By applying to become a candidate in the CGAP 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

CGAP candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements. 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

The candidate must have a post-secondary (four-year) or equivalent degree. A two-year degree plus three years of general business experience may be substituted. For further details, please refer to the Certification Candidate Handbook.

Character Reference

The candidate must exhibit high moral and professional character and submit a completed 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.)

The candidate must acquire two years of auditing experience in a government environment (federal, state/provincial, local, quasi-governmental areas, authority/crown corporation). 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 Work Experience.)

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.)

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 CGAP certification exam is a non-disclosed exam. Candidates agree to keep the contents of the CGAP 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

CGAP candidates agree to abide by the Code of Ethics established by The IIA.

Continuing Professional Education

Upon certification, CGAPs are required to maintain their knowledge and skills and stay abreast of improvements and current developments in the government auditing by satisfying CPE requirements.

IIA Membership

In most cases, you do not have to be a member of The IIA to take the CGAP exam or become a CGAP but we encourage you to consider its advantages. There are some countries, however, that do require candidates to be IIA members to take the CGAP 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 CGAP review materials and courses and have access to the latest exam preparation resources, networking opportunities, and current CGAP news and information.