجعين الداخليين) and transferred the authority to license the practice of internal auditing from the Ministry of Commerce to SAIA, which operates under the oversight of the General Court of Audit. Its home page reports 6,312 Certified Internal Auditors and 2,630 active members as of November 2026, and Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the IIA’s 2027 International Conference. The IIA’s chapters and affiliates page still lists the body as IIA Saudi Arabia, pointing to saia.gov.sa; both names mean the same organization.
SAIA’s published role for candidates is narrower than “authority” suggests: awareness, preparatory courses, guidance on registration, and member discounts. Nothing on its site says it approves applications or collects exam fees in riyals, and the IIA publishes one USD price list for “the United States, Canada, and select countries,” noting that pricing may differ where exams are administered through agreements with national institutes. No Saudi-specific price list is published, so as far as the public pages show, a Saudi candidate applies and pays in CCMS like anyone else. SAIA matters because its membership includes membership of The IIA, which gives you member pricing in CCMS.
| SAIA membership | Price, SAR (15% VAT included) | Stated discount | Includes, per saia.gov.sa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | 402.50 (350.00 + 52.50 VAT) | 10% on SAIA training programs, on exams, and on IIA and SAIA books and materials | IIA membership, exclusive IIA content, events, CPE |
| Student | 115.00 (100.00 + 15.00 VAT) | 10% on exams and on IIA and SAIA books and materials; SAIA training not listed | Same list; “student” is not defined on the page |
| Corporate Bronze / Silver / Gold | 11,500 / 23,000 / 34,500 | 20% / 25% / 30% | IIA membership and the same list; headcount covered not stated |
The arithmetic: a non-member pays SAR 5,681.25 in IIA fees; a SAIA member pays SAR 402.50 plus SAR 3,712.50, or SAR 4,115.00, saving SAR 1,566.25 before the first retake (SAR 1,060.00 at 2027 prices). Direct IIA membership in North America is $290 (SAR 1,087.50), so SAIA is also the cheaper way in. Two cautions: the membership pages state neither the term nor how the 10% exam discount is applied, so ask info@saia.gov.sa before buying an exam, and check whether your employer’s corporate membership already covers you. SAIA publishes no CIA scholarship or exam-fee sponsorship as of November 2026; its Human Capability Development Track is a SAR 920 bundle of evening courses on AI, GRC, finance and change management, not CIA preparation.
What the CIA costs in riyals
Every figure is the IIA’s published USD price converted at 3.75. CCMS charges in dollars, and many Saudi-issued cards add a foreign-currency fee of a few percent. The IIA says applicable taxes may be collected under local law; whether VAT is added for a Saudi billing address is not stated, so treat the totals as pre-tax.
| Item (IIA Global, until 3 January 2027) | Member USD | Member SAR | Non-member USD | Non-member SAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIA program application (one time) | 120 | 450.00 | 240 | 900.00 |
| Part 1: Internal Audit Fundamentals | 310 | 1,162.50 | 445 | 1,668.75 |
| Part 2: Internal Audit Engagement | 280 | 1,050.00 | 415 | 1,556.25 |
| Part 3: Internal Audit Function | 280 | 1,050.00 | 415 | 1,556.25 |
| Total, one attempt at each part | 990 | 3,712.50 | 1,515 | 5,681.25 |
| Retake of any part | 280 to 310 | 1,050.00 to 1,162.50 | 415 to 445 | 1,556.25 to 1,668.75 |
| Reschedule or cancel, more than 48 hours out (to Pearson VUE) | 75 | 281.25 | 75 | 281.25 |
| Registration extension (75 days) / program extension (12 months) | 100 / 275 | 375.00 / 1,031.25 | 100 / 275 | 375.00 / 1,031.25 |
The IIA’s pricing page states that “pricing will change starting on 4 January 2027” and publishes the 2027 list. The change is uneven: the member total rises by $160, the non-member total by $25, and the non-member application fee falls, so the member discount narrows from $525 to $390, still more than SAIA membership costs.
