Reasonable Adjustments Are Your Right, Not a Concession
Around one in five SQE candidates apply for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Many more would qualify and never apply, often because they assume their condition is not "serious enough" or because the application process feels intimidating.
Both assumptions are wrong. The SRA's reasonable-adjustments framework is generous, the application process is straightforward, and — perhaps most importantly — the latest performance data shows that neurodivergent candidates with adjustments in place outperform non-neurodivergent candidates on average. In FLK1 January 2026, neurodivergent candidates achieved a mean scaled score of 314 with a 64.7% pass rate, compared with 307 and 60.5% for non-neurodivergent candidates (source: SRA SQE Update April 2026). The adjustments work.
This guide walks through who qualifies, what adjustments are available, the evidence the SRA accepts, the October 2026 process change that affects when you must apply, and the practical timeline for a successful application. If you have dyslexia, ADHD, autism, a visual or hearing impairment, a chronic condition, a mental-health condition, mobility impairment, or any other long-term factor that may put you at substantial disadvantage, this guide is for you.
If you are early in your preparation and not yet sure whether to apply, read on — and combine this with our main SQE1 study guide and the exam day guide once you have a plan in place.
Who Is Eligible
The SRA's eligibility framework follows the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability. Broadly, a candidate is eligible for reasonable adjustments if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
In practice, this captures a wide range of conditions:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Specific learning difficulties | Dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia |
| Neurodivergence | ADHD, autism spectrum condition |
| Mental health conditions | Anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, PTSD |
| Sensory impairments | Visual impairment, hearing impairment |
| Physical / mobility | Wheelchair use, chronic pain, hand-mobility limitations |
| Chronic illness | Diabetes (insulin-dependent), epilepsy, ME/CFS |
| Pregnancy and childbirth | Late-pregnancy and post-partum specific accommodations |
| Temporary conditions | Recent surgery, broken limb, acute illness |
A condition does not need to be diagnosed for the first time during your SQE preparation. Lifelong conditions, conditions diagnosed years ago, and conditions diagnosed recently are all in scope.
The full list of accepted conditions and the SRA's documentation are at the SRA reasonable adjustments page.
What Adjustments Are Available
The SRA's catalogue of available adjustments is broad. The most commonly granted are below; the right combination depends on your specific condition and assessor's recommendations.
Time-related adjustments
- Extra time (typically 25%, sometimes 50% or 100% depending on condition severity).
- Rest breaks (additional supervised breaks during the assessment).
- Split sittings in some cases (sitting an FLK paper across more than the standard two sessions).
Display and reading adjustments
- Enlarged screen text for visual impairment or specific learning difficulties.
- Coloured screen overlays or alternative colour schemes.
- Reader software (text-to-speech).
- Modified question formatting in some cases.
Environment adjustments
- Separate room for candidates who need a quieter or more controlled environment.
- Ergonomic chair / desk modifications.
- Permission for medication, water, snacks in the assessment room.
- Specific lighting requirements.
Access adjustments
- Wheelchair-accessible test centre (the SRA confirms accessibility per centre).
- Modified entrance/exit procedures.
- Sign language interpreter during candidate-staff communications.
- Accompanying support person for specific conditions.
Other adjustments
- Permission to use a hearing loop.
- Permission for a service dog.
- Specific dietary or medical accommodations (e.g. for diabetic candidates).
- Modified ID procedures in cases where standard ID is not available.
The SRA states adjustments are not capped — if your assessor recommends a combination not on the standard list, the SRA will consider it.
What Evidence You Need to Provide
The SRA's evidence requirements vary by condition. Below is the standard menu.
Specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia)
You need a full diagnostic assessment report from one of the following:
- A specialist teacher with a current AMBDA (Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association) or a current SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate (APC).
- A practising chartered or educational psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- An assessor licensed by another relevant professional body.
The report should be post-16 years of age and ideally not more than 5 years old, although the SRA accepts older reports if accompanied by a current update from a qualified assessor.
Neurodivergence (ADHD, autism)
A diagnosis from a registered psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, neurologist, or specialist NHS service. The diagnosis report should describe how the condition affects exam performance specifically.
