It’s no secret—I like Gleim. Gleim originally released their CIA course in 1980, making it one of the oldest and most popular online CIA prep courses in the world.
💡 Did you know? You have just 1 minute and 12 seconds per question on the CIA exam—so practicing your pacing is just as important as knowing the material.
But is Gleim CIA Review right for you?
In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know: study materials, video lectures, access length, price, guarantees, and so much more. My goal? To give you the crystal-clear understanding you need to know whether Gleim is the perfect fit—or whether another course might serve you better.
Is Gleim CIA Review Right For You?
- If you love working through practice questions, then Gleim’s massive test bank and unlimited exams will keep you busy (and prepared).
- If you’re a self-studier who likes to go at your own pace, then Gleim’s flexible structure is a perfect match.
- If you learn well with a mix of formats, the combo of short video lessons, audio lectures, written materials, and SmartAdapt™ tech will hit the spot.
- If you want long-term access, then Gleim’s Access Until You Pass® guarantee means you won’t feel rushed.
- If you’re easily overwhelmed by too many resources, then Gleim’s dense platform might feel like a bit much.
- If you’re on a tight budget, the higher price point compared to competitors could be a downside.
Gleim CIA Overview
Gleim is known for their massive test banks and exam-quality practice questions across all of their offerings, to the point where it’s added a test-bank-only package for every course it covers. Naturally, the same is true of their CIA packages. Students who perform the best with Gleim as their prep course are often driven self-study fans who appreciate the value of grinding through practice questions until the late hours of the night.
With Gleim, I particularly enjoyed the practice questions as well: comparing them to past CIA exam questions, they’re similar but around 20% longer and more complex. If you want to turn every stone, Gleim will quiz you on obscure topics alongside what you’re more likely to find on the real thing.
I was also impressed by Gleim’s addition of over 230 CIA exam walkthrough videos. These aren’t just lecture clips—they’re step-by-step video explanations of actual multiple-choice practice questions from the course. Professor Joseph Mauriello walks you through the logic behind each answer, showing you how to approach tricky wording, eliminate trap choices, and think like the exam. It’s one of the most helpful and practical features I’ve seen added to a CIA prep course in a long time.
It’s a perfect combo of materials if overpreparation is your thing, complete with unlimited practice exams, up to 6 mock exams, personal counselors, accounting experts on a Q&A hotline, video and audio lectures, and so much more.
Pros
- Study Until You Succeed: Gain course access until you pass in Gleim’s Premium System.
- Money-Back Guarantee: Earn a refund if you fail the CIA exam (Premium System only).
- Audio Lectures: Learn on the go with audio versions of the 45+ video lecture hours and 230+ walkthrough videos.
- Overprepare: Become overly prepared for the exam with thousands of tough practice questions.
- Adaptive Technology: SmartAdapt™ Technology helps you strengthen your weak areas.
Cons
- More Expensive: Gleim is hundreds of dollars more than top competitors like Becker and Surgent.
- Overwhelming: Gleim may have too many materials if you prefer a straightforward approach.
Gleim CIA Review
Gleim vs Becker vs Surgent: How Does It Compare?
Compared to Becker, Gleim offers more practice questions at the time of writing (3,000+ vs. Becker’s ~2,000) and includes audio lectures, which Becker lacks. Further, Becker’s course is brand new, without a proven history of success or many student reviews. However, Becker’s CIA course is officially endorsed by and co-created with the IIA, which may give it added credibility for some students, and has materials like additional practice questions and video lessons scheduled for release later in 2025.
Meanwhile, Surgent is more affordable and has a more modern, AI-driven platform, but its question bank and video content are lighter than Gleim’s—making it less ideal for those who want in-depth prep with more structure.
One student shared their thoughts on starting with IIA materials and switching to Gleim:
“I tried IIA, for part 2 even took instructor-led training, but was not of any help. Now started with Gleim. Highly recommend. I have takenthe premium version and thoroughly enjoying the way they have setup their content and support that they providing. Hope will clear with this. I don’t have early audit experience. Much more cost-effective.”
Gleim CIA Discount Code
Gleim CIA Review is one of the most trusted prep courses out there, known for their detailed explanations and massive question bank. Save $549 on their premium packages with our exclusive deal.
Individual Course Details
Content, Structure, and Delivery
Though Gleim has a structured course to follow in order, there’s definitely an element of self-study, as what you choose to do with the bonus resources and practice materials is left up to you. In particular, many students report grinding through practice questions and exams in their free time to prepare for the actual exam.
It’s important to acknowledge that there is a lot to cover content-wise, and students have conflicting opinions.
One appreciated being overly prepared:
“Read the chapters and do the work from the learning modules, and you will pass with Gleim. It does a great job of preparing you. I have always gotten at least a 10 to 15 point score bump from the mock exams to the actual test.”
However, another felt it was too much:
“I used IIA, Gleim seemed to have a lot of unimportant info.”
SmartAdapt™ Technology
One of Gleim’s most notable selling points is the SmartAdapt™ course, which Gleim claims serves as your “very own exam mentor.” I appreciated how the tech was integrated throughout the entire course. If you struggled with a question outside of the practice questions (like in the reading or after a video), it would still track that as a weak area for you and test you on it again in a SmartAdapt™ practice exam.
