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ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL‑TA) is a 3-day accredited training course aimed at experienced testers who want to gain the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst certification. Aligned with the latest ISTQB syllabus, this course provides the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to design, execute, and manage effective functional testing at an advanced level.
Delegates will learn advanced black-box test design techniques, risk-based testing strategies, and how to contribute to quality assurance in both Agile and traditional development environments. The course also covers usability testing, requirements validation, defect management, and effective participation in reviews.
Delivered by certified experts with real-world experience, this course prepares you for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst exam and enhances your ability to apply structured testing techniques in the workplace with confidence and credibility.
Content: aligned with the latest ISTQB Advanced Level syllabus; includes test design techniques, risk-based testing, non-functional testing, defect management, and reviews
Exam preparation: includes scenario-based question practice and structured revision
Accreditation: fully accredited by UKITB on behalf of ISTQB
SFIAplus level: rated at Level 5 by BCS
Assessment: 45 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes (150 minutes for non-native English speakers); 65% pass mark required
Why you should attend
Deepen your test analysis and design skills with industry-standard techniques
Learn to assess and mitigate quality risks in complex systems
Master black-box and experience-based testing for functionality and usability
Work more effectively in agile, waterfall, or hybrid teams
Gain a globally recognised ISTQB Advanced certification
Boost your career prospects as a Test Analyst, QA Consultant, or Senior Tester
Who is the course for
This course is ideal for:
Test Analysts, QA Engineers, UAT Testers
Business analysts involved in test planning
Anyone with a CTFL certificate and at least 2 years of practical testing experience looking to advance their test design and analysis capabilities
Next steps in your testing career
Holders of this certification may choose to broaden their expertise by pursuing other Core Advanced Level certifications, such as Technical Test Analyst, Test Manager, or Test Automation Engineer.
For those wishing to specialise in Agile practices, the Agile Technical Tester (CTAL-ATT) is a natural next step. Alternatively, candidates can explore specialist certification streams that focus on areas such as specific testing technologies, quality characteristics, test levels, or industry-specific domains.
Watch our latest webinar
Want to explore the course in more detail before enrolling? Watch our webinar where we walk through the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst syllabus, exam format, and key takeaways. Click here to watch the webinar
About ISTQB and the certified tester scheme
Founded in 2002, ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) is a not-for-profit association comprising 66 national boards (including the UKITB) to provide worldwide coverage
ISTQB has defined the Advanced certification as part of their ‘Certified Tester’ scheme that, with over 240,000 certifications, has become the de facto world-wide standard for software testing qualifications.
The ‘Certified Tester’ scheme:
Provides a set of professional qualifications widely-recognised by employers, customers and peers;
Enables software suppliers to hire and train certified testers and thereby gain commercial advantage over their competitors by advertising their tester recruitment and development policies; and
Enables comparison of testing skills across different countries, testers to move across country borders more easily, and multi-national/international projects to have a common understanding of testing issues.
The entry requirements for the Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst qualification are that the candidate must hold the ISTQB Foundation certificate and it is also suggested that candidates have a minimum of 2 years testing experience.
Note that it is recommended that you attend an accredited training course run by an accredited training provider, as the overall exam pass rates are notably higher for candidates attending such courses.
Exam
To qualify as an internationally-recognized Certified Advanced Level Test Analyst and be issued with an ISTQB® Advanced Level Certificate, delegates must successfully pass the exam administered by the relevant National Board or Examination Provider.
45 multiple choice pick ‘n’ mix questions which consist of the questions followed by a list of options
Duration of 120 minutes (or 150 minutes for candidates taking examinations that are not in their native language)
A candidate must score at least 65% to pass
Exam is included in the price
Course objectives
After successfully completing the course and passing the exam, delegates should be able to demonstrate the following business-based outcomes
Perform the appropriate testing activities based on the software development lifecycle being used;
Determine the proper prioritization of the testing activities based on the information provided by the risk analysis;
Select and apply appropriate test techniques to ensure that tests provide an adequate level of confidence, based on defined coverage criteria;
Provide the appropriate level of documentation relevant to their testing activities;
Determine the appropriate types of functional testing to be performed;
Work effectively in a usability testing team;
Effectively participate in requirements / user story reviews with stakeholders, applying knowledge of typical mistakes made in work products;
Improve the efficiency of the test process with the use of tools.