Mental health conditions
A letter from a registered psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or GP confirming the diagnosis and explaining how it affects exam performance. A general "I have anxiety" letter is not sufficient — the letter must speak to how the condition impacts a specific exam-day functioning.
Sensory and physical conditions
A letter from a relevant medical specialist (ophthalmologist, ENT specialist, occupational therapist, etc.) confirming the diagnosis and recommending specific adjustments.
Chronic illness
GP or specialist letter confirming diagnosis, current treatment, and the specific accommodations needed.
The SRA's reasonable adjustments hub has the canonical list of accepted assessor types per condition.
The October 2026 Process Change
This is the single most important update for any candidate planning to sit the SQE1 from October 2026 onwards.
Before October 2026. Candidates could submit a seat reservation form for an SQE sitting and apply for reasonable adjustments in parallel, with the SRA processing both alongside each other. In practice, adjustments were sometimes confirmed late, occasionally on a tight timeline before the sitting.
From October 2026. Reasonable adjustments must be approved before you submit your seat reservation form. If approval is delayed, your booking is delayed.
What this means in practice:
- Build in lead time. Plan to submit your reasonable adjustments application at least 8 weeks before the relevant booking window opens. The SRA's typical processing time is 4–6 weeks, plus buffer for any follow-up evidence requests.
- Get evidence ready early. If you need a fresh diagnostic assessment, book it as soon as possible. Educational psychologists and dyslexia assessors often have 2–3 month waiting lists.
- Resubmit promptly if the SRA requests more information. Do not let a follow-up request sit in your inbox.
The change is part of the SRA's broader push to streamline candidate booking and reduce last-minute issues. For candidates with stable, long-documented conditions, the impact is small — the application process itself is unchanged. For candidates applying for the first time or with newly-diagnosed conditions, the timeline matters.
The Application Process, Step by Step
Step 1: Self-assessment
Before contacting the SRA, ask yourself two questions:
- Do I have a condition that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on my normal activities?
- Would I be at a substantial disadvantage in a standard SQE1 sitting compared with candidates without the condition?
If yes to both, you are very likely eligible.
Step 2: Gather evidence
Request your diagnostic report, GP letter, or specialist letter. If your existing evidence is over 5 years old or pre-16, request an updated assessment.
For dyslexia in particular, the standard diagnostic assessment costs around £400–£600 with a private assessor (£200–£300 in lower-cost arrangements). NHS pathways are available but typically have long waits — months or years in some areas.
Step 3: Register with the SRA
Create your candidate account at sqe.sra.org.uk if you have not already.
Step 4: Submit the reasonable adjustments form
The form is found in your candidate account under Reasonable Adjustments. You upload your evidence and indicate which adjustments you are requesting. Be specific: "25% extra time and use of coloured screen overlay" is better than "the usual adjustments."
Step 5: SRA review
The SRA's reasonable adjustments team reviews your application. They may:
- Approve as requested.
- Approve a subset of your requested adjustments (e.g. extra time but not a separate room).
- Request additional information (a follow-up letter from your assessor, a specific point of clarification).
- Decline in rare cases — typically because evidence does not meet the threshold.
Step 6: Outcome
You receive a written outcome. Approved adjustments apply to all subsequent SQE assessments unless you withdraw or your circumstances change.
Step 7: Book your sitting
After approval (post-October 2026), submit your seat reservation form. Your test centre will be notified of your approved adjustments and will set up your assessment accordingly.
What to Expect on Exam Day
If you have approved adjustments, exam day looks slightly different from the standard experience.
- Earlier check-in. You may be asked to arrive 30–45 minutes earlier than the standard time to allow for setup.
- Separate room or designated workstation. If you have approved a separate room, you sit in a quieter testing space. The room will have a Pearson VUE invigilator and is otherwise similar to the main hall.
- Screen and software setup. If you have approved coloured overlays, screen-reading software, or other tech adjustments, the centre staff configure your workstation before you start.
- Permitted items. Approved medical devices (insulin pumps, hearing aids, etc.) are with you. Approved water/snacks are at your station.
- Extra time. Your timer reflects your approved time allocation. A standard 90-question session is 153 minutes; with 25% extra time it is 191 minutes; with 50% extra time it is 230 minutes.
