SQE fees

The SRA has agreed an increase in the candidate fee for the SQE assessment. Across the two exams this means SQE1 will go up from £1,558 to £1,622 and SQE2 from £2,422 to £2,493 (overall increase of 3.4%). This fee rise will come into effect for anyone booking to take the SQE2 in October 2022 and subsequent assessments.

This below-inflation increase will pay for SQE assessment developments such as remote proctoring arrangements. This was an additional requirement following the Covid-19 pandemic. This could be deployed if there were widespread test centre closures, or major restrictions on international travel impacting a large number of candidates.

The SRA has a rigorous annual monitoring process in place to review candidate fees with Kaplan. This is to make sure the SQE continues to offer good value for money and any increase in fees is justified.

Learn more: Costs and fees

QLTS OSCE and using SQE2 as an alternative to the QLTS OSCE

As the final QLTS OSCE has now taken place, we wanted to let you know some important deadlines for the future.

If you have recently taken the OSCE and passed, you must apply to the SRA for admission as a solicitor by 31 August 2022 (inclusive). Find out more.

If you are a QLTS candidate that has passed the QLTS MCT and want to sit the SQE2, the SRA have extended the admission date further due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19. This means you now have more opportunities to take the SQE2 exam - October 2022, April 2023, July 2023 and October 2023. Find out more.

You have until 31 March 2024 (inclusive) to apply to the SRA to become a solicitor. Due to the time it takes to get your SQE2 results, this means your final opportunity to sit SQE2 will be October 2023. Find out more.

Please see Exemptions and using SQE2 as an equivalence for information about the steps you should take if you want to use this process.

Please contact the Candidate Services Team if you have any questions.

Learn more: Exemptions and using SQE2 as an equivalence