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
Due to inactivity, and for security reasons, you will be automatically logged out of your SQE account in 1 minute.
Press ’continue’ to stay logged in.
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.
SQE2 consists of a single exam. In order to pass SQE2 you must obtain the overall pass mark for SQE2. SQE2 will test oral and written legal skills in 16 assessment stations. The SQE2 written and oral assessments must be completed in the same assessment window.
After you have booked your SQE2 written assessment, we will send you an email that includes:
You must be on time. If you are late, you cannot enter the assessment.
When you arrive, you will register and complete ID and security checks. Please check the information in your booking confirmation email before setting off for your assessments.
Watch a video showing what happens when you arrive at the assessment centre. Some elements of the video may not be applicable for SQE assessments, but it will help give you a good indication of the administration of the assessment.
Once you are seated at your workstation, you must make a Fit to Sit declaration and confirm that you understand that the content of the assessments is confidential, and that you are bound by the Assessment Regulations.
Learn more: Fit to Sit Policy Learn more: Candidate Confidentiality Policy Learn more: Assessment Regulations
You won’t be allowed to take the assessment if you don’t complete these requirements. Once you have completed the assessment, if you feel that something has happened that could affect your performance during the assessment, you can submit a claim for mitigating circumstances.
Key points in the Pearson VUE testing rules:
No personal items (including but not limited to water, mobile phones, other electronic devices, watches, purses, books and notes) are allowed in the assessment room. There will be a secure place to store your items during the assessment.
You will be provided with an erasable whiteboard notepad and marker pen to be used only during the assessment. These must be handed in at the end of the assessment.
The test administrator will:
You should also check your screen to ensure that you are logged in and are taking the intended assessment.
Once the assessment has started, you must remain in your assigned seat until escorted out by a test administrator.
You must not eat, drink, chew gum, smoke or make noise that disturbs other candidates during the assessments.
You will be monitored at all times during the assessments. This can include CCTV recordings.
You must leave the assessment room during all breaks. After all breaks ID checks are carried out before you will be readmitted to the assessment room.
During any unscheduled breaks:
You must notify the test administrator immediately of any problems or distractions which affect your ability to do the assessments by raising your hand.
Test administrators cannot answer questions about the content of the assessments.
Please see the Coronavirus (COVID-19) related information.
The SQE2 written assessments are computer based, with one screen per candidate. You will be provided with all necessary materials and equipment, including an online calculator, an erasable whiteboard notepad and a marker pen. You may not use any other equipment unless it is a comfort aid in accordance with the Pearson VUE website. The website provides information on items that are comfort aids and do not require pre-approval. They will be allowed in the Pearson VUE testing rooms for SQE1 and SQE2 written assessments upon inspection at the test centre.
Please note that not every element of the information on comfort aids will be relevant to you. If you have any questions about comfort aids please contact the SQE candidate services team, rather than Pearson VUE.
Please do not bring personal possessions into the assessments. Your booking confirmation email has more information about what to expect in a Pearson VUE Test centre.
As storage space is limited, you should bring only a small bag. All personal belongings must be put in the secure lockers provided.
There is no dress code for SQE2 written assessments. You can wear what you feel comfortable in, but you may be asked to remove bulky external clothing during security checks.
There are 12 written assessments, taken over three separate days. On each day, you will sit four assessments. On each day there will be two sessions, each consisting of two assessments.
Session 1: 1 hour 30 minutes Scheduled break: 15 minutes Session 2: 1 hour 45 minutes
You may only leave the assessment room to use the bathroom, have a drink of water, eat or obtain medication if necessary. This will be monitored and any breach of this can be reported as a breach of the SQE Assessment Regulations. If you do access water, food or medication, this is an unscheduled break and the assessment timer is not stopped (i.e. your assessment time continues to run). Talking to other candidates during an unscheduled break is not permitted. If you think you will need to take medication during the assessment, please contact us in advance.
You cannot leave the assessments early.
A 15-minute scheduled break is provided at the end of Session 1.