| From 4 January 2027 | Member USD (change) | Member SAR | Non-member USD (change) | Non-member SAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | 145 (+25) | 543.75 | 195 (−45) | 731.25 |
| Part 1 | 355 (+45) | 1,331.25 | 475 (+30) | 1,781.25 |
| Part 2 and Part 3, each | 325 (+45) | 1,218.75 | 435 (+20) | 1,631.25 |
| Total, one attempt each | 1,150 (+160) | 4,312.50 | 1,540 (+25) | 5,775.00 |
| Challenge Exam, application plus exam | 1,180 (+185) | 4,425.00 | 1,580 (−45) | 5,925.00 |
Fees are charged when you buy them, not when you sit. To lock today’s prices, pay the application fee and register only the parts you can sit within 180 days before 4 January 2027. Registering all three parts in December rather than Part 1 alone saves a further SAR 337.50 but means three exams by early July 2027, and a lapsed registration costs the full fee again. For most working candidates: apply and register Part 1 now, and accept 2027 prices for Parts 2 and 3.
| Budget scenario (2026 prices) | Membership | IIA fees | Study materials (prices seen 9 November 2026) | Total, about SAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-member, free material only | 0 | 5,681.25 | 0: the 156 free questions, flashcards and planner on this site | 5,680 |
| SAIA member, lean subscription | 402.50 | 3,712.50 | HOCK, six months at $59.99: about 1,350 | 5,465 |
| SAIA member, full course, one retake | 402.50 | 3,712.50 + 1,162.50 | Gleim Traditional $1,099: 4,121.25 | 9,400 |
| Employer-sponsored, SAIA Arabic online courses | Corporate | 3,712.50 | SAIA Part 1 online 690 + Part 2 online 3,680 + Part 3 online 5,405 = 9,775 | 13,490 |
Eligibility and documents
The IIA’s rules do not change at the border. A bachelor’s degree needs two years of internal audit experience, a master’s one year, and a candidate without a degree enters through the Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) designation, which is Part 1 taken on its own, then needs five years of experience with two in the last three. Experience may come after the exams, but exams plus experience must be complete within three years of approval. The accepted categories are internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit and assessment disciplines, compliance, external audit and internal control, which covers Big 4 years and most second-line roles. The IAP versus CIA guide covers the no-degree route.
| Your qualification | IIA route | Experience | Note for Saudi candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s from a Saudi university | Bachelor’s route | 24 months | Most certificates are bilingual; if yours is Arabic only, add a certified English translation |
| Bachelor’s or master’s from abroad | Degree route | 24 or 12 months | The IIA assesses equivalence itself and may ask for an academic evaluation service’s letter; an employer’s attestation stamp is not an IIA requirement |
| Diploma, no degree | IAP first, then CIA with Part 1 waived | 60 months, two within the last three years | Pass the IAP within two years of applying to that program |
| Active SOCPA fellow or active CISA | CIA Challenge Exam | Per that program | SOCPA is on the IIA’s approved list; one exam, four windows a year, no Arabic version |
| University student | IAP while studying | Per degree once conferred | SAIA student membership (SAR 115) gives member pricing for the IAP |
Documents trip up more Saudi applications than eligibility does, almost always because of the name. CCMS holds a first and last name in Latin script; Saudi passports, national IDs and Iqamas print the full name in several parts, in Arabic and English; a degree certificate may use a third transliteration. The candidate handbook says the ID you present on exam day must match your CCMS profile, and the ID uploaded at application “must be government-issued by the same country as your primary address on your CCMS account.” Pick the spelling in your passport’s machine-readable line and use it everywhere. The rest of the file is routine: a copy of the conferred degree or official transcripts, or a letter from the university confirming the degree (a transcript that lists courses without a conferral date is the common rejection); proof of experience, which CCMS collects through an automated process in which a supervisor or an IIA-certified individual confirms each employer; and the electronic ethics agreement. The March 2026 handbook no longer asks for a character reference. If you join SAIA for member pricing, wait for the membership to show in your IIA profile before you buy anything.
