Case studies
What is the SQE?
Who is the SQE for?
Costs and fees
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.
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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.
Kaplan manages the booking process on behalf of the SRA. This page will help you with most queries about booking. But if you do have further questions about any aspect of booking (such as technical aspects of booking, availability of seats, etc), please contact our candidate services team. These are also the sources of information for training providers.
Below are the key considerations when booking an assessment. We provide more detail on each of these points below.
SQE news item. We post information about the booking process for each assessment in the SQE news section. We also email candidates that have an account registered. We will provide information on timings and what steps candidates need to take. The news item relevant for the booking window will also contain information such as the dates we pause the booking window to allow candidates to complete the seat reservation form and for us to process these.
Updates. If we need to update you with any key information during booking (for example, in the event of technical issues) we will do so via the banner at the top of the homepage. This is the source of information that training providers also use. You can also contact the candidate services team.
Assessment dates. You will find details of when the booking window for an assessment will open on the Timings page. Assessment dates will be published about 12 months before each assessment.
SQE News item. The SQE news item will contain the key dates such as when we will provide the seat reservation from and the deadline for completing the booking of the seat reserved for you.
The decision to sit and assessment. You should consider carefully when you feel you will be ready to take the SQE. Candidates often feed back that the assessments are very challenging and should not be undertaken unless you feel fully prepared. Please see the blog: “Preparing for SQE2” or some of the considerations when planning ahead, such as whether a period of qualifying work experience would be beneficial. You may also find it helpful lto read some of the candidate case studies on taking the SQE.
The test centres can accommodate a range of alternative arrangements for candidates with whom reasonable adjustments have been agreed, and who have individual requirements.
If you need to apply for a reasonable adjustment, you do not need to book an assessment online, but you do need to make an application for reasonable adjustments for each assessment that you sit. Doing so early and in advance of a booking window opening will give us enough time to review and organise any agreed adjustments.
A member of our Equality and Quality team will work with you to identify a test centre which can accommodate your agreed reasonable adjustment, and is as near to you as possible, and we will reserve a place for you there. Your booking is made when you make the required payment through the Candidate Services Team. If you need to make a Reasonable Adjustment request for both SQE1 and SQE2 you must do these separately when you book each assessment. This is because the assessment methods for SQE1 and SQE2 are not the same, so adjustments made for one may not be appropriate for the other.
We still ask candidates that require a reasonable adjustment to complete a seat reservation form. The information that you provide on this form tells us of your preferred location to sit, but it does not act as a request for reasonable adjustments, which is done by completing your pre-booking steps.
Booking your assessment if you’re an apprentice. You should discuss your assessment booking with your apprenticeship training provider in advance. They can provide you with a prepaid voucher so that you can book your assessment.
Learn more: The SQE for Apprentices
Vouchers and information for employers and training providers. The simplest way for training providers and employers to pay for a group of candidates is to purchase vouchers. These can be provided to the candidate in advance of the booking window opening, in order for them to book their own assessment on their candidate account. A bulk booking process was available but it was not used. It has been removed as purchasing vouchers remains the most efficient to pay for groups of candidates.
If you are a training provider or employer and want to purchase a number of vouchers using an invoicing system, we will require your company to complete a credit application. Please contact us to request a Credit Application Form and it will be emailed to you. Please complete and email the credit application to the Candidate Services team to begin the credit application process. A credit application can take up to 10 working days to be processed.
Once the credit application form has been processed, the Candidate Services team will provide details regarding the status of the form. If the credit limit has been approved, you will be able to request vouchers up to the value of your credit limit.
Individual candidates must complete the registration process including the ID verification, as well as the pre-booking steps including the diversity survey, confirming any exemptions, and letting us know if they need any reasonable adjustments requests, before any booking can be completed on their behalf.
Learn more: Payment methods
This is now the main method of booking an assessment.
On-line seat reservation form. Most bookings will be made through the use of a short on-line seat reservation form and is the best way for candidates to book a seat for an assessment.
