SQE1 Exam Dates, Deadlines, and Results Timeline for 2026-2027: When to Book, When You Will Get Your Score, and How to Plan Your SQE2

Why Your SQE1 Timeline Matters More Than You Think

The SQE1 is not an exam you can simply turn up for. It sits at the centre of a chain of deadlines, booking windows, result releases, and subsequent assessments that together determine when you qualify as a solicitor. Miss the SQE1 registration deadline and you wait months for the next sitting. Pass SQE1 but fail to plan your SQE2 timeline and you could add half a year to your qualification journey.

This guide gives you every confirmed and projected SQE1 exam date for 2026 and 2027, tells you exactly when bookings open and close, when results come out, and how to map your path from first booking all the way through to admission. Bookmark it and return to it whenever you need to check a date.

SQE1 Exam Dates for 2026 and 2027

The SRA, through its assessment provider Kaplan, administers the SQE1 four times per year: in January, April, July, and October. Each sitting consists of two separate exam days — one for FLK1 and one for FLK2 — typically scheduled a few days apart within the same assessment window.

Below are the confirmed and projected dates. Where the SRA has not yet formally confirmed a sitting, dates are based on the established pattern from previous cycles.

2026 SQE1 Exam Dates

2027 SQE1 Exam Dates (Projected)

Important: The SRA publishes confirmed dates on its website and via Kaplan. Always verify your specific sitting dates on the SRA SQE assessment page before committing to travel, study leave, or time off work. The dates above reflect the typical scheduling pattern but are subject to change.

Booking Windows: When Registration Opens and Closes

SQE1 registration is handled through Pearson VUE on behalf of Kaplan. The booking window for each sitting typically opens roughly 3 to 4 months before the exam and closes 6 to 8 weeks before the first exam day.

How the Booking Process Works

1. Register with the SRA. Before you can book, you need an active SQE registration on the SRA's mySRA portal. This is not instant — allow at least 2 weeks for the SRA to process your registration, especially during peak periods.
2. Receive your authorisation email from Kaplan. Once the SRA confirms your eligibility, Kaplan sends you an email with instructions to create a Pearson VUE account and book your exam.
3. Book your preferred date and test centre through Pearson VUE. You will choose a date, time, and test centre location from available slots.

Booking Window Timeline

The booking window for the July and October sittings tends to be slightly shorter. If you are aiming for one of these sittings, make sure your SRA registration is sorted well in advance.

Pearson VUE Booking Tips

Pearson VUE test centres have limited seats and popular locations fill up fast — particularly London centres for the January and April sittings. Here is how to avoid problems:

• Book as early as possible. The moment you receive your Kaplan authorisation email, log in and book. Waiting even a few days can mean your preferred centre is full.
• Have backup test centres ready. If central London is fully booked, consider centres in Croydon, Watford, Reading, or other nearby locations.
• You can change your booking. Pearson VUE allows you to reschedule or change your test centre up to a certain date before the exam, usually 48 to 72 hours prior. Check the specific reschedule deadline in your confirmation email. There is no fee for rescheduling within the allowed window.
• Check your confirmation carefully. Make sure the date, time, and location are correct. Errors do happen, and catching them early saves stress on exam day.
• Arrive early. Test centres require you to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled start time for identity verification. If you arrive late, you may not be admitted and will lose your exam fee.

SQE1 Results: When Do They Come Out?

The most common question candidates ask after sitting SQE1 is: when do SQE1 results come out? The answer is consistent across sittings: results are released approximately 7 weeks after the exam date.

SQE1 Results Timeline

The SRA announces the exact results release date a few weeks before results day. You will receive an email from Kaplan telling you that your results are available in your mySRA account.

What Your Results Will Show

You will see:

• A pass or fail result for FLK1
• A pass or fail result for FLK2
• Your overall mark as a percentage

You will not see a breakdown by subject or individual question performance. The SRA does not provide per-subject scores or a detailed question-level review. This means if you fail, you need to assess your own weak areas through practice question performance and revision tracking rather than relying on official feedback.

The SQE1 to SQE2 Timeline: How Long Between Passing SQE1 and Sitting SQE2?

This is the critical planning question. The gap between your SQE1 results and the next available SQE2 sitting determines how quickly you can move forward.

