Course overview
The ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) is the most widely recognised entry-level certification in software testing, trusted by employers and professionals around the world. This accredited course provides you with a comprehensive introduction to the principles, processes, and practices of testing, ensuring you gain the essential skills needed to begin or advance a career in quality assurance.
During the training, you will follow the official ISTQB Foundation Level syllabus, covering core testing concepts such as the purpose of testing, the role of testing within the software development lifecycle, and how testing adds value to both projects and organisations. You will also explore test design techniques, static testing, reviews, defect management, and the fundamentals of test management, providing you with a broad and practical understanding of the discipline.
The ISTQB Foundation course is suitable for anyone looking to formalise their knowledge of software testing or preparing to sit the Foundation Level exam. It is particularly valuable for new or junior testers, developers, business analysts, and IT professionals who need to understand how testing works and how it contributes to software quality. No prior testing experience is required, making this course an accessible first step into the testing profession. On completion of the course, you will be fully prepared to take the ISTQB Foundation certification exam (CTFL). Passing the exam will award you the internationally recognised ISTQB Foundation Level certification, opening the door to further qualifications such as the ISTQB Advanced and Specialist levels. With experienced trainers, accredited materials, and a focus on practical learning, this course equips you with both the knowledge and the confidence to succeed in your exam and apply your skills in real-world testing projects. By achieving the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, you demonstrate your commitment to quality and lay the foundations for a successful career in software testing. The CTFL 4.0 certification is designed for professionals who want to validate their practical understanding of the core principles of software testing. It is especially relevant for individuals in the following roles: The ISTQB® Certified Tester Scheme supports testing professionals at every stage of their careers, providing both breadth and depth of knowledge. It also offers clear progression opportunities through advanced qualifications, including the Core Advanced, Specialist, and Expert Levels. Earning this certification opens the pathway to the next stage of the Core stream, including Advanced Level options such as Test Analyst, Technical Test Analyst, or Test Manager. Alternatively, candidates can pursue the Agile or Specialist streams to build expertise in specific areas of software testing. The Certified Tester Foundation Level v4.0 Uncovered” webinar. Tailored for both aspiring ISTQB candidates and seasoned testers, the session dove into the updated CTFL v4.0 exam syllabus, highlighting key revisions and enhancements. Attendees gained insight into what’s new, what’s changed, and crucially why these updates matter in modern testing environments. Click here to view the webinar ISTQB® (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) established the globally-recognised certified tester scheme to: Course highlights
Why you should attend
Who should attend
Next steps in your testing career
Watch our latest webinar
About ISTQB and the certified tester scheme
William Rodgerson | QA tester & Level 3 support | Toca.io –
I found John Young to be knowledgeable, personable and generally very helpful.
Zoe Dodds | Test Analyst | OVO Energy –
Although the course has a lot of information John made it easy to understand and relate back to my own role. This will most definitely help me when revising.
Muntaqa Dar | Test Analyst | Samaritans –
Good trainer and good style of teaching however I am more of a doer so don’t learn very well from just powerpoint slide shows. I have done other courses more hands-on/ interactive where I was actually putting things into practice rather than just listening.
Melissa Martin | Software Test Engineer | TotalMobile –
The course was very well run, John took the time to explain everything and answered any questions I had.
David Cabell | Quality Assurance Tester | CaseWare –
Clear and concise delivery of a large amount of information in a short period (Which was very useful!). Digestable and enjoyable.
Rebuzzi Damiano | Software Engineer in test | Moneyfarm –
The course was very useful and very well explained, even from a non-native English speaker it was very clear and thorough.
Mitchell Kirby | Software Tester | BCS –
Really great course, loved being able to do it online rather than needing to go to a physical classroom. John was an excellent trainer, really added detail to the slides and the learning resources, was very personable and made the course really interesting.
Nic Joannou| Test Analyst| WTC –
Well explained and structured, supportive and good at explaining/answering any questions asked.
Only small suggestion is mapping the content to the K1, K2, K3 criteria as we go through it, or even at the summaries towards the end of each topic/module; although this is intuitive once you retrospectively look back at the criteria and content.
Ami Marshall| Digital Project Manager| Marshalls –
I thought that my trainer was very good at keeping the group engaged and talking through real life examples of the theory. However, I felt that the slides for the training were far too busy and often very unclear. In my opinion the slides need completely redoing.
Jordan Russell| QA Lead| Totalmobile –
Content was interesting and was thoroughly covered by the trainer, everything explained in detail in ways that made sense. Gave me plenty of confidence for taking the exam.
karen Prisk| IT development and specialist information analyst | SPS –
Enjoyed the course found broken down very well and easy to follow.
Sabih Aslam| Test Analyst| Computacenter –
Very good course but I think it would have been better if it was spread to 5 days instead of 3 with few hours a day to absorb all of the information in. After 2/3 PM, it is quite hard to absorb everything.
Aaron Martin| Software Tester| Totalmobile –
First day was very intense, but presented really well and all questions asked were fully answered with detailed explanations.
Could have done with a quick intro into how to use Zoom as wern’t aware what to do when put into the individual rooms. Thought that we’d be invited back however there was an exit button when hovering on screen that took a while to find/become aware of.
Apeksha Patil | QA Engineer | SQA –
It was very helpful.
Nava Anisetti | Test Manager | Sogeti UK Ltd. –
It was very interesting, the samples questions are very useful.
Rich Cahill | Calculations Analyst | Abrdn –
Very detailed, and the trainer was very helpful through out the course.
Always happy to go through reasons behind the theory and help with the test examples.
Ben Barrett | QA Software Engineer/ QA Software Tester | S2Partnership –
I have felt like I have been given a great experience in learning the Theory behind being a Certified Tester.
John was very encouraging and didn’t hesitate to provide further explanation.
I would recommend TSG Training to anyone wanting to learn the right way!
Paul McGowan | qa engineer | SQA –
course went into great detail
David Rhys Shingler | Embedded Tester | RARE –
Very interesting and learnt a lot in a short amount of time, feel prepared for the exam
Chris Barlow | Junior qa engineer | Lumi global –
Well structured and informative.