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See the full infographic showing both the SQE and LPC routes to qualifying as a solicitor here.

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The SQE is the centralised assessment for anyone who wants to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. It is part of a new, four-stage route to becoming a solicitor, introduced in 2021. To qualify through the SQE route you'll need to:

• Have a degree (or equivalent) in any subject
• Pass SQE1 and SQE2 assessments*
• Undertake a minimum of two years Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)
• Show you are of satisfactory character and suitability

*Some exemptions apply. Please visit the SRA website form further information on the .

The SQE has been divided into two parts – SQE1 and SQE2.

In SQE1 you will be tested on ‘Functioning Legal Knowledge’ (FLK), which assesses your ability to apply the law in realistic client-based scenarios. Key points about SQE1:

• Covers subjects you will have studied on a law degree or conversion course, as well as vocational practice areas from stage 1 of the previous LPC route
• Consists of two multiple-choice papers, each containing 180 questions
• Questions test not only knowledge, but the ability to select the most correct answer in complex, realistic scenarios
• Passing SQE1 is required before sitting SQE2

In SQE2 you will be tested on the practical legal skills required for practice, including:

• Interviewing (with written attendance note/legal analysis)
• Advocacy
• Legal research
• Legal drafting
• Legal writing
• Case and matter analysis

SQE1 and SQE2 are centralised assessments introduced by the SRA and are not examined by The University of Law. These assessments are an essential requirement to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. The LPC is a course with its own individual assessments set by The University of Law and accredited by the SRA.

There is no specific SQE course as such, but there are important topics that you’ll need to study in order to pass the assessments. We offer a range of SQE courses to prepare you for the SQE assessments, as well as your future career as a solicitor.

For most aspiring solicitors, the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is now the route to qualification. However, some candidates may still be eligible to qualify through the Legal Practice Course (LPC) route under the SRA's transitional arrangements.

If you started, completed, accepted an offer for, or paid a non-refundable deposit for one of the following courses by 31 August 2021, you may still be eligible to qualify through the LPC route:

• Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or Common Professional Examination (CPE)
• MA Law
• A period of recognised training (also known as a training contract)

For a qualifying law degree (QLD) and exempting law degree (ELD), such as our LLB, you must have completed, started, accepted an offer or paid a non-refundable deposit by 21 September 2021. In most cases, the relevant course must have started by 31 December 2021.

If you don't meet the requirements for the LPC transitional arrangements, you'll need to progress through the SQE route.

Please note that The University of Law is no longer accepting applications for the LPC.

Not sure which route is right for you? Get in touch with our team by emailing [email protected] or call 0808 253 7683 for advice.

Yes. Most of our courses offer flexible study options, including full-time, part-time and online pathways. This allows you to fit preparation around your schedule while still receiving expert guidance. However, you will need to commit 20 hours per week of study time for our part time courses and up to 45 hours per week for full-time courses, so do be realistic about what you can achieve.

No, if you qualify as a solicitor via the SQE route, you'll not be required to complete a training contract. However you'll need to complete two years of QWE instead.

Under the SQE route you will need to complete a minimum of two years’ QWE before you can qualify as a solicitor.

QWE is similar to a training contract and can be completed at any point during the qualification process (although it is anticipated that most students will complete this after SQE1).

QWE may be completed with up to four different legal employers. The type of work which qualifies as QWE includes placements while studying for your degree, time spent as a paralegal or working in a law clinic, as well as working for a two year period within a single law firm.

All QWE is signed off by the legal employer, who must be a solicitor, and is usually also the compliance officer.

If you have already completed part of the required QWE, such as through a Pro Bono placement, it will be up to individual law firms to decide how they accept your previous work experience. On obtaining QWE at a law firm, you might be required to complete the entire two year period of QWE with them, if that is what they require for practice at that firm.

To help you progress your legal training and prepare you for your career as a solicitor, we’re offering four weeks guaranteed QWE within our Legal Advice Centre to our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) and MA Law (SQE1) students. Find out more about our careers and employability support.

You can book your assessments directly with the . To book onto one of our SQE courses, visit the page for the course you're interested in.

In addition to tuition fees, students will pay exam fees directly to the SRA.

For assessments up to September 2026, the total cost for taking both SQE assessments is £4,908.

SQE1: £1,934 for the two examinations.
SQE2: £2,974 for the written and oral tasks.

The SRA has then agreed an increase in the candidate fee for the SQE assessment (including resits) which will take effect for assessments from September 2026. It will therefore first apply to anyone booking to take the October 2026 SQE2.

The total cost for students taking both SQE assessments from September 2026 will be £5,092.

SQE1: £2,006 for the two examinations.
SQE2: £3,086 for the written and oral tasks.

All fees are tax exempt and resits are subject to additional fees.

To check the current fees for exams and resits, always refer to the .

If you are eligible under the SRA's transitional arrangements, you may be able to qualify through the SQE route if you have started or completed the LPC. This would involve meeting the requirements of the SQE route, including passing SQE1 and SQE2 and completing two years' qualifying work experience.

If you have completed or are studying the LPC and do not secure a period of recognised training, there is also a specific transitional option to use two years' qualifying work experience and passing SQE2 as an equivalent to a period of recognised training. You would qualify under the LPC route.

Find out more on the

In specific circumstances, it may be possible to combine elements of the LPC and SQE as part of the transitional arrangements. For example, the SRA allows eligible LPC students or graduates who have not secured a period of recognised training to use two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) and the SQE2 assessment as an equivalent to a period of recognised training. On successful completion of this, you would be admitted as a solicitor under the LPC route. You can find out more on the .

If you study one of our Master’s courses, such as our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) course, you could be eligible for a postgraduate student loan of up to £12,471.

Explore your funding options

You must pass SQE1 and SQE2, along with at least two years of QWE, to qualify as a solicitor. The sequence is flexible, but candidates must pass SQE1 first, before they can sit SQE2. QWE can be completed before, during, or after the SQE assessments.

A great resource is our “What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting the SQE” blog, written by Alyssa, an LLM Legal Practice (SQE1 & SQE2) student.