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ISTQB study materials

Find the official syllabus, sample questions and answers for your exam. Start with the free CTFL kit. Every other certification comes after CTFL, and its materials are listed below.

Get the CTFL study kit

Find materials for my exam

Official links checked October 4, 2026. Syllabus and sample-exam versions are shown separately.

Your free CTFL study kit

Start with these four resources. Download the question and answer files separately, and save one sample set for a later timed check.

01, Official syllabus

Read the syllabus

CTFL syllabus v4.0.1. Use the learning objectives to decide what to understand and practice.

02, Questions and explanations

Practice with the sample exams

How to use the sample exams

03, Official glossary

Check the exact terms

Search the official browser-based glossary on desktop or phone. Match the definitions to your syllabus context.

Open the official glossary

04, Our preparation guide

Make a study plan

Follow our CTFL study plan, then adjust the pace using the learning objectives you find difficult and your practice mistakes.

CTFL has 40 multiple-choice questions, a standard 60 minutes and a pass mark of 26 points. Candidates sitting in a non-native language get 25% extra time, and your provider tells you how to arrange it. Check the official CTFL overview.

Find materials for your certification

Choose your exam code to jump directly to its official download links. A closed resource section opens when you follow its link.

Foundation: CTFL

Advanced: CTAL-AT, CTAL-TA, CTAL-TAE, CTAL-TM, CTAL-TTA

Specialist: CT-AI, CT-ATLaS, CT-AcT, CT-AuT, CT-FT, CT-GT, CT-GaMe, CT-GenAI, CT-MAT, CT-MBT, CT-PT, CT-QDO, CT-SEC, CT-STE, CT-TAS, CT-UT

Expert: CTEL-ITP-ATP, CTEL-ITP-ITPI, CTEL-TM-MTT, CTEL-TM-OTM, CTEL-TM-SM

Choose a level to see its resources. Each card links to the syllabus, a matching question-and-answer pair, our guide and the official page with any additional sample sets. The PDF links open files hosted by ISTQB.

Foundation level, 1 certification
Advanced level, 5 certifications
Specialist certifications, 16 certifications
Expert modules, 5 modules

These are separately examined modules. Use the module-specific sample and our guide to check the multiple-choice and essay format.

Preparing for a retiring version? Check the transition dates and confirm your booked version before you change materials. This hub covers the current qualifications and modules.

Use the materials in this order

  1. Study an objective. Read the relevant syllabus section, check unfamiliar terms in the glossary and work through an example in your own words.
  2. Practice without the answers. Use the official sample matching your exam. Record guesses as well as wrong answers. A memorized answer is weak evidence of understanding.
  3. Review the reasoning. Use the official explanation and learning objective to identify the gap, then test your understanding with a different example.

Before you decide to book

  • You can explain the learning objectives and work through the relevant application or analysis exercises.
  • You can finish an unfamiliar matching sample within the applicable exam time, with a margin above the passing threshold.
  • You can explain your wrong answers and guesses rather than only recognize an answer letter.
  • Your booked syllabus version, prerequisites and appointment arrangements are confirmed.

These are our editorial readiness checks. No practice score guarantees a pass. Use the booking checklist.

Check a third-party question bank

  • It names the syllabus version and the learning objectives being tested.
  • It explains correct and incorrect options, with identifiable authors and a corrections process.
  • It uses a format appropriate to your particular exam. Expert exams also include essays.
  • It avoids unverifiable claims of real live-exam questions or a guaranteed pass.

Use AI as a study aid

Ask for an explanation or example tied to a specific learning objective. Check the result against the official syllabus and glossary. Generated questions and explanations can be wrong, and generated practice is not an official sample exam.

Optional books and courses

Start with the free official materials. A book or course can explain difficult concepts and give you structure, but check its syllabus version before you pay. Optional resources are free or paid.

Optional reading

A book aligned with CTFL v4.0

Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification, 5th edition, by Erik van Veenendaal, Rex Black and Dorothy Graham. Cengage describes it as updated for CTFL v4.0 (2023).

Paperback ISBN: 9781473795884. Published October 2024, copyright 2025.

Check the publisher and edition

Optional training

Find accredited training

Self-study is an option for CTFL. An accredited course can provide a schedule and a trainer. Check the named certification, syllabus version, delivery and whether the exam fee is included.

Search the official training directory

The book above is an edition example. We have not independently reviewed it. Older books can work as background, but a familiar title or a recent date does not prove a book matches your exam. We earn no commission from these links.

Our own study materials

Planned for the future

We plan to create our own study guides, original practice questions with explanations and revision resources. Some may be paid later. Nothing of ours is for sale yet.

Our materials will be clearly labeled as independent resources from istqb.com, separate from official ISTQB downloads. The free official resources on this page remain the starting point for exam preparation.

Common questions

Are the official study materials free?

The syllabus, published sample exams, glossary and exam rules linked here are free. Books, courses and question banks vary: some are free and some are paid.

Which version should I download?

Pick the syllabus that matches the exam version you will take, then use its official sample questions and answer file. A sample document’s version number can differ from the syllabus version. That alone does not mean it belongs to a different exam.

Are sample questions the questions from the live exam?

Official samples show you the format and the learning objectives. Use their explanations to practice your reasoning. They are not a live question bank, and they do not promise the questions or the difficulty you will get.

Do I need a course for CTFL?

No. The official CTFL overview includes self-study as a preparation option. Check certification and appointment requirements separately for the particular exam you choose.

How do I use the glossary on my phone?

Open glossary.istqb.org in your browser. ISTQB replaced its previous App Store and Google Play downloads with a glossary designed to work across browsers and devices.

Can I use materials written for an older syllabus?

Use them as background when they remain relevant, but compare their coverage with the current learning objectives and release notes. They should not be your sole preparation source for a different syllabus version.

Sources and how we checked

Resource links and displayed document versions were checked against the official qualification pages on October 4, 2026. Open the official page on each card for the complete current download list. Study routines, readiness checks and resource selection advice are our editorial guidance.

Report an outdated link or resource, Read our editorial policy