The SQE2 Assessment Windows

The SQE2 is also offered four times per year, but the sittings do not align perfectly with SQE1 dates. Here is how the timelines typically line up:

Key insight: If you pass SQE1, you typically have 6 to 8 weeks until the next SQE2 sitting. That is not much time to prepare for an assessment that tests 16 legal skills across written and oral exercises. This is why we strongly recommend starting your SQE2 preparation before your SQE1 results come out — more on that below.

For a detailed breakdown of the SQE2 format, skills tested, and preparation strategies, see our complete SQE2 preparation guide.

What to Do While Waiting for SQE1 Results

The 7-week wait for SQE1 results can feel agonising, but it is also a strategic window. Here are your options:

Option 1: Start SQE2 Preparation Immediately

This is the approach we recommend to most candidates. If you start preparing for SQE2 while waiting for results and then find out you passed, you are already weeks into your preparation with a comfortable runway before the next SQE2 sitting. If you find out you failed SQE1, you have not lost anything — the legal knowledge you revise for SQE2 overlaps heavily with SQE1 content and will strengthen your resit preparation.

Use our SQE2 preparation guide to understand the skills assessed and start working on client interviews, advocacy, and legal writing exercises.

Option 2: Continue Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)

You need two years of QWE to qualify as a solicitor. Time spent waiting for results does not count towards QWE unless you are actually working. If you are in a training role or paralegal position, keep logging those days. Every week counts.

Option 3: Rest and Recover

SQE1 preparation is intense. If you have been studying hard for months, taking a short break is reasonable. Just be aware that a complete pause makes it harder to restart momentum, particularly for SQE2 preparation. A balanced approach is to take 1 to 2 weeks off and then ease into light SQE2 familiarisation.

Option 4: Resit Preparation (If You Think You Failed)

If you are fairly confident you did not pass, use the waiting period to analyse what went wrong and start rebuilding. Review your study notes, drill weak subjects with practice questions, and consider whether you need to adjust your study approach. Our guide to failing SQE1 and planning your resit covers this in detail.

Decision Trees: What to Do Based on Your Results

Your next steps depend entirely on your results combination. Here is a practical decision tree for every scenario.

Scenario 1: You Passed Both FLK1 and FLK2

Congratulations — you have cleared the biggest hurdle. Here is your immediate action plan:

1. Confirm your results in mySRA. Download and save your result notification.
2. Check the next SQE2 booking window. Book your SQE2 place as soon as possible — SQE2 slots also fill up quickly.
3. Begin focused SQE2 preparation. You likely have 6 to 8 weeks. That is enough time if you start immediately. Focus on practical skills: legal writing, drafting, advocacy, client interviews, case and matter analysis. Use our SQE2 preparation guide for a structured plan.
4. Log your QWE. Make sure your qualifying work experience is being properly recorded and signed off.
5. Think about the admission timeline. After passing both SQE1 and SQE2 and completing QWE, you apply to the SRA for admission. The SRA typically processes admission applications in 4 to 8 weeks.

Scenario 2: You Passed FLK1 but Failed FLK2

You only need to resit the paper you failed. You do not need to resit FLK1.

1. Identify your FLK2 weak subjects. Without subject-level feedback from the SRA, use your practice question data and revision notes to pinpoint where you struggled. FLK2 covers Property Law, Criminal Law, Wills and Estates, Solicitors Accounts, Land Law, Trusts, and Criminal Liability.
2. Target the next available sitting. You can resit at the very next SQE1 sitting. If you failed FLK2 in January, you can resit in April — that gives you roughly 12 weeks to prepare.
3. Focus your revision. Do not revise everything equally. Concentrate on the subjects where your practice scores were weakest. Use flashcards for high-yield memorisation topics like Solicitors Accounts rules and criminal procedure.
4. Continue SQE2 prep. You can still prepare for SQE2 while planning your FLK2 resit. The knowledge overlaps significantly.

Scenario 3: You Failed Both FLK1 and FLK2

You need to resit both papers. The SRA allows unlimited resit attempts, but each attempt requires a new booking and exam fee.

1. Decide when to resit. You can sit at the next available window, but give yourself an honest assessment of whether you had enough preparation time. If you went into the exam underprepared, it may be better to skip one sitting and use the extra time to build a stronger foundation. See our failed SQE1 resit guide for a detailed resit strategy.
2. Change your approach. If you failed both papers, something in your study method needs to change. Consider whether you need more practice questions, better study materials, a different revision technique, or simply more time.
3. Use targeted resources. Work through our study notes for subject-by-subject coverage and drill with practice questions to build exam technique. Take a mock exam under timed conditions to simulate the real test.