During this scheduled break you are:
Water and refreshments aren't provided for the assessments. You must make your own arrangements for water, food, and other refreshments. If in doubt, please bring your own supplies. Water and refreshments are not permitted in the assessment room.
The booking confirmation email will confirm the length of your day; the total amount of time is given in minutes and includes the:
Pearson VUE aim to provide a comfortable temperature for candidates at the test centres. However, we understand that some candidates may prefer a cooler or warmer environment as a matter of personal choice. We suggest that candidates wear appropriate layers at the assessment for maximum flexibility, but please note the point above that you may be asked to remove bulky external clothing during security checks.
Please see the Practice the sample questions online section of the website to better understand the functionality of the assessment platform. You will also find it helpful to test the SQE2 exam functionality on Pearson VUE in advance of your assessment.
Each assessment day runs from 8am - 8pm, with candidates attending for between 4.5 to 7 hours within this window. We therefore advise making travel and other arrangements around these times. We will send you an email after you book your SQE2 oral assessments confirming the assessment dates and the exact location of the assessment centre.
We will send you an email after you book your SQE2 oral assessments confirming the assessment dates and the location of the assessment centre.
We will send you an email with joining instructions, containing details of what time you must report at the assessment centre, approximately two weeks before the assessments.
You must arrive on time. If you are late, you cannot enter the assessments.
Arriving at the test centre before the start of the assessments
On each day you will be required to:
After the security check you must not leave the assessment centre until you are instructed to do so at the end of your assessment day.
You will be provided with all necessary materials and equipment. In relation to stationery, you will be provided with a calculator, black ball point pen, writing paper, and a highlighter. You may not use any other equipment.
The legal analysis/attendance note which is completed after the client interview is hand written. Assessment papers are in hard copy format and you may write on these as you see fit. Assessment papers that you are provided with to prepare for the client interview and advocacy assessments can be taken with you to the assessment room.
Please do not bring personal possessions into the assessments. You should bring only a small bag as storage space is limited. You must leave all personal possessions, including electronic devices, in the secure storage area. You can have access to any paper copies of notes/books during the registration period. These must be placed in the storage facilities once staff instruct you to do so. Once the assessment has started, candidates are not permitted to access the storage area until the end of the assessment day.
You may only leave the assessment room during the scheduled breaks.
You cannot leave the assessment centres until you are instructed to do so at the end of your assessments. Please take this into account when making travel arrangements or other plans for later in the day. If in doubt, you should travel on the day after the end of the SQE2 oral assessments.
Please wear clothing suitable for a business environment.
You should bring a warm item of clothing (e.g. a scarf) that can be removed easily in the assessment room. You may find the temperature at the assessment centre comfortable, but this gives you the option of making adjustments.
You will be expected to stand to deliver submissions for the criminal litigation advocacy assessment (subject of course to any agreed reasonable adjustments).
You do not need to shake hands with the examiner playing the role of the client.
Clocks are provided in the preparation or base rooms and the assessment rooms. Please note that watches are not permitted to be used during the assessments and should be left with your belongings.
You will have preparation time for each assessment in a preparation room. You will then be escorted to your assessment room by an exam marshal for you to conduct the client interview or oral presentation as appropriate. After you have conducted the client interview, a marshal will escort you to a base room to complete the attendance note/legal analysis. Marshals will indicate how much time you have for each element of the assessment.
Further details on timings and the assessment structure are available in Assessments in SQE2.
Water is freely available in the preparation or base rooms.
Light refreshments will be provided during registration and your scheduled break.
You will not have access to your own water or your own refreshments once you have put your belongings away. If you require refreshments for medical reasons please contact us.
Adding an extra group of candidates. We are able to offer more spaces for the SQE2 oral assessments by allocating a number of candidates a later reporting time of 12:40 and asking them to remain in a quiet comfortable area for approximately 3 hours after reporting and registration at the test centre. This is so that the security of the questions can be maintained.
