Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Your ITIL Foundation Certification

ITIL 4 Foundation is a certification for technology professionals or anyone who needs to understand the key concepts of IT and digital service delivery and is interested in helping their organization embrace a new service management culture. ITIL 4 Foundation is for professionals at the start of their ITIL 4 journey or people looking to update their existing ITIL knowledge.

The concepts and skills learned in this course reflect the fast-paced and complex environment in which we live and work. Learning the ins and outs of the ITSM framework can be helpful for service development and customer support by acting as a stepping stone to advancing their careers. More companies recognize the ITIL methodology's value and require entire teams and departments to become certified in ITIL 4 Foundation. It's an excellent way to boost productivity, collaboration, and communication, ensuring digital transformation success and continual service improvement.

This article will explain ITIL 4 Foundation, why IT professionals should earn this certification, and walk through tips and strategies to pass the exam.

Understanding ITIL 4 Foundation

The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certifications demonstrate a technology professional’s expertise in IT service management (ITSM). ITIL 4 Foundation an entry-level certification that introduces the basic concepts of ITIL 4, including how businesses manage risk, strengthen customer relations, establish cost-effective practices, and build a stable IT environment that allows for growth, scale, and change.

By mastering ITIL 4 Foundation, you will become an expert in key digital service delivery concepts, including:

• The Service Value System
• The Service Value Chain
• The Seven Guiding Principles
• The Four Dimensions of Service Management
• Key concepts of Lean, Agile, and DevOps.

Why Obtain an ITIL 4 Foundation Certification?

ITIL 4 Foundation is the first certification IT professionals will need within the framework. With ITIL 4 Foundation, you learn commonly used service management terms and concepts and how to examine operations in modern IT and digital service organizations. ITIL 4 Foundation teaches candidates how to reduce their organization's IT costs, better define and formalize operational processes, and improve overall customer satisfaction.

This certification is the key starting point for current or aspiring IT professionals because it teaches the ITIL framework's guiding principles, dimensions, and practices. ITIL 4 Foundation is often a prerequisite for employment with an IT organization and introduces new career opportunities and growth. An ITIL certification is a worthwhile investment in your future livelihood. Professionals with ITIL 4 Foundation and IT service management (ITSM) certifications earn an average salary of $98,212.

Over 90 percent of companies are estimated to use IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks. An international survey of 491 firms revealed that the number of realized benefits increases as an ITSM framework matures in an organization. That's why well-regarded organizations such as CITI Bank, Bank of America, Microsoft, Boeing, British Telecom, and Walmart have adopted ITIL. All these businesses and thousands more worldwide have implemented ITIL and continue to hire ITIL-certified individuals.

Eligibility and Requirements for ITIL 4 Foundation

Because ITIL 4 Foundation is an entry-level certification, there are no prerequisites. You must complete the ITIL 4 Foundation exam to earn the certificate and can take one of two options to prepare:

• Complete a training course with an accredited organization, such as New Horizons, which earns you 14 PDUs and a voucher for taking the exam.
• Self-study using the core manual, then book an exam directly with a certified provider.

The course with New Horizons takes place over the course of three days. We have designed this course for anyone who needs an understanding of IT Service Management to help deliver better customer value. It is appropriate for all IT staff, management, and customers who work closely with IT to support business requirements.

Step-by-step Guide to Obtaining ITIL 4 Foundation Certification

Preparing for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam is easier when you understand the process from start to finish. While the certification is entry-level, success still requires thoughtful preparation, structured study, and familiarity with the ITIL framework. The steps below outline what to expect before, during, and after the exam so you can approach your certification with confidence and choose the right learning path.

Preparations and Self-Assessment: Familiarize yourself with the ITIL framework and review the official ITIL 4 Foundation study guide. Complete a practice exam to determine which areas you need to focus your study before taking the official test.

Enroll in New Horizon'ss ITIL 4 Foundation course:  Our courses are developed by ITIL professionals. Visit our course page for more information on enrolling.