National ID, Iqama or passport, and test centers
The handbook’s acceptable-ID list is a government-issued driver’s license, a passport, a military ID, an alien registration card, and a “government-issued local language ID (plastic card with photo and signature, accepted only if issued from the country in which the candidate is testing).” It rejects expired, electronic and paper IDs, employee badges, university cards and insurance cards, and warns that some centers take a fingerprint. The point not to test on exam day is the signature requirement for local-language cards, so carry your passport whatever else you bring.
| Document you hold | At application in CCMS | At the Pearson VUE center | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi passport (nationals) | Accepted; issued by the country of your address | Accepted as a passport | Use it for both; spell your name as its English line does |
| Saudi national ID card | Government-issued by the right country | Local-language card rule: photo and signature | Backup only, unless Pearson VUE confirms it in advance |
| Iqama (expatriates) | The document the handbook’s address rule points to | Saudi-issued card; the same signature question | Upload the Iqama at application; bring Iqama and passport with identical spelling |
| Home-country passport (expatriates) | Issued by a different country from your address; may be queried | Accepted as a passport | Carry it; if the IIA queries your application ID, ask Customer Relations which to upload |
| Absher digital ID | Not acceptable: the handbook excludes electronic identification | Not acceptable | Never rely on it |
On test centers, distrust any article that lists cities with confidence. The authoritative source is Pearson VUE’s IIA testing page and its locator, which shows the centers enabled for IIA exams and their open seats; the locator is built for people rather than automated readers, so this guide could not extract an IIA-specific Saudi list from it. Run it for your city before you pay a registration fee, because a registration starts a 180-day clock and the fee is non-refundable.
| City | Verifiable as of 9 November 2026 | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | At least one authorized Pearson VUE center publishes its own details (Vinsys, King Abdulaziz Road, Sunday to Thursday 9:00 to 18:00); IIA enablement shows only in the locator | Search “Riyadh”; compare seat availability, not distance |
| Jeddah | Named as a Pearson VUE city by providers that book PMI exams through the same network; not confirmed for IIA exams | Search “Jeddah” before registering; Riyadh is a short domestic flight if nothing shows |
| Al Khobar, Dammam, Dhahran | Al Khobar named by the same providers as serving the Eastern Province; not confirmed for IIA exams | Search “Khobar” and “Dammam”; book early |
| Other cities | Nothing verifiable | Plan to travel; as a rough budget, allow SAR 500 to 1,500 per sitting for a flight or drive and a night’s stay |
Three scheduling habits save money. Book six weeks ahead for December, when Arabic-language candidates are racing the 27 December cutoff and departments are closing the year. Outside 48 hours each change costs $75 (SAR 281.25); inside 48 hours no change is possible. And plan around delayed scoring: since 1 April 2026 no score appears on screen, the official result arrives within three weeks, and a retake can be booked no earlier than 30 days after the attempt, so a bad December sitting cannot be re-sat until late January. The exam day guide covers check-in, the locker and pacing.
English or Arabic
All three parts are offered in Arabic, and the IIA’s transition page is explicit: “Arabic is currently available for the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026,” and “the exam will transition to the 2025 syllabus 28 December 2026.” English moved on 28 May 2025. The format is the same in both languages: 125 questions in 150 minutes for Part 1, 100 in 120 minutes for Parts 2 and 3, about 72 seconds a question, with 600 on the 250 to 750 scale to pass. The Challenge Exam is not offered in Arabic. The dates guide tracks every language and the 2025 syllabus guide explains what moved between parts.
- Prepared on Arabic 2019-syllabus material and able to sit before 27 December? Book now; your material matches the live exam for seven more weeks.
- Planned to study in Arabic but not started? Study the 2025 syllabus and sit from 28 December. Chasing the 2019 deadline wastes the Standards-based content you need anyway.
- Working in English all day, in a bank, PIF company or Big 4 firm? Sit in English. The Standards, every major question bank and your workplace documents are in English, and translated items add friction.
