Istqb

Certified Tester
Foundation Level Syllabus

Released
Version 2011

International Software Testing Qualifications Board

International
Software Testing
Qualifications Board

Certified Tester
Foundation Level Syllabus

Copyright Notice
This document may be copied in its entirety, or extracts made, if the source is acknowledged.
Copyright Notice © International Software TestingQualifications Board (hereinafter called ISTQB®)
ISTQB is a registered trademark of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board,
Copyright © 2011 the authors for the update 2011 (Thomas Müller (chair), Debra Friedenberg, and
the ISTQB WG Foundation Level)
Copyright © 2010 the authors for the update 2010 (Thomas Müller (chair), Armin Beer, Martin
Klonk, Rahul Verma)
Copyright ©2007 the authors for the update 2007 (Thomas Müller (chair), Dorothy Graham, Debra
Friedenberg and Erik van Veenendaal)
Copyright © 2005, the authors (Thomas Müller (chair), Rex Black, Sigrid Eldh, Dorothy Graham,
Klaus Olsen, Maaret Pyhäjärvi, Geoff Thompson and Erik van Veenendaal).
All rights reserved.
The authors hereby transfer the copyright to the International Software TestingQualifications Board
(ISTQB). The authors (as current copyright holders) and ISTQB (as the future copyright holder)
have agreed to the following conditions of use:
1) Any individual or training company may use this syllabus as the basis for a training course if the
authors and the ISTQB are acknowledged as the source and copyright owners of the syllabus
and provided that any advertisement ofsuch a training course may mention the syllabus only
after submission for official accreditation of the training materials to an ISTQB recognized
National Board.
2) Any individual or group of individuals may use this syllabus as the basis for articles, books, or
other derivative writings if the authors and the ISTQB are acknowledged as the source and
copyright owners of the syllabus.
3)Any ISTQB-recognized National Board may translate this syllabus and license the syllabus (or
its translation) to other parties.

Version 2011
© International Software Testing Qualifications Board

Page 2 of 78

31-Mar-2011

International
Software Testing
Qualifications Board

Certified Tester
Foundation Level Syllabus

Revision History
Version

Date

Remarks

ISTQB 2011Effective 1-Apr-2011
p

ISTQB 2010

Effective 30-Mar-2010

ISTQB 2007

01-May-2007

ISTQB 2005
ASQF V2.2

01-July-2005
July-2003

ISEB V2.0

25-Feb-1999

Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus
Maintenance Release – see Appendix E – Release
Notes
Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus
Maintenance Release – see Appendix E – Release
Notes
Certified TesterFoundation Level Syllabus
Maintenance Release
Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus
ASQF Syllabus Foundation Level Version 2.2
“Lehrplan Grundlagen des Software-testens“
ISEB Software Testing Foundation Syllabus V2.0
25 February 1999

Version 2011
© International Software Testing Qualifications Board

Page 3 of 78

31-Mar-2011

International
Software Testing
QualificationsBoard

Certified Tester
Foundation Level Syllabus

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................. 7 
Introduction to this Syllabus..................................................................................................................... 8 
Purpose of thisDocument ................................................................................................................... 8 
The Certified Tester Foundation Level in Software Testing ................................................................ 8 
Learning Objectives/Cognitive Level of Knowledge ............................................................................ 8 
The Examination...