In addition, the newly qualified ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst should be able to demonstrate their skills in the following areas once they have completed the course and passed the exam:
Explain how and why the timing and level of involvement for the Test Analyst varies when working with different software development lifecycle models.
Summarize the appropriate tasks for the Test Analyst when conducting analysis and design activities.
Explain why test conditions should be understood by the stakeholders.
For a given project scenario, select the appropriate design level for test cases (high-level or low-level).
Explain the issues to be considered in test case design.
Summarize the appropriate tasks for the Test Analyst when conducting test implementation activities.
Summarize the appropriate tasks for the Test Analyst when conducting test execution activities.
For a given situation, participate in risk identification, perform risk assessment and propose appropriate risk mitigation.
Analyze a given specification item(s) and design test cases by applying equivalence partitioning.
Analyze a given specification item(s) and design test cases by applying boundary value analysis.
Analyze a given specification item(s) and design test cases by applying decision table testing.
Analyze a given specification item(s) and design test cases by applying state transition testing.
Explain how classification tree diagrams support test techniques.
Analyze a given specification item(s) and design test cases by applying pairwise testing.
Analyze a system, or its requirement specification, in order to determine likely types of defects to be found and select the appropriate black-box test technique(s).
Explain the principles of experience-based test techniques, and the benefits and drawbacks compared to black-box and defect-based test techniques.
Determine exploratory tests from a given scenario.
Describe the application of defect-based test techniques and differentiate their use from black-box test techniques.
For a given project situation, determine which black-box or experience-based test techniques should be applied to achieve specific goals.
Explain what test techniques are appropriate to test functional completeness, correctness and appropriateness.
Define the typical defects to be targeted for the functional completeness, correctness and appropriateness characteristics.
Define when the functional completeness, correctness and appropriateness characteristics should be tested in the software development lifecycle.
Explain the approaches that would be suitable to verify and validate both the implementation of the usability requirements and the fulfillment of the user’s expectations.
Explain the role of the test analyst in interoperability testing including identification of the defects to be targeted.
Explain the role of the test analyst in portability testing including identification of the defects to be targeted.
For a given set of requirements, determine the test conditions required to verify the functional and/or non-functional quality characteristics within the scope of the Test Analyst.
Identify problems in a requirements specification according to checklist information provided in the syllabus.
Identify problems in a user story according to checklist information provided in the syllabus.
For a given scenario, determine the appropriate activities for a Test Analyst in a keyword-driven automation project.
Explain the usage and types of test tools applied in test design, test data preparation and test execution.
Syllabus – key points
FAQs
What prerequisites are required for enrolling in the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst course?
To enrol in the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst course, candidates should ideally have achieved the ISTQB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing and have sufficient practical experience, typically a recommended minimum of 2-3 years in software testing roles.
What skills and knowledge will I gain from the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst course?
The course provides an in-depth understanding of test design techniques, testing software quality characteristics, and performing effective test analysis and design. You will also learn how to implement and execute tests according to the test plan, as well as evaluate outcome of test activities and provide necessary reporting.
How long is the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst course and what does it include?
The course duration is typically 3 days and includes lectures, practical exercises, exam preparation and often the examination itself. Course material and exams are part of the package provided by TSG Training.
What is the structure of the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst exam?
The exam consists of 45 multiple-choice 'pick ‘n’ mix' questions, with a duration of 120 minutes (or 150 minutes for candidates taking the exam in a language that is not their native). A score of at least 65% is required to pass, and the exam fee is included in the course price.
How can the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst certification help advance my career?
