ISTQB Foundation Level Exam Format and Passing Score
Exam format summary
The ISTQB Foundation Level exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, each worth one point, with 60 minutes to complete it. The passing score is 26 out of 40, which is 65 percent. Candidates taking the exam in a language that is not their native language may receive 25% extra time when the applicable rules allow it. There are no formal prerequisites for taking the exam.
Exam format at a glance
| Exam fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Question type | Multiple-choice |
| Number of questions | 40 |
| Total points | 40 (each question worth one point) |
| Passing score | 26 out of 40 (65 percent) |
| Exam time | 60 minutes |
| Extra time | 25% extra time may apply for candidates taking the exam in a non-native language |
| Prerequisites | None required |
| Exam basis | ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0.1 |
How the questions are structured
Most questions on the exam have a single correct answer. A small number of questions are designed to have more than one correct answer, and when this is the case, the question will explicitly say so. Every question, regardless of difficulty, is worth exactly one point.
The syllabus assigns each learning objective a cognitive level: K1 (remember), K2 (understand), or K3 (apply). K1 questions test recall of a term or fact. K2 questions test understanding, such as explaining a concept or distinguishing between two related ideas. K3 questions test the ability to apply a technique, such as deriving test cases using a specific test design technique. K3 questions tend to take longer to work through because they often involve a short scenario or a small piece of data to analyze, such as a code fragment, a decision table, or a state diagram.
How Questions Are Distributed Across Chapters
The ISTQB Foundation Level exam contains 40 questions, each worth one point. Questions are drawn from all six chapters of the syllabus, but not evenly. The distribution reflects how much of the discipline each chapter covers, so understanding where the weight falls helps you allocate study time more effectively.
Chapter 4, Test Analysis and Design, carries the most weight at 11 questions, more than a quarter of the exam on its own. If you are short on time, that chapter deserves the most attention. Chapter 5, Managing the Test Activities, comes in second at 9 questions, and Chapter 1, Fundamentals of Testing, follows at 8. Together those three chapters account for 28 of the 40 questions and should anchor your study plan.
Chapters 3 and 6 are the lightest. Static Testing accounts for 4 questions and Test Tools for just 2. That does not mean you can skip them, but you can study them for solid comprehension rather than trying to memorize every detail.
| Chapter | Topic | Questions | Points | % of Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | Fundamentals of Testing | 8 | 8 | 20% |
| Chapter 2 | Testing Throughout the SDLC | 6 | 6 | 15% |
| Chapter 3 | Static Testing | 4 | 4 | 10% |
| Chapter 4 | Test Analysis and Design | 11 | 11 | 27.5% |
| Chapter 5 | Managing the Test Activities | 9 | 9 | 22.5% |
| Chapter 6 | Test Tools | 2 | 2 | 5% |
| Total | 40 | 40 | 100% |
Explore Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6 for a full breakdown of what each chapter covers and how to study it.
What the exam is based on
The exam is based on the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0.1, which contains six examinable chapters covering a total of 14 business outcomes and 64 learning objectives. All sections of the syllabus are examinable except for the Introduction and the appendices. Standards and books referenced in the syllabus are not examinable beyond what the syllabus itself summarizes from them.
The six examinable chapters are Fundamentals of Testing, Testing Throughout the Software Development Lifecycle, Static Testing, Test Analysis and Design, Managing the Test Activities, and Test Tools. Chapters 4 and 5, Test Analysis and Design and Managing the Test Activities, are the largest chapters in the syllabus by training time, at 390 and 335 minutes respectively, out of a minimum total of 1135 minutes across all six chapters.
What this format does not tell you
The exam format itself does not say anything about how the exam is delivered (in person at a test center or remotely with online proctoring), how difficult any individual candidate will find it, aggregate candidate outcome data, or how long any individual person should study. Those things vary by exam provider, by candidate background, and by how much relevant experience someone already has. The official syllabus and exam format describe the structure of the exam itself, not how any one person will experience it.
Last reviewed: June 2026.