Before you start

The ASTQB Test Automation Pro™ designation requires three ISTQB certifications: Foundation Level, Test Automation Engineering, and Test Automation Strategy. All three must be earned through ASTQB or AT*SQA for them to count toward the designation.

There are no experience prerequisites beyond the ISTQB certification rules themselves: Foundation Level is required before either automation exam. You do not need a specific number of years of testing experience, a degree, or any prior certification outside of Foundation Level.

Already have Foundation Level? Skip to step 2. If your Foundation Level was earned through a different ISTQB member body, contact AT*SQA to confirm it is recognized before purchasing your next exam.

The four steps

1
Pass ISTQB Foundation Level
Register for Foundation Level at atsqa.org/purchase. After purchase, you have 365 days to schedule and sit the exam. Rescheduling is free with at least 72 hours notice. Foundation Level is a 40-question multiple choice exam with a 60-minute time limit. Online proctoring is available worldwide, or you can sit at a Kryterion test center. Study using the official ISTQB Foundation Level syllabus and the extra sample exams included with your AT*SQA registration.
2
Pass ISTQB Test Automation Engineering
Once Foundation Level is confirmed, register for Test Automation Engineering at AT*SQA. Same format: 40 questions, 60 minutes, online or test center. You have 365 days from purchase to sit the exam. A $99 retake offer is currently available for this exam through AT*SQA. Confirm current specials at atsqa.org/specials before registering.
3
Pass ISTQB Test Automation Strategy
Register for Test Automation Strategy at AT*SQA. Same exam format. A $99 retake offer applies to this exam as well. Steps 2 and 3 can be taken in either order after Foundation Level. There is no ASTQB requirement to take Engineering before Strategy or vice versa.
4
Contact AT*SQA to request the designation
The designation is not added automatically after passing all three exams. Once your three certifications are confirmed, contact the AT*SQA support team at atsqa.org/contact and request the ASTQB Test Automation Pro™ designation. Once approved, it is added to your profile on the Official U.S. List of Certified and Credentialed Software Testers™, AT*Work, and AT*Consult. After one year, renew the designation by completing an AT*SQA test automation micro-credential.

Vouchers and scheduling

Each exam is purchased as a voucher. The voucher gives you 365 days to schedule and sit the exam. You do not need to schedule when you purchase. If you buy all three vouchers at once, each has its own independent 365-day window from the date of purchase.

Rescheduling is free if you do it at least 72 hours before your scheduled exam time. Rescheduling with less than 72 hours notice may forfeit the voucher. Check the AT*SQA exam instructions page for current rescheduling policy before you schedule.

Volume discounts are available for organizations registering multiple candidates. Contact AT*SQA for current pricing on group registrations.

What you get by registering through AT*SQA

ASTQB and AT*SQA are non-profit organizations. Registering through AT*SQA gives you benefits that are not available when taking ISTQB exams through other providers. With each ISTQB exam purchase you can choose a free AT*SQA micro-credential exam, which is useful later because the Test Automation Pro™ designation needs to be renewed after one year by completing an AT*SQA test automation micro-credential. You also receive extra sample exams created to match the style of the real exam you take. Your certifications are added to both the Official U.S. List of Certified and Credentialed Software Testers™ and the ISTQB Successful Candidate Register, which gives you visibility with employers in the U.S. and globally.

If you are doing this with a team

Organizations that need to build Test Automation Pro™ capability across multiple people quickly can use the ASTQB Test Automation Accelerator™. It is a cohort-based program designed to move teams through the certification path efficiently. Volume purchase discounts are also available directly through AT*SQA. Contact AT*SQA with the number of candidates and your timeline to get current pricing.

If you are still sorting out the certifications themselves before thinking about sequence and timing, the certification guide covers each exam individually. For exam format, pricing, and the current $99 retake offer, the exams page has everything in one place.