Your certification guide · Specialist Level
Learn to align acceptance testing with business goals and user needs. Explore collaboration between testers, business analysts, and product owners, from defining acceptance criteria and modeling processes to evaluating quality and reporting outcomes.
Each question carries one point; 26 correct answers are required to pass. Candidates taking the exam in a non-native language may receive 25% additional time. Confirm eligibility and the exact duration with your exam provider.
Testers, business analysts, product owners, and others involved in defining acceptance criteria and deciding whether a system meets business and user needs.
The ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate is required. Prepare through self-study using the official syllabus and sample exams, or through accredited training.
The syllabus at a glance
A concise guide to the certification content in syllabus v1.0.
Connects business goals, needs, requirements, acceptance criteria, and acceptance tests. Explains collaboration between business analysis and testing, and how ATDD and BDD can guide development.
Key topicsBusiness needs · Requirements quality · Collaboration · ATDD and BDD
Explains writing acceptance criteria and deriving acceptance tests with appropriate techniques. Covers expressing tests in Gherkin and using exploratory and beta testing to gather additional evidence.
Key topicsAcceptance criteria · Test design · Gherkin · Exploratory and beta testing
Covers modeling business processes and rules and deriving acceptance tests from those models. Explains good modeling practices and using process models to support acceptance test-driven development.
Key topicsBusiness process models · Business rules · Model-derived tests · ATDD
Explores non-functional characteristics and quality in use from an acceptance perspective. Covers usability and user experience, high-level performance acceptance tests and criteria, and security considerations.
Key topicsQuality in use · Usability and UX · Performance acceptance · Security
Explains collaboration during acceptance testing, including defect analysis, reporting, and quality assurance activities. Covers tools that support shared understanding, test activities, and communication.
Key topicsCollaboration · Defect analysis · Reporting · QA activities · Tool support
Training times are syllabus allocations for accredited courses, not exam section durations or personal study recommendations. Total: 10 hours.
Study from the source
Check the certification page for exam information, study the syllabus, and use official sample questions and answers to practise.
Official sample answers ↗ · All official downloads ↗
Independent study guide based on the ISTQB CT-AcT syllabus v1.0. Syllabus source and copyright: International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®) and its authors. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by ISTQB. Links checked on 7 October 2026.
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