The International Institute for Software Testing

What The International Institute for Software Testing does

The International Institute for Software Testing (IIST) is a private educational organization headquartered in San Diego, California, founded in 1999 and operating as the training division of parent company Software Dimensions Consulting and Training. IIST specializes in software testing and quality assurance professional education, serving individual QA professionals, test managers, developers, and corporate teams across North America. The company maintains 100+ software testing courses and twelve professional certifications across six specialized paths: Professional Testing, Agile Testing, Mobile Testing, Test Automation, Test Management, and Quality Management, each backed by a Body of Knowledge developed by an industry Advisory Board.

The company's core technical offering is an education-based certification platform requiring candidates to attend instructor-led courses and pass problem-solving or hands-on exams at Associate, Practitioner, and Master levels, rather than multiple-choice testing. Courseware is delivered via an instructor-led learning management system, and IIST also offers Rommana ALM, an Application Lifecycle Management tool available through RommanaSoftware.com. Certifications expire after three years with re-certification requirements, creating a recurring engagement loop with practitioners. The platform supports four delivery formats: online self-paced, online interactive (live virtual), public in-person training in U.S. and Canadian cities, and customized onsite group training for teams of eight or more.

Revenue is generated through per-day public course fees ($695–$2,995), online module subscriptions ($325 per module or $975 for a full three-module CASTP-P certification), quote-based enterprise group contracts, a $180 certification graduation fee, and $100 exam retake fees. The company also runs free one-hour webinars as a top-of-funnel lead-generation channel. Named enterprise customers include Wells Fargo, First Data, Manitoba eHealth, Quest Diagnostics, California Department of HCD, and Sun Communities, spanning financial services, healthcare, government, and retail verticals.

Name

The International Institute for Software Testing

Legal name

International Institute for Software Testing

Website

https://testinginstitute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IIST is a San Diego-based private education provider founded in 1999 that delivers software testing certification training through instructor-led courses, online programs, and onsite enterprise workshops, serving QA professionals and corporate teams across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Software Testing Training and Certification

NAICS

Computer Training (61142), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

QA, Test Automation & Software Quality (Manual/Automated Testing, Performance) (EDABAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing) (BPAEANAI), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF)

Keywords

• Software testing certifications
• QA training courses
• Test automation training
• Agile testing education
• Professional certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Training Course Fees: IIST charges per-day training fees for public courses held in U.S. and Canadian cities. Prices range from $695 for one day to $2,995 for five days. These courses can be attended independently or as part of certification programs.
2. Online Course Fees: Online self-paced and interactive training is sold per module or as bundled packages. For example, the CASTP-P certification training costs $325 per module or $975 for all three modules, including exam fees.
3. Group/Onsite Training: Customized training delivered at client sites for teams of 8 or more participants. Pricing is quote-based and customized to client needs.
4. Certification Graduation Fees: Candidates pay a $180 non-refundable graduation fee upon completing certification requirements, covering record-keeping, exam grading, and certification plaque. Additional $100 for shipping outside the U.S.
5. Exam Retake Fees: Candidates who do not achieve 80% pass score can retake exams for $100. If a third attempt is needed after completing the course online, half-price retake access is offered.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The International Institute for Software Testing (IIST) delivers education-based software testing certifications and a catalog of over 100 training courses. The company sells twelve professional certifications (CSTP, CASTP, CSTAS, CSTAA, CSTL, CTM, CMSTP, CSQM) across six specialized paths at Associate, Practitioner, and Master levels, where candidates must complete instructor-led courses and pass hands-on problem-solving exams. Training is delivered via online self-paced, online interactive, public classroom training in U.S./Canadian cities, and customized onsite group training for enterprise teams.

