About This Site

My name is Christian Stevens. I built this site because I went through the ISTQB Foundation Level process without much of a testing background, and I kept seeing the same questions come up on Reddit. How hard is it, where do you start, what does the exam actually test. I figured a site built around honest, detailed answers to those questions would be useful, and I hope it helps you prepare.

My background is in research. I spent years in a lab doing chemical engineering work, not writing test cases or working in QA. When I decided to pursue ISTQB certification, I genuinely did not know where to start, so I started at the very beginning. I worked through a series of AT*SQA micro-credentials first, covering Testing Essentials, Agile Testing, and API Testing, to build a foundation before sitting for the CTFL exam itself. That approach worked. I passed the Foundation Level in January 2025.

I now hold four certifications through AT*SQA, the official U.S. ISTQB exam provider:

• ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL)
• AT*SQA Certified Tester Testing Essentials
• AT*SQA Certified Tester Agile Testing
• AT*SQA Certified Tester API Testing

Everything on this site is built around the actual v4.0 syllabus and what I learned going through this process myself. The goal is to give you the kind of resource I was looking for when I started, specific, accurate, and written by someone who has actually been through it.