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100+ Free EXIN SQL Foundation Practice Questions

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Key Facts: EXIN SQL Foundation Exam

30

Exam Questions

EXIN

60 min

Exam Duration

EXIN

65%

Passing Score (20/30)

EXIN

€195 / $235

Exam Fee

EXIN

en, nl

Official Languages

EXIN

4 domains

Syllabus Areas

EXIN Syllabus

The EXIN Databases and SQL Foundation exam features 30 closed-book multiple-choice questions to be completed in 60 minutes. Candidates must achieve 65% (20/30) to pass. Domains include Relational Concepts & Data Modeling (~25%), SQL DML (~35%), SQL DDL & Constraints (~20%), and Transactions, Indexes & Security (~20%). EXIN publishes this certification under the Dutch name EXIN Databases en SQL Foundation and sets Databases en SQL by T. de Rooij (Boom, 5e druk, 2023) as the required reading.

Sample EXIN SQL Foundation Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your EXIN SQL Foundation exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary characteristic of a Primary Key in a relational database table?
A.It uniquely identifies each row in the table and cannot contain NULL values.
B.It establishes a link to the primary key of another table and allows NULL values.
C.It allows duplicate values as long as the column data type is an integer.
D.It automatically creates a non-clustered index and permits duplicate entries.
Explanation: A Primary Key uniquely identifies each tuple (row) in a relational table. By definition, a primary key constraint enforces both uniqueness and a NOT NULL rule, ensuring entity integrity.
2Which database concept is specifically used to enforce referential integrity between two tables?
A.Foreign Key
B.Check Constraint
C.Surrogate Key
D.Composite Index
Explanation: A Foreign Key is a column or set of columns in one table that references the primary key (or candidate key) of another table. It enforces referential integrity by ensuring child rows correspond to existing parent rows.
3In Entity-Relationship (ER) modeling, what does an 'Entity' represent?
A.A real-world object or concept about which data is stored
B.A software algorithm that executes SQL statements
C.The physical storage block allocated on a hard disk
D.The network communication protocol used by an RDBMS
Explanation: In ER modeling, an entity represents a distinguishable real-world object, person, place, event, or concept (such as Customer, Order, or Product) about which an organization maintains data.
4Which condition must a database table satisfy to be in First Normal Form (1NF)?
A.All column values must be atomic, and repeating groups or arrays must be eliminated.
B.Every non-prime attribute must depend on the full primary key, eliminating partial dependencies.
C.There must be no transitive dependencies between non-key attributes.
D.All foreign key columns must reference indexed candidate keys in external tables.
Explanation: First Normal Form (1NF) requires that all attribute values in a table are atomic (indivisible single values) and that there are no repeating groups or multivalued attributes.
5In the relational model proposed by E.F. Codd, how is data organized logically?
A.In two-dimensional tables consisting of rows (tuples) and columns (attributes)
B.In a hierarchical tree structure of parent and child pointers
C.In a graph database structure of nodes, edges, and properties
D.In key-value document objects formatted as JSON strings
Explanation: E.F. Codd's relational model organizes data logically into relations, which are visualized as two-dimensional tables where rows represent tuples (records) and columns represent attributes.
6What is a Composite Key in relational database design?
A.A primary key that consists of two or more columns combined to uniquely identify a row
B.A key that references multiple external databases simultaneously
C.A primary key that automatically increments by 1 for each inserted row
D.A single column key that stores encrypted text values
Explanation: A composite key is a candidate key or primary key made up of two or more attributes (columns) that together uniquely identify a record, whereas no single column in the combination would suffice on its own.
7How is a Candidate Key defined in relational database theory?
A.A minimal superkey capable of uniquely identifying any tuple in a relation
B.Any column that contains non-null values regardless of uniqueness
C.A foreign key that has not yet been linked to a parent table
D.An attribute that is created temporarily during a JOIN query execution
Explanation: A candidate key is a minimal superkey — a set of attributes that uniquely identifies every row in a table without containing any redundant attributes. One candidate key is chosen to be the primary key.
8Which scenario illustrates a One-to-Many (1:N) relationship between entities?
A.One Department employs many Employees, but each Employee belongs to only one Department.
B.One Student registers for many Courses, and each Course contains many Students.
C.One Citizen has exactly one Passport, and one Passport belongs to exactly one Citizen.
D.One Product has multiple Prices, and each Price belongs to multiple Products simultaneously.
Explanation: A 1:N relationship occurs when a single instance of entity A (Department) can be associated with multiple instances of entity B (Employees), but each instance of entity B relates to at most one instance of entity A.
9A table is in First Normal Form (1NF). What additional condition must be satisfied to achieve Second Normal Form (2NF)?
A.Every non-prime attribute must be fully functionally dependent on the entire primary key.
B.Every non-key column must depend on another non-key column.
C.The table must contain at least three candidate keys.
D.All foreign key constraints must be disabled.
Explanation: To achieve 2NF, a table must be in 1NF and must not contain any partial functional dependencies. This means every non-prime attribute must depend on the whole primary key, which is especially relevant when the primary key is composite.
10A table is in Second Normal Form (2NF). What must be removed to bring the table into Third Normal Form (3NF)?
A.Transitive dependencies where a non-prime attribute depends on another non-prime attribute
B.Partial key dependencies where an attribute depends on part of a composite primary key
C.Multivalued attributes containing comma-separated strings
D.Foreign keys that point to tables in a different database schema
Explanation: To reach 3NF, a table must be in 2NF and have no transitive dependencies (i.e., non-key attributes determining other non-key attributes). Summarized as: 'Every non-key attribute must depend on the key, the whole key, and nothing but the key.'

