Abstract. We derive precise transformation rules for test ideals under an arbitrary finite surjective morphism π : Y → X of normal varieties in prime characteristic p > 0. Specifically, given a Q-divisor ∆X on X and any OX -linear map T : K(Y ) → K(X), we associate a Q-divisor ∆Y on Y such that T(π * τ (Y ; ∆Y )) = τ (X; ∆X ). When π is separable and T = Tr Y /X is the field trace, we have ∆Y = π * ∆X − Ramπ where Ramπ is the ramification divisor. If in addition Tr Y /X (π * OY ) = OX , we conclude π * τ (Y ; ∆Y ) ∩ K(X) = τ (X; ∆X ) and thereby recover the analogous transformation rule to multiplier ideals in characteristic zero. Our main technique is a careful study of when an OX-linear map F * OX → OX lifts to an OY -linear map F * OY → OY , and the results obtained about these liftings are of independent interest as they relate to the theory of Frobenius splittings. In particular, again assuming Tr Y /X (π * OY ) = OX , we obtain transformation results for F -pure singularities under finite maps which mirror those for log canonical singularities in characteristic zero. Finally we explore new conditions on the singularities of the ramification locus, which imply that, for a finite extension of normal domains R ⊆ S in characteristic p > 0, the trace map Tr : Frac S → Frac R sends S onto R.