Scenario 4: Should You Delay Your Sitting to Prepare More?

This is one of the hardest decisions candidates face. You have booked a sitting but feel underprepared. Should you push to the next window?

Our guide to passing SQE1 while working full-time covers time management strategies that can help you prepare efficiently even with limited study hours, potentially avoiding the need to delay.

Key SRA Dates for Admission After Passing SQE1 and SQE2

Once you have passed both SQE1 and SQE2 and completed your two years of qualifying work experience, the final step is applying to the roll of solicitors.

Admission Timeline

Prerequisites for Admission

• Pass both FLK1 and FLK2 (SQE1)
• Pass the SQE2
• Complete 2 years of qualifying work experience (QWE) — can be completed before, during, or after the assessments
• Meet the SRA's character and suitability requirements
• Have an approved law degree or pass the SQE via an alternative pathway

Visual Timeline: From First Booking to Admission

Here is a complete visual walkthrough of a typical candidate journey, assuming you sit SQE1 in October 2026 and SQE2 in January 2027.

Total elapsed time from booking SQE1 to admission: approximately 10 to 11 months. This assumes you pass both parts on the first attempt and have your QWE completed or nearly completed.

How to Plan Your Study Schedule Backwards from Your Exam Date

Reverse planning — starting from your exam date and working backwards — is the most effective way to structure SQE1 preparation. Here is a template you can adapt.

The 12-Week Countdown (Example: October 2026 Sitting)

Adapting the Timeline for Your Situation

If you are studying while working full-time, you may need to stretch this to 16 to 20 weeks. The structure remains the same — just extend each phase proportionally. The key is to protect the final 4 weeks for practice and mock exams regardless of how long your overall preparation period is.

If you are studying full-time and can dedicate 6 to 8 hours per day to SQE1 prep, you may be able to compress this to 8 to 10 weeks. But do not cut the practice phase short — answering thousands of practice questions is what builds exam-day fluency.

Fees and Costs: What Each Sitting Will Cost You

Understanding the financial timeline helps you plan ahead. The SQE1 assessment fee is payable at the time of booking.

If you fail one paper and need to resit, you pay the full fee for that paper again. This is another reason why thorough preparation and planning your study schedule properly matters — resits are expensive in both time and money.

For full preparation resources at a fraction of the cost of a traditional course, see our pricing page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sit FLK1 and FLK2 in different sittings?

Yes. The SRA allows you to sit FLK1 and FLK2 separately. You might choose to do this if you want more preparation time for one paper, or if personal circumstances prevent you from sitting both in the same window. However, both papers must be passed before you can sit SQE2.

How many times can I resit the SQE1?

There is no limit on the number of SQE1 resit attempts. Each attempt requires a new booking and full payment of the exam fee.

What if my results come out after the SQE2 booking deadline?

This does happen occasionally. If your SQE1 results are released after the SQE2 booking window for the next sitting has closed, you may need to wait for the following SQE2 sitting. This is why checking the booking deadlines carefully and planning your full timeline in advance is so important.

Can I cancel my SQE1 booking?

You can cancel through Pearson VUE, but the refund policy depends on how far in advance you cancel. Cancellations made well before the exam typically receive a partial or full refund. Cancellations close to the exam date may receive no refund. Check Pearson VUE's cancellation policy for the specific terms.

Do I need to pass SQE1 before starting QWE?

No. You can complete your qualifying work experience at any point — before, during, or after sitting the SQE assessments. Many candidates work in paralegal or trainee roles while studying for SQE1, which means they are accumulating QWE and preparing for the exam simultaneously.

How do I check the latest confirmed dates?

Always check the SRA's official SQE assessment dates page for the most up-to-date information. Dates can change, and the SRA occasionally adjusts scheduling.

Your Next Step

Pick your target sitting. Count backwards 12 to 16 weeks. Block out your study time. Start with the study notes, layer in practice questions from week 6, take a mock exam at the 4-week mark, and use flashcards for the final push. The candidates who plan their timeline and stick to it are the ones who pass.

Good luck with your preparation. Every date in this guide is a milestone on your path to admission. Use them wisely.