General FAQs

Q: What is the ISTQB?

A. The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) is a governing body for software testing. Their purpose is to support a single, universally accepted, international qualification scheme for software and system testing professionals, by providing the core syllabi and by setting guidelines for the exams which are set by the regional/national boards. The certificate is called "ISTQB Certified Tester". The contents of each syllabus are taught as courses by training providers that have been accredited by regional/national boards. Guidelines for accreditation are set by the ISTQB so each accredited course is recognised by every regional/national board. The ISTQB is composed of representatives from each existing national board, such as the MSTB, ASTQB and ITB. Working parties within the ISTQB are responsible for developing and maintaining the Foundation and Advanced Level syllabi. All members of ISTQB and MSTB are volunteers.

A. The Foundation Level exam tests for knowledge, not skill. It provides information about the certificate holder's level of familiarity with the most common concepts of software testing and the associated terminology. It does not require work experience. The Foundation Level exam is a stepping stone toward the Advanced Level, which is more in-depth and much more practice-oriented.

A. The ISTQB Certified Tester, Foundation Level is valid for life, but you need to be aware that both the Syllabus and the Glossary will be amended from time to time to reflect latest developments in software testing. The Syllabus and Glossary updates are announced and published at www.istqb.org (and also at MSTB website) as and when they are released.

A. To become an MSTB accredited training provider, your trainer personnel must be a certified trainer from PSMB and are at minimum CTFL-certified. He/she must also demonstrate to MSTB’s accreditation panel his/her ability to deliver a CTFL course according to the CTFL syllabus defined by ISTQB. An accredited training provider must have at minimum one (1) MSTB accredited trainer at any time.

For any enquiries or questions, we welcome you to write to us at info@mstb.org. We shall respond to you directly, and your enquiries/questions may also be posted in the FAQ section

You can also send any correspondence to the MSTB Secretariat, and we shall respond to you within 7 working days.