When you can take the SQE

You can take the SQE assessments at specific points throughout the year, but only once you’ve registered and completed the pre-booking steps. We recommend doing this as early as possible to secure a place.

There is a regular pattern to when SQE assessments are held:

• SQE1: January and July
• SQE2: January, April, July and October

The exact assessment dates are published on our Assessment dates and booking windows page.

To help with your planning we aim to start the assessments at the following times:

• SQE1 assessments in the third week of the month.
• SQE2 assessments in the final week of the month.

This is a guide only. You should always check the Assessment dates and booking windows page for confirmed timings.

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When you’ll be eligible to book

You can’t book or sit an SQE assessment until you’ve:

• created an SQE account
• completed your pre-booking steps

These include confirming your ID and agreeing to the candidate rules. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to book assessments when booking opens.

Find out how to register and complete pre-booking

You’ll also need to pass SQE1 before taking SQE2, unless you’ve been granted an exemption by the SRA.

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Preparing to take the SQE

You have six years from the date of your first SQE assessment to pass both SQE1 and SQE2. Within that time, you can have up to three attempts at each part.

You’ll need to consider when you feel ready to take the assessments. Many candidates choose to study or gain Qualifying Work Experience before booking. The route you take will be up to you — it depends on various factors such as your preparation, career plans, confidence, and support available.

For guidance on how to prepare for the assessments, including what to expect and how to plan your study time, visit the following pages.

• Overview of the SQE assessments
• Candidate case studies
• SQE1 sample questions
• SQE2 sample questions