The ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) Exam, Explained
Every sitting of the Certified Tester Foundation Level exam follows the same blueprint. Before you book, you can know how many questions each chapter is worth, how many you are allowed to miss, and roughly how long each kind of question takes.
- Questions
- 40
- To pass
- 26 (65%)
- Time
- 60 min
- Prerequisites
- None
Exam pattern and scoring: you can miss 14
Each question is worth one mark and there is no penalty for a wrong answer. You need 26 of 40. Put the other way round, you can get 14 wrong and still pass. Candidates who panic in the exam room tend to forget this. A question you cannot crack is worth skipping, flagging and coming back to, because the time it eats is time taken from easier marks later in the paper.
Most questions have four options and one correct answer. A few have five options and ask you to select two, and the question says so. Read the stem twice when it contains NOT, MOST or BEST, since those words decide which of two plausible options is correct.
Time: 90 seconds a question
60 minutes for 40 questions averages out at 90 seconds each, but the questions are not equal. A K1 question you either know or you do not, and it takes 20 seconds. A K3 boundary value or decision table question can take three minutes. The practical approach is one quick pass answering everything you are sure of, then a second pass on the calculation questions.
If you are sitting the exam in a language that is not your first, ISTQB allows a 25% time extension, giving 75 minutes. It is not applied automatically. Request it from your exam provider when you book.
Where the 40 questions come from
The split by chapter is fixed. Chapters 4 and 5 together supply half the paper, and chapter 6 supplies two questions. That imbalance should shape your revision time more than anything else on this page.
| Chapter | Questions | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fundamentals of Testing | 8 | Chapter 1 drill |
| 2. Testing Throughout the SDLC | 6 | Chapter 2 drill |
| 3. Static Testing | 4 | Chapter 3 drill |
| 4. Test Analysis and Design | 11 | Chapter 4 drill |
| 5. Managing Test Activities | 9 | Chapter 5 drill |
| 6. Test Tools | 2 | Chapter 6 drill |
The questions also split by cognitive level: 8 K1 (remember), 24 K2 (understand) and 8 K3 (apply). K2 is where the exam is won or lost, and K3 is where the time goes. The K-levels guide explains how to tell them apart from the wording of a question.
Every learning objective in the syllabus can be examined, and so can every keyword listed at the start of each chapter, using its ISTQB glossary definition. The syllabus guide walks through what each chapter contains.
Booking the exam
ISTQB writes the syllabus but does not sell exams directly. You book through an exam provider or your country’s member board, and ISTQB keeps the official list of both. Providers differ on price, on whether they offer a remote proctored exam or a test centre, on which languages they offer, and on what a retake costs. Compare two or three before paying.
Treat the exam as closed book, whether you sit it at a centre or on webcam. A remote sitting usually needs a quiet room, a clear desk and a system check done in advance, so do that check days before rather than minutes before.
Make sure your study material is for CTFL v4.0. It has replaced v3.1 at the ISTQB member boards, but older v3.1 material is still widely shared and covers a noticeably different syllabus.
Try the format before exam day
The free mock exam uses the same 40 questions, 60 minutes and chapter split as the real one, and draws a different paper every attempt. A pass on one lucky draw proves little, so aim for several attempts that clear 26 with a few marks to spare. If you want a plan for getting there, see how to prepare for the CTFL exam.
Common questions
How many questions are on the ISTQB Foundation Level exam?
40 multiple-choice questions, each worth one mark.
What is the passing score for ISTQB CTFL?
26 correct answers out of 40, which is 65%. A wrong answer costs nothing, so never leave a question blank.
How long is the ISTQB CTFL exam?
60 minutes. If the exam is not in your first language you can apply for 25% extra time, which makes it 75 minutes. Ask for the extension when you book.
Are there any prerequisites for CTFL?
No. Anyone can book the exam, and training is optional. Self-study from the syllabus is an accepted route.
Can I take the ISTQB exam from home?
In many countries, yes. Many exam providers offer a remote proctored exam as well as test centres. Which options you get depends on the provider you book with.
Is the ISTQB Foundation Level exam hard?
It is a wide exam more than a deep one. You can get 14 questions wrong and still pass, and only 8 questions ask you to apply something rather than recall or explain it. The marks people drop tend to come from precise wording and from the chapter 4 and 5 calculations rather than from difficult ideas.
How long is the ISTQB CTFL certificate valid?
It does not expire. Once you pass, the Foundation Level certificate is yours for life, and it is the entry requirement for ISTQB's Advanced and most Specialist certifications.
How much does the ISTQB CTFL exam cost?
There is no single global price. Fees are set by each national member board or exam provider, and they change. Check the provider you plan to book with for the current fee and the retake price.