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
Anonymous –
Course was very difficult and theory heavy a lot of items covered unrelated to how we operate in our company, practice questions answers were tricky and didnt relate to how I do things day to day in work.
Anonymous –
Very informative and well structured training course with lots valuable lessons
Anonymous –
Excellent course. The PDF pack and pre-course were particularly useful. The trainer, Rosie Sheldon, was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also a very engaging presenter.
Anonymous –
The format and the delegate material we were sent was very clear and well organised, the slides and presentation was also very useful to review. The learning and then testing knowledge in the sessions was helpful to reinforce understanding. The course content was very useful I think for all of our group as software, test and systems engineers to get a better understanding of as testing in one form or another is relevant in all our roles.
Anonymous –
There are lots of training materials, exercise and sample exam papers which are very useful. John is very professional and knowledgable.
Anonymous –
The lecturer was engaging and I found the course mostly easy to understand. It felt a little bit rushed at times however.
Anonymous –
Course delivery was very informative and Bill paced it really well as well as explaining each slide in very understandable manner. Appreciate the slides and provided questions PDFs
Anonymous –
Great course! Bill was very approachable and informative. He made it interesting with real world examples and anecdotes. He made it clear what areas were examinable but kept a focus on the training being used for real testing, rather than just passing a test.
Anonymous –
I enjoyed the course, the content and the trainer. I found the question parts and team working the most helpful. I feel like the 3 day nature of the course could be improved as I found it hard to maintain concentration especially near the end of the sessions and the content could be condensed/ gone through quicker/ independent reading.
Anonymous –
Well structured and well paced. It would be nice to include more team exercises
Anonymous –
Bill’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject is impressive and anecdotes made the course a lot less “drier” than it could have been. Thanks 🙂
Anonymous –
Fantastic course and great that it was in person. Rosie was beyond excellent, explained things really well. She was very encouraging and a great support when practise exam questions didn’t go as well! I can’t thank her enough for her patience as I do struggle to digest information on occasions
Anonymous –
Course was very intense but Rosie was extremely helpful and patient answering all of our questions. Very informative on both the course and the exam itself. I had initially looked over some material for the course before attending and was quite overwhelmed by it all but Rosie has managed to help me to understand all the concepts within the course and I have confidence that I will be able to go on to take the exam next week and gain a pass mark. Thanks to Rosie for all the help
Anonymous –
Excellent course with an excellent trainer. Knew the course material inside out and was able to align to real world examples to bolster the explanations.
Anonymous –
The course was very well structured and John was incredibly knowledgeable about the topics covered, able to clearly answer any questions that were posed by the course attendees, some of whom had worked in the industry for many years. I felt that I was able to contribute to discussions whenever I liked but did not feel any pressure to do so.
What would have been beneficial to me, personally, would have been the encouragement of more active involvement from myself and the other attendees. For example, when we were going through the test questions, instead of John telling us the answers and explaining it (which, don’t get me wrong, was incredibly helpful), he could have called upon the ‘class’ to explain our answers and have other attendees fill in any missing blanks. I find that active discussion helps me solidify my understanding of new topics.
Other than that, it was a great course and I can’t fault John at all. Very welcoming, understanding of the different experience levels, and took the course at a very manageable pace. Would highly recommend!
Anonymous –
Rosie was very knowledgeable and covered all of the topics in great detail. Definitely the best course I have done since being in the workplace.
I don’t enjoy how ISTQB write their exam questions, but Rosie did a good job at pointing out the common pit falls.
Anonymous –
Informative and understandable.
Some of the slides could be broken down further and are context dependent but were explained very well by John.
Anonymous –
Very good with a very good instructor and also the tools he used especially for test questions. He was very prepared on the subject.
Alex Borg| Senior System Administrator| BOV –
Very good with a very good instructor and also the tools he used especially for test questions. He was very prepared on the subject.
Anonymous –
Very good, covered lots