Yes, the ISTQB® Certified Tester certification is recognized and accepted worldwide as a reference for those working in the software testing field. The CT Foundation Level exam has been conducted in dozens of countries, and the number of certified professionals in the world is considerable (more than one million certified) and is constantly growing.

The certification is offered in an ever-increasing number of languages ​​and is increasingly requested in resumes and tenders, which underlines the international importance and consideration that ISTQB certificates professionals enjoy.

No, the certificate is valid indefinitely.

A syllabus is a document that contains a summary of the topics that need to be covered during the certification exam for the various levels set by ISTQB®

It is possible, by referring both to the CT Foundation Level syllabus and the recommended texts (see the section on study materials). It’s important to note that the syllabus does not delve into the practical application of the concepts and knowledge required to pass the exam: for this reason, a preparation course can be useful, especially if you have no prior experience in the subject.

This is even more true for Advanced and Specialist level certifications.

You can assess your exam readiness by attempting the exam simulations provided by ISTQB®.

The concept of ISTQB certification follows the DIN EN ISO / IEC 17024 standard, which mandates the strict separation between training and certification, thereby avoiding conflicts of interest. ISTQB training providers and ISTQB certification bodies are independent organizations.

However, this does not mean that an individual seeking the ISTQB certificate must find both a training provider and a certification body that conducts the exam and issues the certificate. Through the ITA-STQB online booking platform, it is possible to both search for an accredited training course—if you prefer to take a preparation course—and register for the certification exam; the course is delivered by an independent trainer, while the exam is administered by ITA-STQB.

It is also possible to book just the certification exam, as attendance of a course is not mandatory to take the exam.

A certification body conducts the ISTQB Certified Tester exams, evaluates the exams, declares the results, and issues the certificates on behalf of ISTQB®. In Italy, the certification body recognized by ISTQB® is ITA-STQB.

We invite you to review the "ISTQB® Exams" section of this website for information regarding exam costs.

It depends on the chosen Training Provider. The price can vary as the providers operate independently. We encourage you to contact accredited trainers to request information about course costs.

Software testing is a key step in every project and an essential element of the lifecycle of any software product. Those who demonstrate their testing expertise can quickly advance to play a leading role throughout the project.

A priori, an ISTQB certificate displayed by a freelancer indicates that they are particularly qualified for a role in software testing. From the company's perspective, this individual is prepared to contribute to the project's success; therefore, an increasing number of companies are requesting this certification when hiring for roles within their project teams.

With ISTQB certification, a service provider can show the demonstrable qualifications of its employees. The reputation and acceptance of certified consultants are significantly higher than those without the appropriate certification. Furthermore, there is a clear trend toward requiring appropriate certification for consultants when tendering.

Another aspect is increased employee motivation when continuous training and experience are complemented by certification.

Employee certification is particularly important for multinational companies, and from this perspective, the international recognition of ISTQB certificates is a clear advantage.

Registration can be completed directly on the ITA-STQB online booking website at https://ecomm.ita-stqb.org, where you can also register and pay online.

Participation in a training course is not mandatory, either before taking an exam or if it becomes necessary to retake the exam, but it can be very useful and recommended if you have no practical experience in software testing.

The exam can be repeated at any time, when you feel you have achieved adequate preparation. There are no limits.

It might be helpful to take the ISTQB exam immediately after completing a training course, but this is neither mandatory nor essential. If the course participant does not feel confident in taking the exam right away, they can opt to take the certification exam at a later time. This allows for more time to become familiar with the topics in which the participant feels they are still lacking, and to take the exam only once they have completed their preparation. The candidate has one year from the date of registration to take the exam.

Yes, the fee for each exam includes participation in a single session of the exam for which you are registered. In the event of not passing, additional exams can be taken by paying the corresponding fee. There are no free or discounted retake sessions.

We encourage you to review the "ISTQB® Exams" section of this website for information regarding the structure of exam questions and the scoring mechanism.

Each question is classified according to a cognitive level K (similar to a difficulty level).

• K1 (remember): the candidate must remember or recognize a term or concept.

• K2 (understand): the candidate must use the most correct definition or technique in relation to a certain topic.

• K3 (apply): the candidate must choose the correct application of a concept or technique for a given context.

• K4 (analyze): The candidate is able to delve into the contents of a procedure or technique for a better understanding.

Foundation exams include three different K levels (K1 to K3).

Advanced level exams include three K levels (K2 to K4):

Expert level exams include five different levels of difficulty (from K2 to K6), with the two additional levels:

• K5 (evaluate): the candidate can provide correct judgments based on justified evaluations. Can determine the validity and/or detect inconsistencies or deficiencies within a process or product and can evaluate the effectiveness of a procedure by how it is applied.

• K6 (create): The candidate is able to aggregate different elements to solve a given problem. For example, working with the elements provided in a procedure to complete some tasks or designing a particular product.

These additional K levels motivate the inclusion of essay questions in the Expert exam.

ISTQB has published at least an exam simulation set for each certification level. You can download the simulation sets in Italian and English from this site in the page dedicated to study materials.

We encourage you to review the "ISTQB® Exams" section of this website for information regarding the structure of exam questions and the scoring mechanism.

We encourage you to review the "ISTQB® Exams" section of this website for information regarding the delivery methods of certification exams.

The exams offered by ITA-STQB are conducted online in a Live Remote Proctored mode.

The ISTQB CT Foundation exams have no prerequisites. It is recommended to prepare by studying the syllabus topics, either by attending a course provided by an accredited trainer or through self-study and practical experience.

To take the Advanced, Agile and Specialist exams, you must have the ISTQB CT Foundation certificate. Adequate practical experience or preparation through an accredited course is advised before taking these exams.

You will receive an email notification about whether you passed or failed the exam, along with your score. If you pass, you will be sent the corresponding certificate in electronic format.

You can show the electronic certificate that was sent to you. It is strongly recommended, during the registration phase, to authorize the insertion of your certificate in the list of certificates issued in Italy and in the international Successful Candidate Register, to give it full visibility.

The certification already obtained continues to be valid, even if it were a pre-condition for accessing other ISTQB® exams.

Therefore, re-certification is not necessary. It may become useful in the future only to stay aligned with updated topics or to meet specific requirements that may be asked to certified professionals.

There is no problem, when the new version is published it is possible to take the exam in both the new version and the previous one. This will be possible for 12 months if you take the exam in English and for 18 months if you take it in Italian. At the end of this period, the so-called "sunset period" or transition period, the exam can only be taken in the most recent version.

If you obtain your certification in the previous version, it has and will maintain the same validity and duration as subsequent versions, so you will not have any obligation to recertify!