The CISA® (Certified Information Systems Auditor) certification remains the globally accepted standard of achievement among IS audit, control, and security professionals. If you’re looking to build a career in any of those areas, this is absolutely a qualification which you should prioritise.
As with most exams, however, the actual format and requirements for the CISA certification do sometimes change. In this article, we’ll clearly explain the current situation in 2026. We’ll cover any recent changes, the current requisite skills and eligibility requirements, your potential career outlook with the CISA certification and more.
Has the CISA Exam Changed for 2026?
We’re pleased to say that there have been no major changes to the CISA exam in 2026. This means that any information you find online – including on our own website – remains relevant. The last major update to the CISA certification happened in 2024. While this did involve some significant restructuring, no further alterations have been made since then.
No upcoming changes have been announced by ISACA either. So, if you’re aiming to sit your CISA in 2026, you can proceed as planned, per the current exam requirement, structure and so on. The only relatively recent change which you should be aware of was the introduction of the CISA Associate, in July 2025.
This was specifically introduced for ISACA members at any level, who have passed their CISA exam, but don’t yet have the requisite experience to become CISA certified. It therefore increases your employability early in your career, even before you formally receive your CISA qualification.
What You Need to Pass the CISA Exam in 2026 – Key Skills
Passing the CISA exam in 2026 involves more than rote memorisation. It’s about understanding how organisations audit, control, and govern information systems. You’ll be tested on your abilities to assess risks, evaluate controls, and make effective audit judgements in real-world situations. At its most basic level, the 2026 CISA is an IT auditing qualification. You need to learn how audits are planned, executed, and subsequently reported. You must also understand how evidence is gathered and evaluated, whether certain controls are appropriate and effective, and so on.
Another major part of CISA is understanding how IT both supports business objectives and manages risk. This includes learning about IT governing structures and responsibilities, risk assessment, and compliance with internal and external requirements.
The third key area of CISA is knowledge of systems – how they’re acquired, developed, and changed. System development life cycles, initial system implementation and so on all fall into this category. A particularly important section is the protection of data and systems. Data classification and handling, and security monitoring, are both big parts of this.
Finally, across all areas, CISA tests your abilities in judgement and prioritisation. You must show that you can identify the appropriate action at a given time, account for risk, think like an auditor, and apply your own professional judgement in difficult or ambiguous situations.
Taking an Intensive 4-day Certified Information System Auditor course, with ALC Training, can help with every aspect of this. It will provide comprehensive preparation for the entire exam, quickly giving you both the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.
Ongoing Eligibility Requirements
As of 2026, qualifying for CISA requires a combination of four “E’s”: experience, ethics, education, and examination.
Taking and passing the CISA exam is just the first step to becoming certified. To be eligible for the full CISA qualification, you must first meet the following requirements:
- Pass the certification exam
- Pay the US$50 application processing fee
- Submit application to demonstrate experience requirements
- Adhere to the Code of Professional Ethics
- Adhere to the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Policy
- Compliance with the Information Systems Auditing Standards
To be eligible for the full CISA qualification, you must have a minimum of five years of professional experience relating to IS auditing, control, assurance, or security – as described in the CISA job practice areas. That experience must be acquired within a single 10-year period.
As noted earlier, applicants in 2026 do have an alternate route here. You can now take the CISA exam before amassing your five years of experience, become a CISA Associate, then complete the five years of work and apply for your full qualification.
To maintain the qualification, you must also complete at least 120 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) over a three-year period. This ensures your knowledge remains up to date, and can involve taking training courses, attending webinars, and mentoring, etc.
The final major requirement is that you agree to and abide by the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics and Information Systems Auditing. This confirms that, as noted above the CISA credential is not merely about technical expertise, but also exercising your judgement (and conduct) in a professional manner.
CISA Career Outlook in Australia
The outlook for CISA holders in 2026 is extremely positive. This remains the gold standard qualification, for those seeking an audit-oriented career in IS.
The online job boards remain packed with thousands of listings in the areas of IT audit and compliance, in both lower-to-mid level and leadership roles. These are based all around the country, with hybrid, flexible, and fully remote options also common in this field.
The salary benchmarks also remain strong in CISA-related roles. According to recent estimates, the average base salary for an IT Auditor in Australia is around $131,000. For an IT Audit Manager role, that climbs to an average of over $170,000, while a related move into cyber security could see you net well over $200,000.
How to Prepare for CISA
Getting your CISA certification will significantly improve your employability, helping you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Actually preparing for the exam usually takes around 3-6 months, assuming you’re also working at the same time.
Having a clearly defined plan is key here, rather than trying to study everything at once. Here’s how we would recommend structuring your approach.
Months 1-2 – Building the Foundation
Don’t focus on simple memorisation of facts here. Instead, put the time into understanding the macro side of CISA.
Familiarise yourself with the structure and areas of the exam. Develop your understanding of the core, underlying concepts, including risk and governance. From here, you can also identify any clear and potentially problematic gaps in your knowledge, and close them nice and early.
Months 3-4 – Focused Preparation
Now that your fundamentals are in place, and you fully understand the CISA structure, you can focus on your learning.
Do so by working through each area of the exam in a structured manner. Work through test questions, particularly those which involve applying your own judgement. Address the knowledge gaps you identified earlier.
Overall, this will be a time-intensive – potentially challenging – process, but it’s also the main push in preparing for the test.
Months 5-6 – Getting Ready
This final phase is about consolidating what you’ve already learnt, and building confidence ahead of the exam itself.
Take the time to review all the key concepts, in every main area. Learn about exam technique. Sit practice exams to get an approximation for how the day itself will feel.
When the exam finally arrives, while you might naturally feel some nerves, you should also feel confident that you’ve put the time and effort into giving yourself the best possible shot at success.
CISA Planning in 2026
CISA remains just as important and worthwhile as it ever was in 2026. It will give you an excellent grounding in IS-related auditing, as well as significantly improve both your employability and potential earnings.
The best way to get your CISA certification is by taking a calm, clear, and structured approach, as outlined in this article. Avoid cramming at all costs!
Taking a comprehensive course delivered by experts in the field like those at ALC Training can greatly boost your chances of success and pay dividends for years to come.