Timetabling candidates. You will be randomly allocated your reporting time once the booking window has closed. You will then receive your joining instructions for the oral assessment approximately two weeks before the assessment as usual, and that will state if you have been allocated a report time of 12:40. This will apply for both days of your oral assessment. While we understand that some candidates may find this inconvenient, we are adopting this approach to provide opportunities for more candidates to take SQE2. Some candidates may welcome the extra quiet time for revision.
Candidates with a report time of 12:40pm. You will have a supervised waiting period of approximately three hours before the start of your SQE2 oral assessments.
During the waiting time you are not permitted to:
Cancellations and reasonable adjustments. The usual terms and conditions and cancellation provisions apply. If you have a disability or other condition which means that this timetabling in the later group is not appropriate for you, you should apply for a reasonable adjustment as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until a booking window has opened to do so. You can apply immediately.
Length of the assessment. The length of the assessment, including briefings, time with the assessors and pre and post oral assessment work, is approximately 2 hours per day however you may be in the assessment centre for between 4.5 to 7 hours (from your report time). This will be confirmed in your joining instructions.
Length of the SQE2 oral assessment day. The assessment day for candidates with a report time of 12:40 will end at approximately 19:30, and you will be asked to arrive at the test centre at 12:40. If you are in this group, you are required to remain at the test centre for approximately seven hours and can not be released early. There will be no opportunity for you to purchase food during this time. For candidates with other report times, each assessment day is up to 4.5 hours long (from your report time). You must stay at the assessment centre for the entire time, and cannot leave earlier.
Waiting periods. The assessment is approximately two hours long per day but additional time is needed to:
Therefore, there may be a period of time where it may seem that you are waiting unnecessarily, but this is for the reasons stated above. Please feel free to speak to a marshal on the day of the assessment if you are unsure as to where you should be or what will happen next in your assessment. If you are scheduled a 12:40 report time, you may be required to wait for an extended period (approximately three hours) before starting your assessment once you have completed the registration, ID validation and security checks. This will be confirmed in your joining instructions.
Further information. If you have any further questions please contact the Candidate Services Team.
The assessment environment
SQE does not have exclusive occupancy of Pearson VUE centres. You should be aware that rooms may be occupied by candidates who are sitting an assessment of a different length and so may arrive before or after your assessment has started. Some candidates may also have reasonable adjustments and may be finishing their SQE assessment at a different time or may be sitting in a different part of the building.
Therefore you may find the Pearson VUE test centre environment different to what you have encountered before when sitting exams, for example at university or at other educational establishments. You are advised to familiarise yourself with the Pearson VUE setting by watching the short video about the Pearson VUE test centres.
Every effort is made to provide a quiet environment for all assessments. But test centres are sited in city centres, and we have no control over building or traffic noise which may occur outside.
Language and signage
The SQE is an assessment taken in English or Welsh. Please note however that due to the international nature of the assessment, staff at test centres may only speak the local language of that country. Also, any signs will only be in the local language. Therefore, please bear this in mind when considering where to take the SQE.
Nature of the assessment
The SQE is a rigorous professional assessment. It is designed to assure consistent, high standards for all qualifying solicitors and is a key milestone to qualifying as a solicitor of England and Wales. Candidates may not have experienced an assessment of this nature and duration before.
You can therefore expect a different assessment experience to other assessments you have taken. Other candidates may be very focused on their preparation on the day and may not wish to engage in conversation. You should also consider your preparation for the assessments, such as planning carefully your revision time, having appropriate rest before and in between assessments and bringing sufficient refreshments on the day to maintain your energy levels during breaks.
Assessment functionality
Candidates will find it helpful to view the sample questions before their assessment using the SQE2 exam functionality on Pearson VUE. Candidates can also better understand some of the assessment functionality by reviewing the “Practise the sample questions online” section of the SQE2 sample questions webpage before their assessment.
The oral assessments are administered by Kaplan SQE directly, and are not held at Pearson VUE centres.
We have some general information about the SQE2 oral venues for candidates.
Learn more: Further information about SQE2 oral assessment centres
You will need to provide ID and go through security checks before you take your assessments.
Learn more: ID verification
Create your personal SQE account and book your assessments.
Find out what happens after passing the SQE and admission to the roll of solicitors.