Most People Took Over 6 Weeks To Study for the ISACA CISA
by Ross Heintzkill | Published on January 28, 2025
The ISACA CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) certification is a benchmark for IT auditors worldwide. How long will it take you to prepare for the CISA exam? We asked certified professionals on X, LinkedIn, and email to provide insights on the study time required. Their answers can give you a better picture of the preparation time involved.
Read on to learn how much time you should set aside to prepare for the CISA.
What is the CISA?
CISA stands for Certified Information Systems Auditor. It's a popular IT/IS certification intended for IT professionals who want to specialize in auditing, control, and assurance. CISA is owned by ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association), a professional organization for IT/IS auditors and managers. CISA is great for IT auditors, compliance officers, and those responsible for ensuring the integrity of an organization’s IT and business systems.
CISA validates skills in auditing processes, governance, risk management, and protecting information systems. Employers look for CISA-certified individuals because they possess the knowledge needed to evaluate and improve IT systems, ensuring that businesses remain secure and compliant with regulations.
They didn't get crazy with the name of the test: it's just called the CISA Exam. The exam costs $760 for non-members and $575 for ISACA members. Since membership costs $145, joining ISACA can save you around $40. There aren't any prerequisites to taking the CISA, so you can take it as soon as you know you're ready to prove your knowledge.
How Long Does it Take to Study for the CISA?
About half of the people preparing for the CISA spend 3 to 5 months studying. Furthermore, the majority—73%—needed more than six weeks to prepare. This range shows just how diverse people's experience is going into the exam and how much that can influence preparation time.
The fact that preparation times are so evenly distributed suggests that prior experience is pretty important for how long it takes to study for the CISA. If you've already got a background in IT auditing, governance, or information systems, you'll probably be able to tackle the CISA exam in a shorter timeframe. But if you don't have as much practical experience, you'll want to study with practical lessons that provide a lot of context and real-world examples.
If you’re new to the field or unfamiliar with the concepts tested on the CISA exam, investing time in practical lessons and real-world scenarios will be key to success. Using these tools can help you move from a longer preparation window toward the shorter end, but regardless of your experience level, consistent, focused study is critical to mastering the material.
What's on the CISA Test?
The CISA test is a 150-question exam that tests your auditing, monitoring, and assessing IT and business systems skills and ability to apply a risk-based approach to audit engagements. Prepare for the test with online ISACA courses to shorten how long it takes to get your CISA.
The test has five sections:
Information System Auditing Process
Governance & Management of IT
Information Systems Acquisition, Development & Implementation
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
Protection of Information Assets
The CISA exam evaluates your ability to assess and secure information systems effectively, focusing on risk, governance, and compliance. You’ll start by proving your grasp of industry standards for auditing, risk-based planning, and audit project management. Be prepared to handle real-world audit tasks, from gathering evidence and analyzing data to communicating findings clearly to stakeholders. Understanding the types of audits and controls, as well as the tools for sampling and data analytics will be crucial.
The test will also challenge your skills in ensuring that IT practices align with organizational goals. Expect to prove your knowledge in topics like IT governance structures, enterprise risk management, and data governance.
You’ll need to evaluate laws and regulations, IT policies, and risk indicators to verify that your organization’s IT resources and data are managed responsibly. This includes assessing how an organization handles privacy, quality assurance, and vendor relationships to ensure compliance and operational integrity.
Passing the CISA test also means proving you can oversee IT operations, including asset management, system capacity, and incident response. You’ll have to validate business continuity and disaster recovery plans, understanding all aspects of resilience—from backup and data recovery to operational log management.
You should be experienced with implementing and evaluating security controls across an organization, including identity management, data encryption, and incident response. Familiarity with threat detection and forensics tools and hands-on knowledge of cybersecurity best practices will be key to showcasing your expertise in safeguarding information assets.
Preparing for the CISA often takes over three months, but an online course can accelerate that by optimizing your study time. By laying out focused content on audit and compliance topics right in front of you, ISACA CISA online training gives you the clearest possible roadmap to follow.
Why Should I Spend 3 Months Earning the CISA?
Three months is a long time to spend on a certification, especially one that seems as non-technical as the CISA. But it takes that long to prepare for the CISA exam because it covers hands-on auditing skills that are highly valued in roles that oversee IT governance. Those are hard jobs for employers to fill, and a cert like CISA gives your resume weight and your current or future employers confidence in your work.
CISA is for anyone who needs a strong foundation in auditing and compliance. IT auditors and compliance analysts will find this certification ideal for ensuring organizations meet regulatory standards. If jobs like that are appealing to you, it's the place to start because CISA builds your expertise in audit processes and control assessment, which are essential for compliance roles.
How to Spend Less Than 3 Months Preparing for CISA
Prepping for CISA often takes over three months, but online courses and practice exams can make your study time way more efficient. Here’s how to make the most of your prep.
Use Online Training Resources
Trying to find reliable CISA study resources on your own can lead to hours of hunting. CBT Nuggets offers a single, streamlined course that covers the audit, governance, and risk management topics required by CISA. By following a structured course, you’ll focus on the relevant material without wasting time on content that won’t appear on the exam.
Gain Practical Experience Through Real-World Scenarios
For CISA, it’s crucial to move beyond theory and dive into practical applications of information systems auditing. CBT Nuggets’ CISA course integrates real-world scenarios, giving you experience with tasks like compliance reviews, control testing, and risk assessments.
By working through realistic audit cases, you’ll gain insights into the types of challenges auditors face, helping you build confidence and prepare thoroughly. This practical approach is invaluable for mastering CISA content efficiently and with real-world relevance.
Test Yourself Using a Practice Exam
Practice exams can make a huge difference when preparing for CISA. CBT Nuggets’ practice tests let you test your knowledge and identify areas that need extra review, ensuring you’re fully prepared without overstudying. After finishing a practice test, you’ll gain confidence and familiarity with the CISA format, saving time and reducing anxiety.
Learn From Experts
Information systems auditing can be challenging, but CBT Nuggets’ trainers bring real-world experience and clarity to each lesson. Their friendly, down-to-earth teaching style makes even complex topics understandable. With expert insights that make the material practical, you’ll be ready for the exam faster and with a clear understanding of how to apply what you’ve learned.
If a job in IT auditing is in your crosshairs, the CISA certification is the smart play. Yes, some people take more than 3 months to prepare, but with CBT Nuggets’ CISA course, you can study more efficiently.
With focused content, real-world examples, and exam-specific practice tests, you can reduce study time and approach the exam confidently. Take the next step in your career with expert training that prepares you for any audit challenge.