- Faster in Arabic under time pressure? Sit in Arabic on the 2025 syllabus but drill English questions too, because Arabic 2025-syllabus practice material is thin and SAIA’s courses are the main institute-run source.
- Mixing languages across parts? Allowed; the language is chosen per part at registration and switching later means a new registration.
Ask any provider which syllabus its Arabic materials follow. SAIA’s current list uses the 2025 names for Parts 1 and 3 but an older name for Part 2 (“Internal Audit Practice”), harmless if the content was refreshed and a problem if not. The Global Internal Audit Standards map is the quickest check: a current Part 1 outline is built on the Global Internal Audit Standards, with Ethics and Professionalism and Fraud Risks as domains of their own, while a 2019 outline still rests on the 2017 framework’s attribute and performance standards. The same transition faces Arabic-language candidates across the region; the Egypt guide works through the sit-now-or-wait decision for candidates who studied in Arabic, and the UAE guide covers the Emirates.
Where CIAs work: regulators, Vision 2030 and Saudization
Saudi Arabia is one of the few markets where regulators’ own texts name the CIA. SAMA’s Principles of Internal Auditing for Local Banks (Circular 43037826, dated 1 December 2021, effective 1 January 2022) require SAMA’s prior non-objection before a bank appoints its head of internal audit, say the head should hold a relevant degree and preferably a specialized professional certification, listing QIAI, CIA, SOCPA and CPA as examples, require the head to encourage staff to pursue the CIA, and require the head to work toward Saudization of the unit. SAMA’s September 2024 Internal Audit Principles for Finance Companies and Real Estate Refinance Companies name “CPA, CIA, SOCPA” as preferred certificates. Both put the function under the audit committee and require an external quality evaluation at least every five years, as the Standards do.
| Employer segment | Framework behind the demand | What it says | What it means for a candidate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local banks | SAMA bank principles (in force since 1 January 2022) | SAMA non-objection for the head; CIA among preferred certifications; staff encouraged toward the CIA; Saudization of the unit | Close to a prerequisite for the head role and a documented expectation below it |
| Finance and refinance companies | SAMA finance-company principles (September 2024) | Director and auditors preferably hold CPA, CIA or SOCPA; function reports to the audit committee | A growing tier of mid-size departments citing the CIA |
| Insurers | Insurance Authority, regulator since 23 November 2023 | Governance rules not reviewed for this guide | Read advertisements as for finance companies |
| Tadawul-listed companies | CMA Corporate Governance Regulations (as amended January 2023, the version read here) | Article 71: units for risk management and internal auditing; Article 73: at least one internal auditor reporting to the audit committee; Articles 74 and 75: annual plan and at least quarterly reports, mandatory since 1 January 2024 | Every listed company needs a function and a plan; groups preparing to list build departments from scratch |
| Government entities | SAIA under the General Court of Audit; Vision 2030’s ambitious-nation pillar | Resolution 763 moved licensing of internal audit practice to SAIA; scope still to be published | The largest employer of Saudi nationals in the field |
| PIF portfolio companies and giga-projects | Vision Realization Programs, including the Public Investment Fund Program and the Financial Sector Development Program | New entities stand up audit functions quickly | Where the top of the recruiter salary ranges comes from |
| Big 4 and consulting practices | Co-sourcing allowed under CMA Article 71(b) and SAMA’s rules, with conditions | Clients remain responsible for the function | The training ground; external audit years count as CIA experience |
Saudization reaches internal audit two ways. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development decided in December 2020, as reported by Arab News and Argaam, to Saudize 30% of accounting jobs in private entities with at least five accounting professionals from 12 June 2021; the reported profession list included “internal auditor” and “director of auditing department”, with minimum salaries of SR 6,000 for bachelor’s holders and SR 4,500 for diploma holders and SOCPA registration for counted staff. SAMA’s bank principles separately make Saudization of the unit a duty of its head, and Hays’s Saudi Arabia Salary Guide 2026 reports that 75% of employers plan to increase Saudi headcount in 2026. Read plainly: for a Saudi national the CIA shortens the path to roles regulators already steer toward certified people; for an expatriate it keeps you in the specialist and senior conversations as junior generalist roles localize. Localization rules change often, so check the ministry’s current requirements. This guide is general and educational; it is not legal or employment advice.
