- CTAL-AT (Certified Tester Advanced Level Agile Tester) v2.0 is ISTQB's Advanced Level agile certification, released in May 2026.
- It is the successor to CTFL-AT (Foundation Level Agile Tester), but it is not the same certification: it has K4 objectives, focuses on strategy and improvement, and holding CTFL-AT does not grant it.
- Prerequisite: ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL). Prior agile experience is recommended.
- The syllabus has 6 chapters and requires at least 13 hours of accredited training; the heaviest chapter is agile approaches and test techniques (exploratory testing, heuristics, test tours, test smells).
- Exam: 40 questions, 52 points, pass mark 34 (65%), 90 minutes (113 if it is not your native language).
- We do not offer a CTAL-AT course yet. Our ISTQB Agile Tester course prepares you for CTFL-AT, available in English until May 2027.
For more than ten years, "the ISTQB agile certification" meant the Foundation Level Agile Tester (CTFL-AT). In May 2026 that changed: ISTQB released the Advanced Level Agile Tester (CTAL-AT) v2.0, which moves agile testing from "understanding how it works" to "designing the strategy, improving the process and influencing the team."
Because the name is so close to the old one, there is a lot of confusion. In this guide I explain what CTAL-AT is, how it differs from CTFL-AT, what its syllabus covers chapter by chapter, what the exam looks like and the most sensible path for you today.
What CTAL-AT is and where it sits in the ISTQB portfolio
CTAL-AT v2.0 belongs to the Agile stream of the ISTQB portfolio and is an Advanced Level certification. ISTQB presented it as the evolution of the 2014 CTFL-AT syllabus: agile basics (whole team, pyramid, quadrants, retrospectives) are already covered in CTFL 4.0, so the new syllabus assumes them and focuses on applying testing in complex environments.
With this release, ISTQB put two certifications into their sunset phase:
- CTFL-AT (Foundation Agile Tester): English exams and training until May 6, 2027; other languages, including Spanish, until November 6, 2027.
- CTAL-ATT (Agile Technical Tester): same dates. Its technical practices (TDD, continuous integration, automation) are now covered in other syllabi such as Test Automation Engineering and Quality in DevOps.
Existing CTFL-AT and CTAL-ATT certificates remain valid, but there is no automatic conversion: to hold CTAL-AT you must pass its exam.
CTAL-AT vs. CTFL-AT
| CTFL-AT (Foundation) | CTAL-AT v2.0 (Advanced) | |
|---|---|---|
| Syllabus year | 2014 | 2026 |
| Level | Foundation extension | Advanced |
| Highest cognitive level | K3 (apply) | K4 (analyze) |
| Focus | Understanding agile development and the tester's role | Strategy, collaboration, influence and continuous improvement |
| Signature topics | Manifesto, Scrum, XP, TDD/ATDD/BDD, quadrants, exploratory testing | Holistic testing, tissue testers, example mapping, biases, heuristics, test tours, mob and vibe testing, test smells |
| Minimum training | 735 min (12.25 h) | 780 min (13 h) |
| Exam | 40 questions, 60 min, 26/40 | 40 questions, 90 min, 34/52 |
| Status | Retiring (English until May 2027) | Current |
| Course at Cool Testers | Yes, Agile Tester | Not yet |
In short: CTFL-AT certifies that you can work as a tester in an agile team; CTAL-AT certifies that you can define how that team tests and improve it. For the full portfolio and costs in your currency, see our ISTQB certification guide.
Who it is for and prerequisites
According to ISTQB, CTAL-AT is aimed at testers, test analysts and test engineers, test managers, user acceptance testers, developers involved in quality, product owners, Scrum Masters, quality managers, business analysts and technology leaders.
- Formal prerequisite: the ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification, version 4.0 or earlier.
- Recommended (not required): agile development or testing experience; the syllabus suggests around six months as a system or acceptance tester or as an agile team member, plus an accredited course.
- CTFL-AT is not required. It helps a lot, but you can go straight from CTFL to CTAL-AT.
If you don't have Foundation yet, that is your first step: our ISTQB Foundation Level 4.0 course prepares you for CTFL.
