The SQE, Explained: What You Need to Know
If you’re planning on becoming a solicitor in England and Wales, chances are that you’ve heard the letters SQE mentioned here and there…but what actually is the SQE? How does it differ from the previous route that students could take, and why did the legal profession overhaul the old route of taking the Legal Practice Course?
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination officially came into force in September 2021, replacing the old GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law) and LPC system with a single, unified assessment route. The objective was to simplify the qualification process and make it fairer and more flexible for aspiring solicitors from all backgrounds to join the profession.
Previously, non-law graduates had to take the GDL, followed by the LPC, which typically cost students tens of thousands of pounds in tuition fees if they hadn’t yet managed to secure a training contract.
The SQE aims to level the playing field, offering a centralised, standardised test for everyone, while also replacing the need to secure a training contract with a simpler requirement for two years’ qualifying work experience (more on this later…).
What does the SQE involve?
The SQE has two stages, SQE1 and SQE2:
- SQE1 focuses on legal knowledge. It’s made up of two multiple-choice exams called Functioning Legal Knowledge, or FLK1 and FLK2, which are made up of 180 questions each. These questions cover topics like contract, tort, criminal law, and ethics.Think of it as a rigorous knowledge check – no essays, just multiple choice questions designed to test and assess knowledge of fundamental legal principles and rules. Students’ scores out of 180 for each exam are converted to a scaled score out of 500, with the pass mark set at 300.
Here are the modules for FLK1 and FLK2:
○ Functioning Legal Knowledge 1
§ Ethics
§ Business Law and Practice (including Tax)
§ Dispute Resolution
§ Contract Law
§ Tort Law
§ Constitutional and Administrative Law, and EU Law, and Legal Services○ Functioning Legal Knowledge 2
§ Ethics
§ Land Law
§ Property Practice (including Tax)
§ Wills and the Administration of Estates (including Tax)
§ Trust Law
§ Criminal Law and Practice
§ Solicitors’ AccountsSQE2 is about practical legal skills – from legal writing to interviewing, drafting, advocacy, and case analysis.
The assessment is split into two parts, the Oral assessment, and the Written assessment. Students receive one combined grade for both of these, which determines if they pass the SQE2 as a whole.
The Oral assessment examines client interviewing skills, completing an attendance note (a common task for a trainee), and the student’s advocacy skills.
The Written assessment examines the student’s legal research, writing, and drafting skills, alongside case and matter analysis ability.
Here are the details of the two stages of SQE2:
○ Oral – Four exams over a two day period:
§ Day 1: Advocacy – Dispute Resolution
§ Day 2: Advocacy – Criminal Litigation
○ Written – Five areas of law examined over three days:
§ Day 1: (1) Dispute Resolution, (2) Criminal Litigation
§ Day 2: (3) Property Practice, (4) Wills and Intestacy & Probate Administration and Practice
§ Day 3: (5) Business Organisations, Rules and Procedures
When and how do you take it?
There is a wide range of SQE course providers available to students, with a list of accredited training providers available from the SRA. We’ve set out below some of the most well-known and popular:
BARBRI:
Offers online, flexible courses for SQE1 and SQE2, including practice questions and mocks.
BPP University Law School:
Provides practical-focused courses with strong industry connections, combining independent study with live coaching workshops.
The University of Law:
The UK’s largest provider of legal education offers comprehensive resources and flexible courses, including standalone and degree-integrated programs.
QLTS School:
Known for detailed online resources, including textbooks, practice questions, mock exams, and video tutorials.
FQPS Academy:
Aims to be affordable and flexible, with a focus on extensive support.
The College of Legal Practice:
Offers flexible, practice-oriented courses, combining SQE1 and SQE2 preparation.
There are two sittings of SQE1 per year, and four sittings of SQE2 per year. The SRA maintain a timetable showing when the next assessments are.
For 2025-2026, the SQE1 will be assessed in July and in the following January and July. The SQE2 will be assessed in July and October 2025, and in January, April, July and October 2026.
You’ll need to pass SQE1 before attempting SQE2, and both can be taken after or during your Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).
Qualifying Work Experience
QWE is now a crucial part of the route to qualification. Instead of a set two-year training contract, which was the conventional route to becoming a solicitor in the past, you now need two years’ worth of legal work, which can be split across different roles: on placement during a law degree, working as a paralegal, or volunteering at charities or law centres. A training contract of course still counts as QWE. More information can be found on the SRA’s website.
What are the pass rates like?
As of January 2025, the SQE1 pass rate was at 56%, with SQE2 results significantly higher at 75%.
How much does it cost?
As of September 2024, SQE1 costs £1,888 (£944 for each FLK), and SQE2 costs £2,902 for a total of £4,790.