What the salary guides say
Only figures with a named, linkable source appear here, and they disagree for a reason. Recruiter surveys describe recruiter placements, which in Saudi Arabia skew to banks, PIF companies, giga-projects and multinationals; crowd-sourced sites describe whoever typed in a number, from small samples. The salary guide explains how to triangulate between them.
| Role | Source (seen 9 November 2026) | Figure as published | Basis and caveats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Internal Audit | Robert Walters Middle East Salary Survey 2026, Saudi Arabia Accounting & Finance table | 80 to 140 thousand a month, average 110 thousand | Monthly basic salary. The PDF’s Saudi tables carry an AED header with no note; AED and SAR sit within about 2% of each other against the dollar, so the scale holds |
| Internal Audit Manager | Same table | 35 to 55 thousand a month, average 45 thousand | As above |
| Internal Auditor: banking / newly qualified | Same survey, Banking & Financial Services and Accounting & Finance tables | 30 to 40 thousand / 20 to 30 thousand a month | As above |
| Internal Auditor | PayScale, Saudi Arabia | SAR 76,746 a year; range 7,000 to 152,000 | 48 self-reported profiles, updated 26 January 2026 |
| Internal Audit Director | PayScale, Saudi Arabia | SAR 353,749 a year; range 41,000 to 870,000 | 23 profiles, updated 9 September 2025 |
| Market direction | Hays Saudi Arabia Salary Guide 2026, press release | 69% of professionals got a raise in 2025; 74% of organizations plan headcount growth | Role tables sit behind a download form |
Robert Walters also places internal audit third among its three most in-demand accounting and finance profiles for 2026 across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with 42% of accounting and finance employers giving pay rises. None of these sources isolates a CIA premium for Saudi Arabia, and a page that claims one to a decimal is guessing. The premium shows up as eligibility for the head role at a bank, a place on PIF and listed-company shortlists, and the bargaining position of a certified Saudi national when the regulator expects the unit to be both localized and qualified.
Review course options and employer sponsorship
Every major English-language course sells to Saudi candidates online, and the comparison in the review courses guide applies without change. The local layer is Arabic-language instruction, which in practice means SAIA’s own courses, and classroom options in the three big cities, where the market is thin and claims need checking. Prices are what each provider displayed on 9 November 2026; sale prices move weekly in November.
| Provider | Format and language | Price seen 9 November 2026 | Check before paying |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAIA | Evening courses in Arabic; online and in person (city not shown) | Part 1 online SAR 690; Part 2 online SAR 3,680; Part 3 online SAR 5,405 or in person SAR 9,775 | Which syllabus the Part 2 material follows; whether the member discount applies; total hours; the listing rotates monthly |
| Becker | Self-study, English; the IIA’s official CIA review partner | Essentials $899 (SAR 3,371.25); Premium $974 and Pro $1,199 at an early Black Friday 25% off list prices of $1,299 and $1,599, advertised through 9 November | Sale “not available in all areas”; Essentials is 24-month access; expect further sales before year-end |
| Gleim | Self-study, English | Test Bank $499 (SAR 1,871.25); Traditional $1,099 (SAR 4,121.25); Premium $1,249 (SAR 4,683.75) | International terms and access period |
| HOCK | Subscription, English | $59.99 a month (about SAR 225), struck through from $119.99; 5,500+ questions, nine mock exams; a free tier | Whether the promotional rate is still live |
| Morgan International | Classroom and live online; Beirut-based regional provider listing the CIA among its programs | No Saudi pricing published; a Riyadh contact appears in third-party directories, not on Morgan’s own site | That a Saudi cohort, schedule and content partner exist |
| Delphi Star Training (EduDelphi) | Markets classes to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Khobar | No SAR fees published | Licensed in Dubai, not the Kingdom; verify its stated IIA learning-partner and Gleim claims |
| Free material on this site | English, online | 0 | 156 free practice questions, the flashcards and the study planner |
Most Saudi candidates do not pay for this themselves. Banks, PIF companies and larger listed groups routinely reimburse fees and a course on a pass, and the request that gets approved has a number, a date and a line the department head can defend. A version that works, to adapt: “I am requesting SAR 4,115 for SAIA membership and IIA fees for all three CIA parts, plus SAR 4,121 for a review course, with Part 1 scheduled by April 2027 and all parts by December 2027. SAMA’s Principles of Internal Auditing for Local Banks ask the head of the unit to encourage staff to pursue the CIA, and the department’s audit committee reporting already references the Global Internal Audit Standards, which Part 1 tests directly. IIA fees rise on 4 January 2027, so registering Part 1 in December saves SAR 169 on that part and locks the application fee. I will study outside working hours, take two days of study leave per sitting, provide CCMS receipts and the official result within three weeks of each exam, and repay the fees under policy if I leave within twelve months of certification.”