What you will be able to do: business outcomes
The syllabus defines eight business outcomes for a CTAL-AT certified person:
| Code | A CTAL-AT certified person can... |
|---|---|
| BO1 | Collaborate in cross-functional teams, knowing agile principles and practices |
| BO2 | Adapt existing testing experience to agile values and principles |
| BO3 | Support the agile team in test planning |
| BO4 | Apply agile approaches and test techniques to achieve adequate coverage |
| BO5 | Help the business define understandable, testable stories, scenarios, requirements and acceptance criteria |
| BO6 | Create and implement different agile test approaches |
| BO7 | Support and contribute to test automation |
| BO8 | Communicate effectively with the team through suitable styles and channels |
Learning objectives range from K2 to K4 (there are no K1 objectives). The three K4 objectives, which require analysis and decision-making, are: outline a project test strategy using the testing quadrants, select test process improvement measures based on metrics and analyze user stories and epics to create test charters.
Syllabus content chapter by chapter
| Chapter | Minimum time | Key topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Test Strategy and Test Approach Challenges | 60 min | Test types during and after the iteration, end-to-end testing, formal vs. holistic testing, regression approaches |
| 2. People and Teams | 60 min | Generalization vs. specialization, involving the business, whole team, tissue testers |
| 3. Test Management and Test Process Improvement | 210 min | Agile test planning, strategy with quadrants, monitoring and control, coverage types, metrics-based improvement |
| 4. Shift Left | 135 min | Testware as requirements, storyboarding and testboarding, example mapping, biases, story slicing, requirements engineering |
| 5. Agile Approaches and Test Techniques | 285 min | Heuristics, mnemonics, test tours, charters, exploratory testing, mob, pair and vibe testing, test smells |
| 6. Test Automation and Test Tools | 30 min | Test automation and test tools in agile development |
Chapter 1. Test Strategy and Test Approach Challenges
The first chapter tackles a question every agile team faces: what do we test inside the sprint, and what later? It compares test types that fit within the iteration (story tests, component, integration, exploratory testing of new work) with those that often need a different moment (performance at scale, integration with external systems, operational acceptance).
It explains when end-to-end testing makes sense: valuable for validating complete business flows, but expensive and brittle if overused. It compares formal testing (documented, traceable, often required by regulation) with holistic testing, which treats quality as something worked on across the whole cycle, from discovering an idea to observing the product in production. And it differentiates regression approaches: full regression, risk-based or impact-based selection, and continuous automated regression in the pipeline.
Example: a bank running two-week sprints cannot run a full manual regression every sprint. A mature strategy combines automated regression on every commit, risk-based regression for what changed and a formal round before each regulated release.
Chapter 2. People and Teams
A short but very practical chapter on the human side. It compares generalization (everyone does a bit of everything) with specialization (testing, security or performance experts) within the team, and how to balance them, for example with T-shaped profiles.
It gives examples of how to motivate business representatives to take part in testing (demos, guided exploration sessions, early acceptance) and summarizes how the whole-team approach helps developers: the tester as a testing coach, pairing on unit test design, fast feedback.
It also introduces tissue testers: people who test the product once and with no prior knowledge, like a disposable tissue. Their value is a fresh pair of eyes: they spot usability problems and assumptions the team no longer sees because it is used to the product. The syllabus explains how and when to use them and also mentions them as a way to reduce the effect of bias.
Chapter 3. Test Management and Test Process Improvement
The second heaviest chapter (210 minutes), containing two of the three K4 objectives. It covers:
- Agile test planning: what gets planned at release, iteration and daily level, without heavy documents.
- Project test strategy using quadrants (K4): given a context, outline which tests go in each quadrant, who runs them, when and how much is automated. Example: for a payments app, Q1 with unit and contract tests on every commit; Q2 with BDD scenarios for business rules; Q3 with session-based exploratory testing and usability tests with real users; Q4 with performance and security testing before each release.
- Agile monitoring and control: boards, burndowns, cumulative flow and team decisions.
- Coverage types for reporting: story and acceptance criteria coverage, risk coverage, code coverage and configuration coverage, and when to use each.
- Metrics-based process improvement (K4): from data such as escaped defects, cycle time or flaky tests, choose the right improvement.
- Doing process improvement in agile: small experiments, data-driven retrospectives and follow-up.
Chapter 4. Shift Left
This chapter is about improving the quality of the test basis before building, which is where an advanced tester adds the most value.