About the EXIN SQL Foundation Exam

The EXIN Databases and SQL Foundation certification validates fundamental competence in relational database design, data modeling, normalization, SQL Data Manipulation Language (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, JOINs), SQL Data Definition Language (CREATE, ALTER, DROP, constraints), transaction management (ACID), indexes, and security controls.

Questions

30 scored questions

Time Limit

60 minutes

Passing Score

65% (20 of 30)

Exam Fee

€195 ($235) (EXIN)

EXIN SQL Foundation Exam Content Outline

~25%

Relational Database Concepts & Data Modeling

Entities, relationships, ERDs, relational model principles, primary & candidate keys, foreign keys, referential integrity, and database normalization (1NF, 2NF, 3NF).

~35%

SQL Data Manipulation Language (DML)

SELECT syntax, WHERE filtering, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, HAVING, aggregate functions (COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX), INNER/LEFT/RIGHT/FULL JOINs, subqueries, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

~20%

SQL Data Definition Language (DDL) & Integrity Constraints

CREATE, ALTER, and DROP table/view structures, data types (VARCHAR, INT, DATE, DECIMAL), PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY (ON DELETE CASCADE/SET NULL), NOT NULL, UNIQUE, and CHECK constraints.

~20%

Transactions, Indexes & Database Security

ACID properties, transaction control statements (BEGIN, COMMIT, ROLLBACK), B-tree indexes, view security, role-based security with GRANT and REVOKE, and protecting against SQL injection.

How to Pass the EXIN SQL Foundation Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 65% (20 of 30)
  • Exam length: 30 questions
  • Time limit: 60 minutes
  • Exam fee: €195 ($235)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

EXIN SQL Foundation Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the difference between WHERE (filters rows before grouping) and HAVING (filters groups after aggregate computation).
2Understand the mechanics of INNER JOIN vs. LEFT OUTER JOIN: LEFT JOIN returns all rows from the left table even if no match exists in the right table.
3Be clear on normalization stages: 1NF eliminates repeating groups, 2NF removes partial key dependencies, and 3NF removes transitive dependencies.
4Memorize the ACID properties: Atomicity (all-or-nothing), Consistency (valid state transitions), Isolation (independent concurrent execution), and Durability (committed data persists).
5Practice DDL constraint definitions like FOREIGN KEY REFERENCES and ON DELETE CASCADE behavior.
6Understand how indexes speed up SELECT lookups but introduce overhead for INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the EXIN Databases and SQL Foundation exam?

The exam consists of 30 closed-book multiple-choice questions to be answered in 60 minutes. Candidates must achieve at least 65% (20 correct answers) to pass.

In which languages is the exam offered?

The official EXIN Databases and SQL Foundation exam is available in English (en) and Dutch (nl).

What is the fee for the exam?

The official exam voucher fee is €195 (approximately $235 USD), payable directly to EXIN or through accredited training providers.

Does the EXIN SQL certification expire?

No. The EXIN Databases and SQL Foundation certification has lifetime validity and does not require periodic recertification or continuing education units.

What dialect of SQL is tested on the EXIN SQL exam?

The exam tests standard ANSI/ISO SQL syntax and generic relational database management system (RDBMS) concepts rather than vendor-specific proprietary extensions.