Earning the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst certification demonstrates a professional-level understanding of software testing, which can enhance your qualifications for roles such as senior test analyst, test consultant, or test manager. It can also lead to increased job responsibilities, promotion opportunities, and recognition within the industry.
64 reviews for ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA)
Rated 5 out of 5
Anonymous –
The course was excellent, and the trainer provided great mentorship. We gained a lot of valuable information that will be very useful for the exam
Rated 4 out of 5
Anonymous –
I felt this course was very fast paced and too much to take in short time. secondly the slides have more theory and trainer was reading them. It would have been helpful If we can have real time examples and pictorial diagrams on the slides and more detail explanation from trainer with a real time example.
Rated 5 out of 5
Anonymous –
Lots of information to take on and was explain in clear manner that i could understand
Rated 5 out of 5
Anonymous –
The student material could do with more examples, which would aid better understanding of new concepts.
The course was excellent, and the trainer provided great mentorship. We gained a lot of valuable information that will be very useful for the exam
★★★★★
I felt this course was very fast paced and too much to take in short time. secondly the slides have more theory and trainer was reading them. It would have been helpful If we can have real time examples and pictorial diagrams on the slides and more detail explanation from trainer with a real time example.
★★★★★
Lots of information to take on and was explain in clear manner that i could understand
★★★★★
The student material could do with more examples, which would aid better understanding of new concepts.
★★★★★
Entertaining and informative, a good way to learn old and new testing material
★★★★★
Although this was a short 3-day training course, I was pleasantly surprised with the delivery/format of the syllabus coupled with the professionalism, wit and interaction of Karen Peters (our amazing trainer) with both the wider group and also within our breakout rooms. Could have easily given over 5 s!
★★★★★
I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Karen was brilliant, really engaging and covered everything required, taking time to explain things or give examples where necessary. I would happily be trained by Karen again!
The course was run over three days, each day being a full day of learning. The days were consistently on time with and did not feel overly rushed or similarly too slow paced, allowing enough time to digest the information in each section before moving on. Breaking things up with the class exercises was useful and allowed an opportunity to engage more with the content and apply the learnings.
Overall I'm really happy with how the past three days have gone and look forward to applying my learnings in the exam
★★★★★
Damien Paul| Senior Test Analyst| Jagex
I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Karen was brilliant, really engaging and covered everything required, taking time to explain things or give examples where necessary. I would happily be trained by Karen again!
The course was run over three days, each day being a full day of learning. The days were consistently on time with and did not feel overly rushed or similarly too slow paced, allowing enough time to digest the information in each section before moving on. Breaking things up with the class exercises was useful and allowed an opportunity to engage more with the content and apply the learnings.
Overall I'm really happy with how the past three days have gone and look forward to applying my learnings in the exam
★★★★★
Karen should had give more pratical examples from her experience to us understand the concepts woth more examples.
★★★★★
Sara Rodrigues| Lead Technical Tester| Innowave
Karen should had give more pratical examples from her experience to us understand the concepts woth more examples.
★★★★★
Very informative and good exercise examples to promote discussion around learning material. Karen communicated everything clearly and provided a great atmosphere to learn/develop without too much pressure.
★★★★★
Learnt a lot. The only downside is that some key element could have been more visually explained that they are
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It acts like an insurance policy, allowing you to resit your exam at a significantly reduced rate.
Pass Protect covers one resit per exam purchased, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of an additional attempt if you don’t pass initially.
In summary, by adding the Pass Protect to your order, you save £160 upfront, but keep in mind that it’s only available for resits if you purchase it when you first register for your exam.
Anonymous –
The course was excellent, and the trainer provided great mentorship. We gained a lot of valuable information that will be very useful for the exam
Anonymous –
I felt this course was very fast paced and too much to take in short time. secondly the slides have more theory and trainer was reading them. It would have been helpful If we can have real time examples and pictorial diagrams on the slides and more detail explanation from trainer with a real time example.
Anonymous –
Lots of information to take on and was explain in clear manner that i could understand
Anonymous –
The student material could do with more examples, which would aid better understanding of new concepts.