- Testware as requirements: concrete examples, BDD scenarios or acceptance tests that act as the specification.
- Storyboarding and testboarding: visually laying out the user journey and, on top of it, test ideas, to find gaps before coding.
- Example mapping: a short session in which the team writes a story's rules, examples for each rule and open questions. Too many rules or questions means the story is not ready or is too big.
- Cognitive biases: how confirmation bias, anchoring and others hurt product quality, and practices that help reveal them, such as pair testing, debriefs after exploratory sessions, root cause analysis and tissue testers.
- User story slicing (K3): splitting large stories into smaller, testable ones, for example by workflow step, business rule, data variation or happy and alternate paths.
- Requirements engineering and shift left: how requirements practices support testing earlier.
Slicing example: "As a customer I want to pay for my order" is too big. It can be split into: pay by credit card; pay by bank transfer; apply a coupon; handle a bank decline. Each has clear criteria and can be tested independently.
Chapter 5. Agile Approaches and Test Techniques
The biggest chapter: 285 minutes and 12 of the 40 questions. Its core is exploratory testing done at a professional level.
- Heuristics: rules of thumb that guide decisions when time is short, specs are unclear or regression is not fully automated.
- Mnemonics: memory aids that broaden coverage, such as SFDIPOT (structure, function, data, interfaces, platform, operations, time), RCRCRC for regression, FEW HICCUPPS for test oracles, I SLICED UP FUN for mobile and TERMS for test automation success factors.
- Test tours: city-tour metaphors (business, historical, tourist, entertainment, hotel and "seedy" districts) that give exploration a point of view: core features, legacy code, novice-user features, supporting functions or vulnerability-focused negative testing.
- Test charter creation (K4): analyze stories and epics to write charters with mission, scope, actor, setup, priority, oracle notes and risks, often using the 5W1H questions.
- Performing exploratory testing (K3): 60- to 120-minute sessions with setup, heuristic-guided execution and a post-session review.
- Assisted testing: mob testing (the whole team tests together, one person at the keyboard, rotating), pair testing (two people, for example a tester and a developer) and vibe testing, a recent term related to "vibe coding" that the syllabus includes among assisted testing approaches; since it is new, read its exact definition in the syllabus.
- Test smells (K3): signs that a test case is low quality, such as ambiguous steps, vague expected results, dependency on other tests, brittle hard-coded data or a test that checks too many things at once.
Sample charter: "Explore user registration with international data (accented names, long addresses, phone numbers with country codes) to discover validation and storage problems. Actor: new customer from Spain. Duration: 90 minutes."
Chapter 6. Test Automation and Test Tools
The shortest chapter (30 minutes, 2 K2 questions). It covers the role of test automation in agile development (continuous integration, regression in continuous delivery, how testers contribute even if they are not the main automation engineer) and test tools in agile development. For the technical deep dive, the next step is CTAL-TAE.
Download the official syllabus
The whole syllabus is examinable except the introduction and the appendices. The official syllabus is currently available in English.
For the official sample exam and future translations, check the certification page on istqb.org.
The CTAL-AT exam
Verified structure
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 40 multiple-choice |
| Total points | 52 (K2 = 1 point, K3 = 2, K4 = 3) |
| Pass mark | 34 points (65%) |
| Duration | 90 minutes; 113 if you take it in a language that is not your native one (+25%) |
| Cognitive levels | 31 K2, 6 K3 and 3 K4 questions |
| Prerequisite | ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) |
Distribution by chapter according to ISTQB's official tables:
| Chapter | Questions | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Strategy and approach | 5 | 5 |
| 2. People and teams | 5 | 5 |
| 3. Management and improvement | 7 | 11 |
| 4. Shift left | 9 | 11 |
| 5. Approaches and techniques | 12 | 18 |
| 6. Automation and tools | 2 | 2 |
Languages: check availability when booking; at the time of writing iSQI offers it in English, German and Spanish.
Exam options
- Online from home with remote proctoring (iSQI FLEX): available 24/7; for Advanced exams, book at least 48 hours ahead. You need a webcam, a microphone, a second camera using your phone and a government-issued ID.
- Pearson VUE: at a test center or online with OnVUE.
