AAIA Exam Format, Scoring and Retakes

The short version

The AAIA exam has 90 multiple-choice questions and gives you 150 minutes. You pass with a scaled score of 450 or more on a range of 200 to 800. You can sit it at a PSI testing center or online with a remote proctor. If you fail, you wait 30 days before the second attempt.

Questions and time

ISACA’s candidate guide for AAIA lists 90 multiple-choice questions and 2.5 hours. Every question has a stem and four options, and each has one best answer. The stem can be a question or an unfinished sentence. Qualifiers such as MOST likely or BEST matter, because two options are often partly right and the qualifier decides.

At 150 minutes for 90 questions you have a little under two minutes per question on average. That pace feels comfortable for short questions and tight for long scenarios, so plan to move on from a question you cannot settle quickly and return if time allows.

Passing score and scoring

ISACA reports scores on a scaled range from 200 to 800. A score of 450 or higher passes. It is a conversion of your raw score, which lets different versions of the exam be compared fairly, so 450 is not a fixed percentage of correct answers. Use these rules:

  • There is no penalty for a wrong answer. Grades come from the number answered correctly, so never leave a question blank.
  • The exam contains scored items and pre-test items. Pre-test items do not count, and you cannot tell which they are. Treat every question as scored.
  • You get domain-level results, but only for information. Your pass or fail depends on the total number of correct answers, not on any single domain.
  • ISACA does not give question-level results.

Results

You can see a preliminary pass or fail on screen right after you finish. ISACA says your final score is emailed and shown in your online account within 10 working days. You are not allowed to photograph the results screen.

Question style

ISACA’s candidate guide describes only four-option, single-answer multiple choice and mentions no labs or drag-and-drop items. The skill is choosing between plausible answers. Read for the qualifier, remove options that are clearly wrong, then compare what is left against what an auditor would do first or consider strongest. Our question types guide shows how to work through best-answer items.

Languages

ISACA’s candidate guide lists English, Simplified Chinese and Spanish as exam languages. Other sources may list different languages, and the list can change. Confirm on ISACA’s page at registration. If you change language after scheduling, ISACA says you must reschedule the appointment. Remote proctors communicate in English only.

Delivery

The exam is computer-based. You can take it at an authorized PSI testing center or remotely proctored from home. ISACA’s AAIA page says candidates in India, Mainland China and Hong Kong must use testing centers.

For remote exams you complete a room scan and a mirror check, and your workspace must be clear. ISACA’s rules prohibit notes, paper, calculators, multiple monitors, phones, headphones, food and drink (including water), and visitors. You need a government-issued photo ID with your signature, and the name must match your registration. Read our exam day guide for general preparation.

Scheduling, breaks and rescheduling

  • After you register and pay, ISACA gives you six months of eligibility to take the exam. Appointments are available up to 90 days ahead, and you can book from 48 hours after payment.
  • You can reschedule without penalty at least 48 hours before the appointment. Inside 48 hours you must sit the exam or lose the fee.
  • Arriving more than 15 minutes late counts as a missed appointment.
  • One break of up to 10 minutes is allowed with the proctor’s permission. The timer keeps running.

Retakes

ISACA’s retake policy in the AAIA candidate guide:

  1. You get four attempts within a rolling 12-month period.
  2. Wait 30 days after the first attempt before the second.
  3. Wait 90 days after the second attempt before the third, and 90 days after the third before the fourth.
  4. Each attempt needs its own registration.
  5. If you pass, you cannot take the same exam again within the five-year application period, and certification holders cannot retake the exam while certified.

ISACA also describes a rescoring request, which must be made in writing within 30 days of results.

After you pass

Passing the exam is the first step. ISACA says you must also hold a qualifying prerequisite credential, submit an application for certification, follow its Code of Professional Ethics and meet its Continuing Professional Education policy. ISACA’s page says candidates have five years from passing the exam to apply. ISACA’s maintenance page asks for 10 hours of CPE per year and 30 hours over three years; see renewal and retakes.

More guides for AAIA

Next step

With the rules clear, the study plan shows how to spend your weeks. When you want a timed run, try our AAIA practice tests.

Frequently asked questions

Is 450 the same as 50%?

No. It is a scaled score, so it does not map to a fixed percentage of correct answers.

Can I take notes during the exam?

ISACA’s rules list notes, notepads and paper as prohibited items. Confirm what the exam interface offers during the tutorial before the exam starts.

Do all 90 questions count?

Not necessarily. Some are unscored pre-test items, but you cannot tell which ones.

Try these practice exams