Studying for the Exam: There is a wealth of third-party ITIL 4 Foundations prep materials for those who desire more than the standard class offering. However, students of a Foundations course will have all of the required study materials to prepare for the exam and two full "sample papers." 

Booking the Exam: PeopleCert is the sole owner of ITIL intellectual property. You can visit the PeopleCert website to schedule your exam.

Taking the Exam: The exam is one hour long. If you take the exam in a language other than your native language, you may be granted an additional 15 minutes of examination time. The examination is a "closed book," and no additional materials are allowed.

After the Exam: After you complete and pass the exam, your ITIL 4 Foundation certification will allow you to progress to higher levels within the ITIL 4 certification scheme. An ITIL 4 Foundation Certified will also increase your eligibility for various organizational job roles, including IT manager, IT director, IT project manager, Chief Information Officer, and VP of Information Technology. ITIL 4 Foundation certification doesn't expire and does not require continuing education to maintain.

Where Can I Take an ITIL Course Online?

You can take an ITIL course online through many authorized training providers, but the most reliable option is choosing an Accredited Training Organization (ATO) that delivers officially aligned, instructor-led learning. While there are plenty of low-cost video libraries and self-study platforms, they often lack the structure, support, and exam readiness that most learners need to pass the ITIL Foundation exam on the first attempt.

New Horizons offers fully accredited ITIL training that combines expert instruction, practical examples, and hands-on guidance to help you understand how ITIL works in real organizations. Courses are delivered in live online formats led by certified instructors, giving you the opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussions, and build confidence before the exam

Tips for Success in Your ITIL 4 Foundation Journey

At New Horizons, we’re lucky to have access to experienced ITIL professionals and instructors. We asked them for their best study tips and exam strategies to help you prepare. Check them out below!

• Answer the question being asked. Focus on the sentence that ends with a question mark to filter out noise.

• Read carefully. Many missed practice questions come from rushing or skipping key words.

• Manage your time. Track the exam clock and pace yourself so you never have to guess at the end.

• Don’t mark questions for review. Make your best educated choice and stick with it unless you later realize a clear mistake.

• Change answers only for a real reason. An “Ah-hah” moment or a later question giving the clue is valid. Random second-guessing is not.

• Don’t overthink “linked” questions. If one question reveals another answer, accept the free point and move on.

• Trust your feel. When torn between two choices, imagine each as correct. The one that “feels” wrong usually is.

• Work every question. Even on tough items, use grammar cues, logic, and elimination instead of random guessing.

• Use elimination. Removing incorrect answers greatly increases the odds of a correct guess.

• Use “All of the Above” wisely. If at least two responses are clearly correct, it is often the right choice.

• Take a break if time allows. Good time management makes room for a quick mental reset.

• Study in spaced sessions. Short, consistent study blocks help retention more than long, exhausting sessions.

• Avoid imagining trick scenarios. ITIL questions aren’t designed to mislead. Don’t add assumptions or extra storylines.

• Watch for distractors. If a term never appeared in your training, it’s likely not the correct option.

• Ignore answer patterns. Four B’s in a row can still be right.

• Aim for progress, not perfection. Passing requires 65 percent, not a perfect score.

Pitfalls to avoid during the preparation process

Each ITIL 4 Exam maps to one of the ITIL 4 Publications, so the Foundation exam maps to the ITIL 4 Foundation Publication. But, there is a significant amount of information in the publication that is “not examinable” or outside the scope of the exam. Studying accredited courseware geared towards the exam learning objectives is the best way to avoid spending too much time studying “non-examinable” material.

Conclusion

If you're ready to begin your journey toward the ITIL 4 Foundation certification, it's time to enroll in a training course. You can complete the exam once you have completed the course and are comfortable with the material. Adequate preparation is important. Too often, aspiring candidates use a book to study on their own and are disappointed when they fail the exam.

By passing the exam, you show employers your comprehension of ITIL terminology, structure, and the essential concepts of the ITIL approach for Service Management. Remember, ITIL-certified IT professionals earn an average of 10% more than their non-certified colleagues. This certification is a great way to jump-start your career while acquiring in-demand skills and knowledge.