What is the SQE?
Who is the SQE for?
Costs and fees
Case studies
Dates and locations
Assessment information
The assessment day
Results and resits
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The monitoring and maximising diversity survey has been updated. Please return to the survey to reconfirm your answers and complete the new section at the end.
You must do this to remain eligible for the SQE. You will not be able to book your next assessment until you have updated your answers.
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is a single, rigorous assessment for all aspiring solicitors. The SQE will mean that everyone who becomes a solicitor will meet the same high standards in a consistent way.
July 2025 SQE1 assessment dates have been published.
Seat reservation forms for the October 2024 SQE2 have been emailed to candidates. Please see the SQE news for more information and if you want to access the form.
The SQE is provided by Kaplan SQE Ltd., working with, and on behalf of, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). All information provided has been written in conjunction with, and adhering to, the SRA’s guidelines.
We have worked with solicitors, employers, education training providers, careers advisers and aspiring solicitors to develop information to help you understand and prepare for the SQE.
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is a single, rigorous assessment that all aspiring solicitors will take before qualifying. To qualify you need to:
have a degree in any subject or a qualification or experience that is equivalent to a degree, such as a solicitor apprenticeship which combines on-the-job experience and training.
Complete two years' full-time (or equivalent) Qualifying Work Experience.
Pass both stages of the SQE assessment - SQE1 focuses on practical legal knowledge and SQE2 on practical legal skills.
Meet our character and suitability requirements.
Create your personal SQE account and book your assessments.
Find out what happens after passing the SQE and admission to the roll of solicitors.
Originally published: 13 October 2023
Booking for the January 2024 SQE2 assessment will open at 10am (UK time) on 18 October and closes at 5pm (UK time) on 7 December 2023.
On Wednesday morning, all candidates (whether booking SQE1 or SQE2) will not be able to gain access to their candidate account from approximately 9am (UK time) until the booking window opens at 10am (UK time).
Should a large number of candidates want to book an assessment at the same time, a queuing system will be in place to allow for fair access to the booking process. If this facility is used, the waiting page will indicate your approximate waiting time and as soon as you reach the front of the queue, you will be redirected to log in and book.
In order to book for SQE2, you MUST have completed the pre-booking steps, as usual for any assessment. If you do not complete these steps, you risk delaying being able to book. The Candidate Services Team will only be able to help you with queries relating to booking if you are logged in to your candidate account.
Please note that there is already an SQE1 booking window open. Therefore you will see test centres in the booking system that relate to SQE1 and are not running the SQE2 assessments.
You will see the test centres available for the oral assessment sittings in the booking page.
There will be four sittings of SQE2 in 2024 - January, April, July and October. Please see the SQE timings page for more information.
Bookings are subject to availability.
Learn more: Booking and paying for assessments
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