We have updated the Appeals and Complaints policies. We encourage all candidates to read the policies before they book an assessment and we have provided a summary of the key changes and date that these come into effect below.

Appeals Policy

The updates to this policy aim to provide a more transparent, accessible, and fair appeals process, ensuring candidates have the opportunity to present new evidence and understand the rationale behind appeal decisions.

A non-exhaustive summary of the key changes are:

1. Conditional Appeals for Mitigating Circumstances: Clarification about appeals based on disagreement with a mitigating circumstances decision can be made if new evidence or information, unavailable during the original claim, is presented.
2. Submission Process Enhancements: The policy outlines the process for candidates unable to submit documentation or evidence by the deadline, allowing for revised timelines.
3. Access to Documentation: New provisions enable candidates whose first stage appeal is dismissed to request copies of documents considered by the First Stage Appeal Panel. This helps inform their decision on whether to pursue a final stage appeal. Correspondingly, timelines for final stage appeals have been adjusted.
4. Panel Members: the policy records the existing practice of independent members being on appeals panels to help ensure impartiality.
5. Introduction of a Review Panel: A new Review Panel is established to consider appeals submitted out of time. These will only be reviewed under exceptional circumstances, to address the issue of late appeals being previously rejected. The Review Panel will initially assess if there are exceptional circumstances. The appeal will then proceed to an appeal panel if the Review Panel accepts the exceptional circumstances for the late appeal submission. A reduced appeal charge will apply for the preliminary consideration of a late submission.

The updated policy applies to all candidates sitting the SQE from July 2025. It will therefore first apply to the July SQE1 and SQE2 sittings. The previous version of the policy will apply for candidates who sat an SQE assessment before July 2025.

Complaints Policy

Changes have been made to this policy to enhance clarity, accessibility, and fairness for all involved parties. They reflect Kaplan SQE’s dedication to transparent and equitable complaint resolution processes, aligned with its quality assurance standards.

A non-exhaustive summary of the key changes are:

1. Panel Members: the policy records the existing practice of independent members on the Review Panel, to ensure impartiality. The Review Panel will be chaired by the independent member.
2. Expanded Role of the Review Panel: The Review Panel now encompasses formal complaints by customers (i.e. non-candidates).
3. Streamlined Procedures: The policy merges candidate and other customer complaints procedures, offering a unified approach to complaint handling.
4. Clarification of timescales: the policy explains the process if a complaint is submitted after the prescribed timeline, and why this deadline is in the policy.

The updated Complaints Policy will apply to all new complaints from today’s date.

Learn more: Appeals Policy and Complaints Policy