A study plan around the Saudi calendar
The hub’s planning range of 200 to 450 study hours for all three parts, depending on experience, holds in Saudi Arabia; the calendar does not. A Sunday-to-Thursday week leaves Friday as the long study day. Ramadan is expected to run from early February to early March in 2027 and compresses working hours, so treat it as a review month. Eid al-Adha in May and the July and August travel season are the other breaks, and December is when departments close the year and centers fill. The plan starts in December 2026 to use the 2026 prices; the study planner turns it into a dated weekly schedule and how to study for the CIA covers the method.
| Months | Saudi calendar | Exam action | Study focus and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | Year-end close; centers busy | Join SAIA; apply; register Part 1 before 4 January; book an April seat | Set up materials; 20 hours on the Standards |
| January to March 2027 | Founding Day 22 February; Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr | Confirm center and ID name match | Part 1 domains in January and February (75 hours); review and question sets through Ramadan (25 hours) |
| April to May 2027 | Eid al-Adha in May | Sit Part 1 in early April; result within three weeks; register Part 2 at 2027 prices | Two mocks, then Part 2 engagement planning; 70 hours |
| June to August 2027 | Summer and travel season | Book a September seat | Part 2 information gathering and reporting, then mocks; 100 hours |
| September 2027 | National Day 23 September | Sit Part 2 before the holiday; register Part 3 | Start Part 3; 35 hours |
| October to December 2027 | Budget season; year-end again | Book a December seat early; sit Part 3 in the first week of December; file experience verification | Part 3 operations, technology and finance, then mocks; 105 hours |
A worked example: Noura at Harbor Trust
Noura is a hypothetical senior internal auditor at Harbor Trust, an invented Riyadh bank, with a Saudi bachelor’s degree, three years in the function, an English-language workplace and a department whose SAIA corporate membership already makes her an IIA member. In December 2026 she applies with her bilingual degree certificate and passport, spelling her name as the passport’s English line does, and registers Part 1 only at the 2026 member price: SAR 450 plus SAR 1,162.50. She studies 140 hours around Ramadan with a Gleim course the bank will reimburse on a pass, sits Part 1 on 15 April 2027 and learns on 4 May that she passed. She registers Part 2 at the 2027 price (SAR 1,218.75), sits on 9 September and fails; the domain report points to information gathering. The 30-day rule puts her earliest retake at 9 October, so she spends six weeks on the weak domain with the comeback plan, pays SAR 1,218.75 again and passes on 18 November. Part 3 follows in March 2028, after Ramadan, and she is certified in April once her experience is verified, SAR 5,268.75 out of pocket before reimbursement. The passing score guide explains why her 580 called for a short, targeted retake rather than a restart.
Questions readers ask
How much does the CIA exam cost in Saudi Arabia?
As of November 2026, $990 as an IIA member or $1,515 as a non-member for the application and one attempt at each part, which is SAR 3,712.50 or SAR 5,681.25 at 3.75 riyals to the dollar, paid in dollars through CCMS. SAIA membership adds SAR 402.50 and brings member pricing, so the realistic minimum is about SAR 4,115 before study materials. From 4 January 2027 the member total rises to $1,150 (SAR 4,312.50).
