General ISTQB Certificate FAQs

What are the ISTQB Certificates?

ISTQB stands for the International Software Testing Qualifications Board. They offer two levels of internationally recognised software testing certification - foundation and advanced.

To achieve the ISTQB Foundation Certificate you will need to sit and pass the ISTQB Foundation Certificate exam. This is a 40 question multiple choice exam and candidates must achieve a score of 26 to pass.

There are three ISTQB Advanced certifications - ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst Certificate, ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Certificate, and ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst Certificate. Each certificate has its own exam.

For more information on ISTQB certificates refer to the ISTQB.

ISTQB Foundation Certificate FAQs

Are there pre-requisites for the ‘ISTQB Foundation Certificate’ course?

Yes - we recommend 12 months of software testing or software project experience before attending the ISTQB Foundation Certificate course. The ISTQB Foundation Certificate exam can be challenging even for those with experience.

What is the exam format for the ISTQB Foundation Test Analyst Certificate exam?

The ISTQB Foundation Certificate exam run by the Australia New Zealand Testing Board (ANZTB) is 40 multiple choice questions and 1 hour in duration. Of the 40 questions there are:

• 20 level 1 'remember' questions
• 12 level 2 'understand' questions
• 8 level 3 'apply' questions

Participants are required to achieve 26 or more out of 40 marks to pass.

The exam is based on the material in the 'ISTQB Syllabus Foundation Level V2007'. See details in the 'pre-reading' FAQ below for more information.

Can you recommend pre-reading to prepare for the ISTQB Foundation Certificate course and exam?

Yes – it would be beneficial to familiarise yourself with the ‘ISTQB Syllabus Foundation Level V2007’ and associated ‘ISTQB Standard Glossary of Terms’. The syllabus forms the basis of the examinable material. The glossary provides a reference for the terms used within the syllabus. Both of these documents are free and available from the ISTQB.

When you book on an Equinox 'ISTQB Foundation Certificate' course we can also make available the course manual prior to the course to those who have paid.

Can I sit the ‘ISTQB Foundation Certificate’ exam without attending the course?

The Australia New Zealand Testing Board (ANZTB) is the ISTQB representative for the Australia and New Zealand region. They run regular public exams in New Zealand. The public exam schedule is available from the ANZTB.

ISTQB Advanced Certificate FAQs

Can you explain the structure of the ISTQB Advanced Certificate courses?

The ISTQB Advanced syllabus has three distinct certifications:

• ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst Certificate
• ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Certificate
• ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst Certificate

Each of these certificates has its own exam.

What are the prerequisites for the ISTQB Advanced Certificate courses and exams?

It is a prerequisite of all ISTQB Advanced certifications that the candidate hold an ISTQB Foundation certificate or a ISEB Foundation certificate in software testing. Proof of attainment is required prior to certification being issued. Suggested prerequisite of minimum of 3 years testing experience.

What is the exam format for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst Certificate exam?

The ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst Certificate exam run by the Australia New Zealand Testing Board (ANZTB) is 65 multiple choice questions and 2 hours in duration. Of the 65 questions there are:

• 40 level 2 'understand' questions - worth 1 mark each
• 15 level 3 'apply' questions - worth 2 marks each
• 10 level 4 'analyse' questions - worth 3 marks each

Participants are required to achieve 65% or more out of the total 100 marks to pass.

The exam will be challenging to ensure that those who pass are of a high calibre and are senior software testing professionals. As such, the percentage of people who fail this exam is expected to be higher than for the ISTQB Foundation Certificate exam.

The exam is based on the material in the 'ISTQB Syllabus Advanced Level 2007' and the 'ISTQB Syllabus Foundation Level V2007'. See details in the 'pre-reading' FAQ below for more information.

Can you recommend pre-reading to prepare for the ISTQB Advanced Certificate courses and exams?

You should firstly re-familiarise yourself with your ISTQB Foundation material, including the 'ISTQB Syllabus Foundation Level V2007'. The course assumes that you know this information and will build on it. The advanced exams may also ask questions from the ISTQB Foundation Syllabus.

You should also familiarise yourself with the ‘ISTQB Syllabus Advanced Level 2007’ and associated ‘ISTQB Standard Glossary of Terms’. The advanced and foundation syllabus forms the basis of the examinable material. The glossary provides a reference for the terms used within the syllabus. All of these documents are free and available from the ISTQB.

When you book on an Equinox ISTQB Advanced Certificate exam we can also make available the course manual prior to the course to those who have paid.

Are the ISTQB Advanced Certificate exams included within each of the five day courses?

No. Each of the five day advanced courses includes a large amount of content which is more complex than the foundation level content. It is recommended that course participants sit the course and then revise the material learnt for a period of time before sitting the corresponding ISTQB Advanced exam.