Completing the seat reservation form. The form will ask for information including your SQE candidate number, if you require a reasonable adjustment, your preferred venue and dates for the assessment.
Allocation. For those who do not need reasonable adjustments, we will allocate seats in the order in which the forms are returned to us, trying to meet preferences where we can. Where it is not possible to allocate a seat at a candidate’s preferred location, we will match candidate preferences as closely as possible. Please note that when we ask for your postcode in the seat reservation form, this is the location closest to where you wish to sit, which could be your home, work or a particular test centre location. We will pause the booking window while we process the forms and allocate seats.
Completion of your booking. Once the booking window reopens, candidates can see the seat allocated to them in their candidate account. They can accept the seat and make a payment to complete their booking. Candidates will also have the opportunity to reschedule their booking to any other options available (for example, change to a different date or location). But they will need to make payment to secure a seat to do so. Candidates can also decline the seat reserved for them. The SQE news item for that booking window will provide the deadline by which candidates must pay to accept the seat reserved for them before it is released. There will typically then be a short period of time between the deadline to pay to secure the seat reserved and the booking window closing to allow candidates to reschedule their seat if they find a more suitable alternative.
Before you book your assessment you will need to have done the following pre-booking tasks:
You will need to complete all of the above every time you book an assessment. We recommend that you complete all the pre booking steps as soon as possible. You do not have to wait until the booking window has opened before starting the pre-booking tasks.
When a booking window re-opens to allow candidates to pay for a seat reserved for them, you can:
You must pay securely at the time of booking with a debit or credit card, or using a prepaid voucher supplied by your employer or training provider. The deadline for payment will be stated in the SQE news item relating to that booking window.
You will also need to accept the assessment terms and conditions at the time of booking your assessment.
We will send you an email confirming the details of your assessment booking and further details about the assessment.
Please note that, unless you have an exemption from sitting SQE1, you cannot book to take SQE2 until you have received your results for and passed SQE1. Similarly, you cannot book to re-sit SQE1 until you have received your results for your previous SQE1 attempt.
Learn more: Assessment terms and conditions
Once you have paid for your seat, you are able to reschedule your test centre for SQE1 or SQE2 Written if there are seats available at alternative test centres. Please be mindful of the deadline for payment stated in the SQE news item relating to the booking window. Rescheduling can be done in the assessment bookings section of your SQE account. You can only reschedule while the booking window is open. Once the booking window is closed, it is not possible to reschedule to an alternative test centre.
After paying for a seat it is not possible to reschedule the SQE2 Oral assessment. If you need to change the dates or location of your oral assessments you will need to cancel your entire original SQE2 booking by contacting the SQE Candidate Services Team and then re-book using your SQE account. This is subject to the availability of written and oral test centre seats.
Please note that some candidates do cancel their bookings during assessment booking windows. This can be for various reasons. Therefore, candidates that have not made a booking or that may wish to book in a more convenient location, may find it helpful to return to the booking page occasionally during the booking window to see if a space has become available (due to a cancellation) at a more convenient test centre location.
This method will be less frequently used, and usually for specific groups of candidates, such as candidates waiting for assessment results during a booking window.
If any candidates will use this method we will let you know and information will be in the SQE news item and emails relating to that booking window.
When using this method, you:
SQE1 and SQE2 written test centres. You can check the location and facilities of Pearson VUE test centres. Please be aware that you may not be able to sit your assessment at your nearest centre. Seats are allocated based on the seat reservation form. Note that you can not book your assessment directly through Pearson VUE.
Note: Pearson VUE test centres in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia are currently closed. We will therefore not offer SQE assessments in these countries for the foreseeable future. We will review this should the position change.
SQE2 oral test centres. Please see the dates and locations page for more information on these.
Learn more: Pearson VUE test centres
The booking window will close on the date specified in the Timings page. If there are any changes to that date we will update that webpage and publish an SQE news item with the details.
Create your personal SQE account and book your assessments.
Find out what happens after passing the SQE and admission to the roll of solicitors.