Is there an IIA Saudi Arabia, and do I have to join it to take the CIA?
Yes, under a new name: the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors (SAIA), renamed from the Saudi Institute of Internal Auditors in April 2025 and still listed by The IIA as IIA Saudi Arabia. You do not have to join to sit the exam, because the application goes to The IIA through CCMS either way, but SAIA membership includes IIA membership and cuts the exam fees by SAR 1,968.75 at today’s prices.
Can I take the CIA exam in Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, all three parts are offered in Arabic at Pearson VUE centers. The Arabic exam stays on the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026 and moves to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026, so match your material to the date you will sit. The Challenge Exam for SOCPA fellows is English, French or Spanish only.
Where can I sit the CIA exam in Saudi Arabia?
Only at Pearson VUE test centers. The Pearson VUE network in the Kingdom is concentrated in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, but which centers are enabled for IIA exams, and their open seats, shows only in Pearson VUE’s locator, so run it for your city before buying a registration, and book December and pre-Eid dates six weeks out.
Can I use my Iqama or national ID at the test center?
The IIA’s handbook accepts a government-issued local-language ID only as a plastic card with photo and signature issued by the country you test in, and requires the ID uploaded at application to come from the country of your CCMS address. Expatriates should upload the Iqama at application and carry both Iqama and passport on the day; nationals should carry the passport and treat the national ID as a backup. The name must match CCMS exactly.
Does SOCPA membership let me skip parts of the CIA?
SOCPA is on The IIA’s list of approved accounting bodies for the CIA Challenge Exam, a single exam offered in February, June, September and November windows. At today’s prices it costs $150 to apply and $845 to sit as a member ($995, SAR 3,731.25), rising to $1,180 from 4 January 2027. The Challenge Exam guide covers content and strategy.
What is a certified internal auditor’s salary in Saudi Arabia?
No linkable source isolates CIA holders. Robert Walters’s 2026 Middle East survey lists Saudi heads of internal audit at 80 to 140 thousand a month in basic salary and internal audit managers at 35 to 55 thousand, reflecting recruiter placements at large employers, while PayScale’s self-reported average for an internal auditor is SAR 76,746 a year from 48 profiles. The spread shows a market segmented by employer type more than by title.
Is the CIA required to work as an internal auditor in Saudi Arabia?
No regulation makes it compulsory. SAMA’s principles for banks and finance companies name the CIA as a preferred certification for the head of the function, the CMA requires listed companies to have a function and a plan without naming a credential, and Resolution 763 gave SAIA the authority to license the practice of internal auditing, with the scope left for SAIA to publish. Treat the CIA as the credential regulators and audit committees recognize, not as a license.
Related guides
- The complete CIA exam guide — the hub: parts, syllabus, scoring and application steps.
- CIA Exam Cost in 2026 — the full global fee breakdown, including CPE and renewal.
- CIA Exam Requirements 2026 — education, experience and document rules, including foreign-degree evaluation.
- CIA Exam Dates 2026–2027 — every language’s syllabus status, including the Arabic transition.
- CIA Exam Passing Score — how the 250 to 750 scale works and what a near miss means.
- How to Study for the CIA Exam — the method behind the hours in the plan.
- CIA Review Courses Compared — Becker, Gleim, HOCK and Surgent, with a pick for each candidate.
- The CIA Exam in the UAE — fees in dirhams, the UAE IAA, attestation and the Emirates’ test centers.
- The CIA Exam in Egypt — fees in pounds, IIA Egypt and the Arabic-exam timing decision.
- CIA practice questions — the free bank of 156 questions with explanations.
- CIA study planner — a dated schedule with a budget tab.
- CIA Exam Day at a Pearson VUE Test Center — check-in, ID, the locker and pacing.
- The CIA Challenge Exam — the one-part route for SOCPA fellows and CISAs.
- IAP vs CIA — the entry route for diploma holders and students.
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