Tips to Prepare for the ISTQB Foundation Level Exam (CTFL) and Pass

Below are tips to help you prepare for the ISTQB Foundation Level exam, including understanding the number of questions, knowing what to study, and using the right practice materials. The ISTQB Foundation Level exam, also called ISTQB CTFL, is the first ISTQB exam software testers take because it is required before all other ISTQB certification exams. It is also the software testing certification most often requested by employers.

The Number of Questions and Points Per Syllabus Chapter: The ISTQB Foundation Level Exam Structure

The ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) exam consists of 40 questions, and each question is worth one point. This means you need to get at least 26 questions right to pass the ISTQB Foundation Level exam. Also, see our page on how many ISTQB exam questions there are for each chapter of the ISTQB syllabus.

Should You Take Training or Self-Study, or Do Both for ISTQB Foundation Level?

If you can do so, it will help you to take a course through one of ASTQB’s accredited software testing training providers to prepare for the ISTQB Foundation Level exam. The course is only three days long in most cases. You can take the exam at the end of the course because the training should be quite good: when we accredit the course, that means we have checked the course materials to ensure they adequately cover the entire ISTQB Foundation Level syllabus contents. Be sure to take your training from someone who will give you the ISTQB exam through ASTQB or AT*SQA. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on the extra benefits of being on both the ISTQB successful candidate register and the Official U.S. List of Certified Software Testers. Plus, you can only earn points toward your Testing Tiers™ software tester ranking by taking your ISTQB exam through ASTQB or AT*SQA. That said, many pass ISTQB CTFL by studying on their own. ASTQB gives you lots of free study materials to help you get ready, and the links to the ISTQB study materials are below. The resources and tips below are helpful to everyone preparing for the ISTQB Foundation Level exam, regardless of whether you are taking training or studying on your own.

The Time Needed to Prep for ISTQB CTFL: It Depends on Your Experience Level

We have heard that people with programming backgrounds feel that they can do well on the ISTQB Foundation Level exam if they study for two or three weeks. But here is an important point: Just because you know programming and testing to some degree, you may not currently use terms that are found in the ISTQB exam. Many companies use different terminology, so you must understand the common terms used worldwide by ISTQB.

By the way, this is one of the reasons employers want testers who have the ISTQB Foundation Level. They will use the same terminology and testing principles as the rest of their team. That makes the whole team much more efficient. We have also heard that if you don’t have any or much experience, you may want to study one to two hours per day for three or four weeks before you take the ISTQB exam. Note that when you register for your ISTQB exam through ASTQB and our official ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA, you have up to 365 days to take your exam. This gives you lots of time to prepare for your ISTQB exam. Note: The times listed in the syllabi are guidance for instructors who are talking and going through slides. You may be able to read and study faster than those times indicate.

ISTQB Exam Prep: Free Study Materials for CTFL!

ASTQB has free ISTQB exam preparation materials that can be downloaded from the ASTQB website, including two extra ISTQB Foundation Level sample exams only available from AT*SQA & ASTQB. These extra ISTQB Foundation Level practice exams closely match the style of the real ISTQB exam you take through AT*SQA. Testers report that these are very helpful. These are also available for free:

  • ISTQB syllabus
  • ISTQB glossary
  • ISTQB sample questions and answers built especially for the ASTQB/AT*SQA ISTQB exams
  • ASTQB videos on various software testing topics

Also, see how many ISTQB Foundation Level exam questions and points there are based on each chapter of the Foundation Level syllabus. This will help you concentrate on the chapters worth the most points.

We highly recommend that you use the special, extra ISTQB Foundation Level practice exams from AT*SQA and ASTQB because they closely match the style of the ISTQB exam questions and answers at our official ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA. Using these will give you more confidence that you’re ready to take your ISTQB exam at AT*SQA.

Know Your Terms for ISTQB Foundation Level

The ISTQB Foundation Level exam covers lots of concepts and software testing terms vocabulary. Study the ISTQB glossary well. Knowledge of software testing terms is important for the exam and for your communication with other U.S. software testers. Tip: The online glossary lets you narrow down the terms to those used in the Foundation Level exam. So you don’t have to study the terms found in other certifications, at least not until you are getting ready for those exams. See how to use the ISTQB Glossary to prepare for ISTQB Foundation Level and other ISTQB exams.

Practice, Practice, Practice for ISTQB Foundation Level

It’s important to practice with the special sample exams found on the ASTQB website and AT*SQA website. Use the extra sample exams with the “ASTQB” next to them and on the cover because they are specially designed to match the question and answer style of the ISTQB exam you register for at AT*SQA. Generic ISTQB sample exams from ISTQB aren’t designed to match any exam style. Unofficial ISTQB exam questions from other sites may not have the correct answers, and you won’t know for certain because they haven’t been reviewed by our expert testers. So be sure to practice with ASTQB’s ISTQB practice exams and take your ISTQB exam at AT*SQA so it matches that style.

How to Take the ISTQB Foundation Level Exam

Those who coach exam takers often recommend that it’s probably correct if you are certain about the answer. If you are unsure, narrow down the options to the top two and then pick one. You won’t lose points if you are wrong.

How to Register for the ISTQB Foundation Level Exam

You should register for your ISTQB exams through our official ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA because you get extra benefits:

Get More Tips on Passing ISTQB Foundation Level from AT*SQA

Want to see more tips? For additional ideas, see these articles on the AT*SQA website:

Be Confident for ISTQB Foundation Level: You Can Do This!

If you’ve read this far, you’re already showing you have the drive and dedication to pass the ISTQB Foundation Level exam. You can do it.

Summary: How to Prepare for and Pass the Certification Exam for ISTQB Foundation Level

Below are the main steps to prepare for the ISTQB Foundation Level CTFL exam.

  • Download Resources – All resources for the ISTQB Foundation Level exam preparation are available on our website.
  • Take ISTQB Foundation Level Practice Exams – After studying the syllabus, take the practice exams. When you are done, retake it. This will prepare you for the general format of our exams, so you will know what to expect. Use the special, extra ISTQB Foundation Level practice exams from AT*SQA and ASTQB because they closely match the style of the ISTQB exam questions and answers at our official ISTQB exam provider AT*SQA.
  • Schedule Your Exam Date Early – Once you feel prepared for your exam, go ahead and choose your ISTQB exam date. We highly suggest that you schedule your exam well in advance. Why? Because it will give you a date to work towards to be ready for the exam. When you register, you can download and install the software well before your exam day. Going into your exam well prepared will help you focus on the exam day.