- On-site at your company: for groups of 6 or more, Cool Testers brings a proctor.
Paper-based exams are no longer offered.
Where to buy it
- Directly from iSQI, our partner and official exam provider, with a 20% coupon off the price on their site for the first attempt. Message us and we will tell you how to get it.
- Through Cool Testers: our certification exam with 1 or 2 attempts, if your company pays or you need an invoice. You have 1 year to take it.
How to prepare
First, decide which certification makes sense today
- If you want an agile certification soon, with a live course: take our Agile Tester course and sit CTFL-AT before the deadline (May 6, 2027 in English; November 6, 2027 in Spanish). It is a more accessible exam and the certificate is for life.
- If you already have solid agile experience and want an advanced level: prepare CTAL-AT on your own with the syllabus and the sample exam. The Agile Tester course is a good foundation, because CTAL-AT assumes many of its topics.
- If you are a company with a team of 6 or more interested in CTAL-AT, tell us what you need.
6-week plan for CTAL-AT
| Week | What to study | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CTFL 4.0 review (chapters 2, 4 and 5) plus chapters 1 and 2 | Refresh quadrants, pyramid and whole team; explain holistic testing and tissue testers |
| 2 | Chapter 3 | Outline 2 strategies with quadrants for different contexts; choose improvements from metrics |
| 3 | Chapter 4 | Run an example mapping session and slice 3 large stories |
| 4 | Chapter 5, part one | Heuristics, mnemonics, test tours; write 5 charters from real stories |
| 5 | Chapter 5, part two, and chapter 6 | Mob, pair and vibe testing; spot test smells in your project's test cases |
| 6 | Sample exam and review | Analyze every option in the K3 and K4 questions |
Common mistakes
- Thinking it is "the same Agile Tester with a new name." The level, the content and the exam all change.
- Neglecting K4 questions. They are worth 3 points each; you reason through a scenario, you don't memorize.
- Poor time management. You get 90 minutes for long scenarios; if the language is not your native one, request the 25% extension.
- Arriving without CTFL 4.0 basics. The syllabus assumes you master the pyramid, quadrants and retrospectives.
Benefits and career paths
- Differentiation: it is a new certification; earning it early sets you apart for senior roles in agile teams.
- Technical leadership profile: it shows you can define a team's test strategy, not just execute it.
- Quality from the start: example mapping, story slicing and working with biases make you the person who improves requirements before code.
- Professional exploratory testing: heuristics, tours and charters are some of the most valuable tools for finding important defects fast.
Typical roles: senior QA or QA lead in Scrum teams, quality coach, agile test lead, senior test analyst and, combined with TM, test manager in agile or hybrid organizations.
How it relates to other certifications and what comes next
- Before: CTFL 4.0 (mandatory) and, as a recommended base, CTFL-AT.
- Agile leadership at scale: CT-ATLaS.
- Management: Test Management (CTAL-TM).
- Analysis: Test Analyst (CTAL-TA).
- Automation and DevOps: CTAL-TAE and CT-QDO.
- AI: CT-GenAI, a strong complement to vibe testing and assisted exploration.
Frequently asked questions
Does CTAL-AT replace CTFL-AT?
It is its successor. CTFL-AT is being retired: in English you can take it until May 6, 2027 and in Spanish until November 6, 2027. After that, the only Agile Tester certification will be CTAL-AT.
If I hold CTFL-AT, do I automatically get CTAL-AT?
No. There is no automatic transition. Your CTFL-AT certificate remains valid, but to get CTAL-AT you must pass its exam.
What is the prerequisite for CTAL-AT?
The ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) certification, version 4.0 or earlier. Agile team experience is recommended but not required.
What does the CTAL-AT exam look like?
40 multiple-choice questions worth 52 points in total. You pass with 34 (65%). You have 90 minutes, or 113 if you are not taking it in your native language.
Does Cool Testers offer a CTAL-AT course?
Not yet. Our ISTQB Agile Tester course prepares you for CTFL-AT, which you can take in English until May 2027 and in Spanish until November 2027.
What is a tissue tester?
Someone who tests the product once, with no prior knowledge, to bring a fresh perspective and spot problems the team no longer sees.
What is example mapping?
A collaborative technique in which the team writes a story's rules, examples for each rule and open questions, to improve the story before development.