Plus, it’s a very dynamic feature. As you improve in your weak subjects, you’re tested on them less. Further, you get personalized resource recommendations as you progress to maximize your expertise in every exam topic. I loved that, even though Gleim is pretty hands-off in the Traditional CIA Review System and Test Bank packages, you still feel like you’re getting personalized support thanks to SmartAdapt™. Feel smothered? You can take randomized practice exams without it, too.
Audio and Video Lectures
Gleim features over 45 hours of video instruction in the Premium System, led by lecturer Joseph Mauriello, CIA, CMA, CPA. He also happens to be the Director of the Center for Internal Auditing Excellence at the University of Texas at Dallas. Needless to say, the guy knows his stuff.
However, knowledge doesn’t always translate well to teaching. Mauriello is clearly a passionate guy who cares about his students, but the videos can feel a little dry. It reminds me of the “Curse of Knowledge,” which is when someone is such an expert, they find it difficult to remember what it was like to be new, making it difficult for them to explain topics in an approachable way.
However, there’s a lot to love about the videos, too! They’re short, usually under 5 minutes, so you don’t have to focus too long to get what you came for. Plus, every video has built-in outlines for readers and a little note-taking widget in the bottom-right of the screen.
Gleim also recently added over 230 new walkthrough videos that break down actual practice questions, step by step. These are incredibly helpful for seeing how to think through the logic of each answer, avoid traps, and better understand how the exam tests key concepts. Plus, each topic features multiple videos walking you through how to answer MCQs on the exam.
This was helpful in demonstrating a good test-taking thought process, and it also helped reframe my perspective to ask what the exam creators were looking for and what to look for with key word choices like except, always, never, sometimes, etc. There were some seriously great gold nuggets in these, and I think these videos are where Mauriello’s teaching really shines.
Pricing, Guarantees, and Value
Gleim is priced higher than competitors by several hundred dollars (up to $700 extra compared to Surgent’s cheaply-priced CIA course). But when it comes to life-changing exams, value might be more important than money.
Naturally, you’re getting the biggest value with the Gleim Premium CIA Review System, and it’s pretty clear that’s the package they want you to pick. That’s the only package to include video lectures, digital flashcards, an accounting expert hotline, the Access Until You Pass® Guarantee, and the money-back pass guarantee.
And again, whether it’s worth it depends on you. The steep price tag may be a no-go for some students, and I’ve been there myself—I get it. However, suppose it’s something you’re able to afford. In that case, the course is worthwhile if you’re a video learner, you value a self-study course with personalized help when you need it, and the promise of first-attempt success and access for as long as you need it appeals to you.
Student Support
Finally, let’s touch on student support. Naturally, you’ll have access to all typical customer service channels: email, phone, and chat. However, as a Traditional CIA Review System customer, you’ll unlock personal counselors. These counselors aren’t here to advise you on the auditing process or ethics standards; rather, they’re here to help you build an effective study plan, stick to it, and serve as your personal cheerleader along the way.
Meanwhile, when you level up and purchase the Premium CIA Review System, you can access the invaluable accounting expert hotline. Stuck on a tricky topic? Just submit your questions, wait between 24 and 48 hours, and wait for that “a-ha” moment. The experts are great at breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-digest, bite-sized pieces, so you can finally get over that hump and move on to the next chapter.
I found that the customer service was quick and helpful. They answered my questions within 24 hours (I never had to wait 48 hours, though I can’t promise this will be your experience) and were patient with me even when I bombarded them with question after question.
One reviewer personally mentioned their counselor as an important factor in their success:
“I bought Gleim Access Until You Pass. My personal counselor was Dale for the entire journey. I passed every part on the first attempt. I didn’t have prior experience in the field.”
Bottom Line
Review courses aren’t “one size fits all,” as much as some of them would like you to think. On the contrary, the perfect course varies from person to person depending on their learning styles, preference between extensive support or self-study, and budget.
Gleim is perfect for students who might want a bit of hand-holding but prefer self-study first and foremost. They value engaging video lectures and a hefty volume of practice materials. Tough questions don’t scare them off–on the contrary, boosted difficulty gives them the confidence they need to pass!
However, there are always other options worth considering. For example, Becker is the best fit if you prefer the IIA’s favorite course. Want a more modern approach? Take a look at Surgent.
Best of luck on your study journey!
FAQs
Gleim CIA is an online prep course designed to help candidates pass the CIA exam with practice questions, video lessons, and SmartAdapt™ tech.
Yes—in particular, Gleim’s Premium Review System includes everything you need, from detailed content to mock exams and expert support.
It depends on your learning style, but Becker is considered the best due to the direct endorsement and course co-creation with the IIA, the organization that creates and distributes the CIA exam.
The Premium System costs $1,249 at the time of writing, while the Traditional and Test Bank options are cheaper ($1,099 and $499) but include fewer features.
The Premium version includes video lectures, flashcards, expert support, and access until you pass; the Traditional version does not.