Product overview

The International Institute for Software Testing (IIST) is a training and certification organization offering education-based software testing certifications. The company provides a portfolio of products including Rommana ALM (an Application Lifecycle Management tool), over 100 software testing courses, and twelve professional certifications. Training delivery options include Online Self-Paced Training, Online Interactive Training, Public Training in cities, Group Training at client sites, and Free Training via webinars. The certification programs include CSTP (Certified Software Test Professional) at Associate, Practitioner, and Master levels; CASTP (Certified Agile Software Test Professional) at Practitioner and Master levels; CSTAS (Certified Software Test Automation Specialist); CSTAA (Certified Software Test Automation Architect); CSTL (Certified Software Test Lead); CTM (Certified Test Manager) at Practitioner and Master levels; CMSTP (Certified Mobile Software Test Professional); and CSQM (Certified Software Quality Manager).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education-Based Testing Certifications Twelve professional certifications grounded in well-defined Bodies of Knowledge (BOK) approved by IIST's Advisory Board, covering CSTP (Associate, Practitioner, Master), CASTP (Practitioner, Master), CSTAS, CSTAA, CSTL, CTM (Practitioner, Master), CMSTP, and CSQM across six specialized areas: Professional Testing, Agile Testing, Mobile Testing, Test Automation, Test Management, and Quality Management. Candidates must complete instructor-led courses and pass problem-solving/hands-on exams rather than simple multiple-choice tests. Certifications expire after three years with re-certification requirements. Intended for individual software testing professionals, test managers, and agile team members.
• Software Testing Courses A catalog of over 100 software testing courses covering all aspects of software testing and development methodologies, including agile testing, mobile testing, test automation, database testing, and test management. Courses can be attended independently or as part of certification programs, and can be customized to fit team needs. Examples include 'Best Practices in Software Test Planning and Design,' 'Android Test Automation with Appium in Java,' 'Behavior Driven Development (BDD),' and 'Database Testing: SQL for Test Professionals.' Designed for individual professionals and enterprise teams.
• Rommana ALM A comprehensive Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tool that provides full control over the development lifecycle. Associated with IIST and accessible via the 'Tools' navigation on testinginstitute.com, the tool is intended for software development and testing teams that need lifecycle management capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of attendees said the training exceeded their expectations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Software Dimensions Consulting and TrainingcoreOthersParent company of IIST. Software Dimensions Consulting and Training serves as a single source for consulting, training, and professional certifications. IIST is described as the training division of this parent company.
• Training PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQualified training organizations around the world that provide training towards IIST certification programs. These are qualified training organizations authorized to deliver IIST certification training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• QA Mentor: QA Mentor offers software testing services, QA outsourcing, and training/certification programs. It competes with IIST for enterprise QA training budgets and individual practitioner credentials, particularly in test automation.
• ASTQB (American Software Testing Qualifications Board): ASTQB administers ISTQB-aligned software testing certifications in the US market. It competes with IIST for the same individual test professionals seeking recognized credentials, though without IIST's mandatory course-attendance model.
• LogiGear: LogiGear provides software testing services, test automation, and corporate training programs. It targets the same QA/test engineering buyer with overlapping course offerings around test automation and agile testing that compete with IIST's CSTAS and CASTP tracks.
• Rex Black Consulting Services (RBCS): RBCS offers instructor-led software testing courses, certification exam preparation, and consulting. It directly competes with IIST in the education-based testing certification and training market for QA professionals and test managers.
• Planit (formerly Planit Testing): Planit delivers software testing services, test automation, and structured training for QA professionals across multiple geographies. It competes with IIST for enterprise training engagements and on practitioner development paths in test automation and agile testing.
• SQE (Software Quality Engineering): SQE delivers software testing training programs, certification prep, and consulting, serving the same QA practitioner audience as IIST and overlapping heavily in the corporate training and ISTQB-aligned curriculum markets.
• Abstracta: Abstracta is a software testing services firm offering test automation, performance testing, and corporate training. It overlaps with IIST in the B2B testing training segment and competes for QA leaders building internal capability.
• KMS Solutions: KMS Solutions provides software testing services and corporate training programs across test automation and agile testing. It is comparable to IIST in offering enterprise QA upskilling for teams adopting modern testing practices.

Emerging players

• Test Automation University (Applitools): Test Automation University is a free online learning platform with certificates in test automation and QA, sponsored by Applitools. It is an emerging alternative to IIST's paid courses, particularly in the test automation and CI/CD-adjacent practitioner segment.

Broad incumbents

• ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board): ISTQB is the global, vendor-neutral certification body for software testing with a worldwide network of accredited training providers. It is a broader incumbent alternative to IIST's proprietary credentials and competes in the same individual-certification market at global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GetIIST
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IISTtestingtips
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/International-Institute-for-Software-Testing/111075358958232?created
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1269499

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The International Institute for Software Testing