ISTQB certifications

Every ISTQB certification at a glance

The exams we cover for ISTQB, with the figures each certification publishes. Levels are guidance rather than gates — ISTQB sets no prerequisites, so you can book any of these directly.

Compare these with every other exam we cover, including recent and upcoming exam changes.

Where to start with ISTQB

ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) is the ISTQB exam we cover, and it is a foundational one: no prerequisites, and no hands-on experience assumed. That makes it a genuine entry point rather than something to work up to.

Pair it with hands-on work rather than a second certification: what you have actually built carries an interview further than a second credential does.

How ISTQB certifications are renewed

Renewal is the cost people forget, and it varies more between vendors than the exam fees do.

ISTQB Foundation Level certificates are valid for life, so there is nothing to renew. A new syllabus version does not cancel a certificate you already hold.

ISTQB exams are sold by national Member Boards and Exam Providers, which set their own prices in local currency. Check your country’s Member Board or an exam provider for the current fee. See the International Software Testing Qualifications Board’s own certification page for the current terms.