Course overview
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.
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Course highlights
- Duration: 3-day intensive training (9am – 5pm)
- Format: available in virtual, or e-Learning
- 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.
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Entry requirements
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.
Sigurbjorn Gunnarsson | QA | Tern System –
Only thing I can point out is that it would be nice to have an issued schedule of lunch and such beforehand.
Phil Terry | Test Analyst | Horiba Test Automation –
Really enjoyed being back in the classroom, so much better than being online. I would recommend Rosie as a trainer. She was really clear and happy to answer questions as we went along. She also addressed concerns as if they were her own. Excellent.
Tressa King | Junior Test Engineer | Riverford Organic Farmers Ltd –
I found the course engaging, interesting and helpful. A big takeaway for me was the boost in confidence that I am ready for promotion. In fact I appear to be doing at least 3 peoples jobs simultaneously.
Rosie was just great in person and I hope to find occasion to train with her again.
Ryan viney | Test engineer | –
I really enjoyed the course and found it informative.
Rosie was very knowledgeable on the subject matter.
Liam Fussell|Senior Technical Test Analyst|NMI –
Course was delivered very well from John – allowed for discussion whilst explaining answers clearly. The course materials have been good and the presentation/UX over Go To Meeting easy to use.
Luke Goodridge|QA Analyst|Jagex –
John has done a great job with this, its alot of information to take in. But john makes it easy to understand with bitesize chunks
Rizwan Sulaman|| –
John was an excellent trainer. He explained well and answered all queries. The course content was good but it covers aloot in a short time
Sandra Kasa|QA Software Tester|SupplyPoint –
I have been on several training courses with John and he never disappoints. He is so professional and doesn’t leave any question without response. He is genuinely interested so that all students would take most of his training courses and his support is immeasurable.
stephanie scanlon|Principal QA Analyst|jagex –
This is the second time I’ve had John for a course (the other was the Agile extension), I was very pleased to have John once more! He’s incredibly thorough and provides everything we need in an easier to understand format. Whilst also offering his help outside of the course. Thank you John!
Sam Ryan | Manual QA | Invotra Ltd –
Informative and helpful, plenty of out of hours help. Nice trainer
Paulo Martins | Automation Expert | Siemens –
Positive and supportive teacher, proper explanation of current topics and refresher of older more forgotten ones.
Kirpa Dosanjh | Test Lead | Capgemini –
Great trainer who really took his time to go through everyone’s questions and explain the syllabus thoroughly.
Rita Bicho | Test Manager | Siemens AG (Portugal) –
The course is quite intensive for just 3 days.
Hadeel Alwabel | Software Engineer | SITE –
I would be able to review better while studying as is was all in 3 days and I was switching between work and training alot. but in general am pleased by it and I hope I make it in the exam.
Mohita Malhotra | Senior HCM Consultant | VSCL –
Th Trainer gave us a comprehensive idea about the entire course _x000D_
The trainer gave us idea about the technique and how to approach the questions and how to structure and apply the technique and concept and arrive at the answers which was extremely helpful and with due practise would help us be successful in clearing the certification exam
Declan Murphy | Software Applications Tester | Tiger Systems Ltd –
Well structured and balanced with questions, good examples provided by trainer although I felt some slides were a little vague_x000D_
Trainer was good at leading the class and was clear in communication and engaged well with participants
Lujain Alsuhaibani | Software test engineer | SITE company –
it had very useful input and exercises that helped us understand the theory better
Joe Dobson | Test Engineer | IBM –
The course was very interesting. John explained all subjects very well and wherever possible gave us the opportunity to try things ourselves and do exercises. He was very supportive and made sure everybody was happy before moving on to the next subject.
Amy Banes | Senior QA Test Analyst | CaseWare UK Ltd –
Very thorough and spent the time to explain items if unsure. Scheduled breaks were beneficial as doing online course and helped focus.
Qasim Ahmed | Snr QAT Analyst | HomeOffice –
John was brilliant and open to explaining all aspects of the course. _x000D_
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I would like more time focused on the crux of the course. eg. techniques to try more samples.