- Rest breaks. If approved, supervised rest breaks pause the timer.
The full standard exam-day experience is in our SQE1 exam day guide; the same applies with your approved adjustments built in.
What the Latest Data Shows About Neurodivergent Performance
A widely-cited finding from the SRA's January 2026 statistical reporting: neurodivergent candidates with reasonable adjustments outperformed the average.
| Group | FLK1 mean scaled score | FLK1 pass rate (first attempt) |
|---|---|---|
| Neurodivergent candidates | 314 | 64.7% |
| Non-neurodivergent candidates | 307 | 60.5% |
The pattern is consistent across recent sittings and across both papers. The interpretation, supported by the Legal Cheek coverage and the SRA's own commentary, is that the reasonable-adjustments framework is functioning as intended. Candidates with conditions are not disadvantaged on the SQE; the adjustments level the playing field.
This matters for two reasons.
Practical reassurance. If you are weighing whether to apply because you worry about being labelled or treated differently, the data is encouraging. Adjustments are common, normalised, and demonstrably supportive.
Encouragement to apply. Some candidates who would qualify do not apply, particularly first-generation candidates without prior exam-adjustment experience. The data supports applying. Our broader exam anxiety and mental health guide covers the broader emotional context.
Common Reasons Applications Get Held Up
Three failure modes account for most delays.
Stale evidence. A diagnostic report older than 5 years, with no recent update, will typically trigger a request for fresh evidence. Plan ahead.
Vague clinical letters. "Mr X has anxiety" is not enough. The letter must explain how the anxiety affects exam-day performance specifically. Brief your assessor accordingly when requesting the letter.
Mismatched adjustment requests. Asking for extra time without medical evidence supporting reading-speed impairment may be declined; asking for the same adjustment with a clear assessor recommendation is approved. Match your requests to your evidence.
If your application is declined, you can request a review and provide additional evidence. The SRA's review process is open and reasonable in our experience and across published candidate accounts.
Cost Considerations
Reasonable adjustments themselves are free. The SRA does not charge for the application or for the adjustments granted.
The cost is in evidence-gathering. A new dyslexia diagnostic assessment is typically £400–£600 from a private assessor. ADHD assessments are £400–£1,500 depending on provider and route. Specialist letters from existing healthcare providers are typically free or a small administrative fee.
If cost is a barrier, the British Dyslexia Association and condition-specific charities sometimes offer reduced-fee or pro bono assessments. NHS routes are free but slow. Some employers fund assessments under occupational-health budgets.
For the broader SQE1 cost picture (now rising in September 2026), see our SQE fee increase September 2026 guide and the full cost breakdown.
What Adjustments Cannot Do
A grounded note. Reasonable adjustments level the playing field; they do not replace preparation. Extra time helps a candidate who reads more slowly; it does not give them more legal knowledge. A separate room helps a candidate with anxiety; it does not give them better MCQ technique.
The candidates who pass with adjustments do all the same things candidates without adjustments do:
- Disciplined active recall (see our flashcard strategy).
- High-volume practice questions.
- Honest topic-level tracking.
- A structured study plan.
- Mock-exam discipline (see our mock score decoder).
Adjustments make those things possible. They do not substitute for them.
Where to Go From Here
Reasonable adjustments are designed to be accessible. The application takes a few hours, the evidence is usually available, and the data shows the framework works. If you have a relevant condition, applying is almost always the right call.
- The SRA's official hub: SRA reasonable adjustments page
- The SRA Update with the October 2026 process change: SQE Update April 2026
- Take a baseline mock to set your prep direction: SQE1 quick quiz
- Full prep tools: pricing
- The general SQE1 study guide: How to pass SQE1 in 2026
- Day-of-exam logistics: SQE1 exam day guide
- Managing the emotional side: SQE1 exam anxiety and mental health guide
- Reading the latest results: SQE1 January 2026 results analysis
- Cost picture as fees rise: SQE fee increase September 2026
The framework is yours to use. Apply early, get the evidence right, and walk into exam day with a workstation set up for how you actually work — not for some hypothetical neutral candidate. The SQE1 rewards the candidates who use every tool the system gives them.