ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Exam Guide: Format, Syllabus, Passing Score & Sample Questions
The ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) is the entry credential in software testing and a prerequisite for every other ISTQB certification. Here is how ISTQB structures the v4.0 exam, what it costs in the US, and 15 practice questions from our video.
The ISTQB CTFL v4.0 exam has 40 multiple-choice questions worth one point each, a 60-minute limit (75 minutes if the exam is not in your native language), and a pass mark of 65%, which is 26 of 40. There are no prerequisites and no negative marking. In the US, ASTQB lists the exam at $229 through AT*SQA, and the certificate does not expire.
ISTQB CTFL facts at a glance
| Questions | 40: multiple choice, 1 point each |
|---|---|
| Time limit | 60 min: 75 min (+25%) when the exam language is not your native language |
| Passing score | 65%: 26 of 40 points |
| US exam fee | $229: through AT*SQA, per ASTQB |
| Prerequisites | None: CTFL is itself the prerequisite for all other ISTQB certifications |
| Negative marking | None: never leave a question blank |
| Syllabus | v4.0.1: errata release of September 2024; the exam tables still call it v4.0 |
| Expiry | None: the Foundation Level certificate does not expire |
Checked against the official ISTQB page and the sources listed at the end of this page on 2026-10-26.
Watch: ISTQB CTFL video
ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Exam 2026: Syllabus, Passing Score, Cost & Sample Questions
ISTQB CTFL practice questions: 15 from our video
These are the 15 sample questions from our ISTQB CTFL video, in three groups of five: fundamentals and the lifecycle, static testing and test techniques, and management, white-box coverage and tools. Pick an answer and press Check Answer to see the explanation. Every question is original, not from a real exam.
12 or more correct (80%) is a comfortable target in our estimate. The real exam needs 26 of 40 and has more than twice as many questions, so treat this as a check, not a prediction.
CTFL v4.0 questions per syllabus chapter
ISTQB's exam structure tables fix how many questions come from each chapter and at which K-level (K1 remember, K2 understand, K3 apply). Chapters 4 and 5 hold 20 of the 40 questions and all of the K3 questions.
| Syllabus chapter | Share | Questions (by K-level) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Fundamentals of Testing | 20% | 8 (K1 2, K2 6) |
| 2 Testing Throughout the Software Development Lifecycle | 15% | 6 (K1 2, K2 4) |
| 3 Static Testing | 10% | 4 (K1 2, K2 2) |
| 4 Test Analysis and Design | 27.5% | 11 (K2 6, K3 5) |
| 5 Managing the Test Activities | 22.5% | 9 (K1 1, K2 5, K3 3) |
| 6 Test Tools | 5% | 2 (K1 1, K2 1) |
What the CTFL covers
CTFL tests the basic vocabulary, principles and techniques of software testing, which is why it suits testers, developers, business analysts and anyone moving into quality assurance. The syllabus has six chapters, and it is a free download.
The total is 8 K1, 24 K2 and 8 K3 questions. K1 questions check that you remember a term, K2 that you can explain or compare it, and K3 that you can apply it, for example by deriving test cases.
Chapter 4: where the calculations are
Chapter 4, Test Analysis and Design, is the largest block with 11 questions, 5 of them K3. Per the syllabus, the K3 objectives are the four black-box techniques (equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, decision table testing and state transition testing) plus using acceptance test-driven development (ATDD) to derive test cases.
The chapter also covers white-box ideas such as statement and branch coverage, experience-based techniques and collaboration-based approaches. Practice the techniques by hand until they are fast; those are points you fully control.
Chapter 5: managing the test activities
Chapter 5 has 9 questions, 3 of them K3. Expect test planning and estimation, entry and exit criteria, product and project risk, test monitoring and control, configuration management, and writing a good defect report. Here, reading the scenario carefully matters more than memorizing a formula.
Cost, booking and retakes in the US
ASTQB lists the Foundation Level exam at $229 through AT*SQA, taken at home online, at a public session, or onsite. You can retake as often as you like, but each attempt is a new purchase. Outside the US, exams are run by each country's ISTQB member board or an exam provider, so prices differ.
How to study for the CTFL
Our planning estimate: three to five weeks at about 45 minutes a day. Read the free syllabus once for the shape, then spend most of your time on chapters 4 and 5 and do the technique calculations on paper. Learn the exact glossary wording for K1 questions. In the last week, do full timed practice and review every miss.
On exam day you have about 90 seconds per question: answer the quick ones first and flag the slow ones, read every stem for words like most, least or best, and always pick an answer, since wrong answers cost nothing extra.
Sample ISTQB CTFL questions with answers
One question from each content area of the practice set above, with the answer and explanation. Try it before you open the answer.
Fundamentals and lifecycle
A failure occurs in testing. A developer then locates and fixes the faulty code. That activity is…
- Test analysis
- Debugging
- Confirmation testing
- Static testing
Show answer
B. Debugging
This is debugging. Testing can trigger failures, but debugging is the development activity that finds, analyzes, and removes the cause. Checking the fix afterward is confirmation testing.
Static testing and test techniques
Which can be examined by static testing but not by dynamic testing?
- Response time of a login page
- A memory leak at runtime
- The screen after a button click
- A requirements specification
Show answer
D. A requirements specification
A requirements specification. Static testing, such as reviews, can evaluate work products that cannot be executed. Response time, memory leaks, and screen behavior all need the software to run.
Management, white-box and tools
One test takes the THEN branch of an if-else (4 statements in total). Coverage?
- 75% statement, 50% decision
- 75% statement, 100% decision
- 100% statement, 50% decision
- 50% statement, 50% decision
Show answer
A. 75% statement, 50% decision
75% statement and 50% decision. The test runs three of four statements, and only one of the two decision outcomes.
ISTQB CTFL FAQ
How many questions are on the ISTQB Foundation exam?
40 multiple-choice questions, one point each, in 60 minutes, or 75 minutes if the exam is not in your native language.
What is the ISTQB CTFL passing score?
65%, which is at least 26 of the 40 points. There is no negative marking.
How much does the ISTQB CTFL exam cost?
In the US, ASTQB lists it at $229 through AT*SQA. Each retake is a new purchase. Other countries set their own prices through their member boards.
Which ISTQB syllabus version is current?
The CTFL syllabus is v4.0.1, an errata release from September 2024; ISTQB's exam tables still label the exam v4.0. Material written for v3.1 is out of date.
Does the ISTQB Foundation certificate expire?
No. ASTQB says the Foundation Level certificate does not expire.
Related practice and guides
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-26.
- ISTQB: CTFL v4.0 overview
- ISTQB: Exam Structures & Rules tables v1.13 (PDF)
- ISTQB: Exam Structures and Rules v1.2 (PDF)
- ISTQB CTFL Syllabus v4.0.1 (PDF, hosted by ASTQB)
- ASTQB: ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL)
- ASTQB: ISTQB certification exams FAQ
OpenExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with ISTQB, ASTQB or any exam provider. ISTQB is a registered trademark of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board. The practice questions are original, not from a real exam. Exam rules and fees can change; confirm them with ISTQB or your member board before you book.