Know and understand what is to be expected of you on the CIA exam. The exam is broken into four sections with 400 multiple choice questions: Internal Auditor's Role in Governance, Risk and Control, Conducting Internal Audit Engagement, Business Analysis/Information Technology, and Business Management Skills. These are the current sections and are subject to change. You must pass all four exams to become a CIA.
Pick up one of several study guides available. The CIA exam board has study guides of their own available through their website. There are third party guides that can be found online or through bookstores. These guides will give you a step by step process on what to expect from the exam while giving practice tests and review sessions for you to do on your own time.
Sample exam questions from previous CIA exams. The IIA offers candidates the opportunity to browse through sample questions. The idea behind this is to give potential exam takers an idea of what to expect.
Enroll in a CIA exam review course. These courses are run by a third party with the purpose of providing you with an opportunity to review the material on the upcoming exam with a group of your peers. Review courses can be a great way to reinforce what you have been reviewing at home.