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AAIA preparation guide
AAIA study resources: where to start and what to review
Direct answer
Start with the gap you can name. If you are unsure whether you can sit the exam, check ISACA's eligibility list first. If you know audit but not how AAIA tests AI, read ISACA's outline beside your baseline results. If auditing AI is new to you, begin with AI Operations, the largest domain at 46% of the exam, and keep all three domains covered.
ISACA's outline is the coverage checklist: three domains, 17 subareas and 23 supporting tasks. CertArc's guides explain how each part is tested in scenarios and where audit experience helps or needs adjusting for AI.
Use authoritative material to learn an unfamiliar AI concept, then practise applying it. Review time is part of the work, not extra.
Start AAIA baselineAAIA guides
Start here
The three domains
Exam facts and cost
Compare credentials
Practice and exam technique
AI audit decision traps
Choose a starting point by the gap you need to close
| If you need to… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Check that you can sit the exam | ISACA's AAIA certification requirements |
| See what the exam covers | ISACA's AAIA exam content outline: three domains and 17 subareas |
| Learn the exam rules, scoring and retakes | ISACA's AAIA Exam Candidate Guide |
| Find your weakest domain | The free CertArc AAIA baseline |
| Practise applying the outline | CertArc domain sprints, with every option reviewed |
Original teaching example
You hold CISA and score well on audit planning and reporting, but miss questions about how AI outputs are supervised and how AI solutions are tested.
Read ISACA's outline for subareas 2D (supervision of AI solutions) and 2E (testing techniques for AI solutions), then retest with a focused AI Operations sprint before moving on. This is a planning example, not a required schedule.
ISACA's official AAIA materials
The outline sets what to cover, and the Exam Candidate Guide sets the rules.
The exam has 90 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes, each with one best answer. Scores are scaled from 200 to 800, unscored pretest items are mixed in, and domain results are informational only.
ISACA's AAIA page also lists its own preparation products. Use them for the official question style, and original practice for applying the outline to new scenarios.
Plan around the exam's rules
Check languages, delivery and retake waits before you set a study window.
ISACA offers the exam in English, Simplified Chinese and Spanish, at PSI test centres or by remote proctoring; India, mainland China and Hong Kong are test centres only. You have four attempts in 12 months, waiting 30, then 90, then 90 days.
The exam fee is US$459 for members and US$599 for non-members, plus a US$50 application fee. ISACA's pages are the authority, and fees can change.
Avoid copied questions
CertArc never links to copied manuals or “real exam question” sites.
Copied questions teach you answers rather than judgment. Original scenarios test the judgment itself.
Keep official facts and teaching advice separate
ISACA's pages set the rules; CertArc's guides explain how to apply them.
Every guide lists the ISACA pages it was checked against. Study methods and examples are CertArc's own.
Build a small review loop
Learn a concept, practise it, review why you missed.
Tag each miss with a reason, then return to the outline subarea for that gap before the next sprint.
Sources and fact check
Source checked: 2026-10-17
- Study methods and examples are independent CertArc teaching guidance. ISACA's pages are the authority for exam rules and fees, which can change.
- Practice results do not convert to an official score or guarantee a pass. CertArc is not affiliated with or endorsed by ISACA.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read every guide?
No. Use them to close specific gaps; the outline still sets what to cover.
Are the guides official ISACA material?
No. They are independent CertArc guides with original examples.
Where do I start if I am short on time?
Take the baseline, then study the domain where it shows your largest gap.
What does ISACA ask of AAIA holders each year?
ISACA asks for 10 hours of AI CPE a year. Its AAIA pages set the full maintenance requirement.
Can I read the guides without an account?
Yes. The guides are free to read.
