All you need to know about SQE1

The SQE1 assessments represent half of the SQE examination requirement to qualify as a solicitor in England & Wales. This step is crucial since the candidate cannot access the second step, the SQE2, without successfully passing all the SQE1 assessments.

This article will only focus on the components and logistics of the SQE1 exam. If you wish to read tips on how to succeed in your assessments, stay tuned for a special edition on this topic!

Please note that the question of choosing a provider will not be treated in this article but in a separate article providing tips on the matter.

The SQE1 assesses the candidate's theoretical knowledge of the law. It is made up of 2 sets of assessments: FLK1 and FLK2.

Both exams are computer-based and multiple-choice format, each composed of 180 questions to answer. All questions are realistic scenarios where the best response out of five possible answers is to be chosen.

FLK1 and FLK2 assessments

Assessed on 2 days, each day is split into two sessions of 2 hours 33 minutes with 90 questions in each session.

FLK1

The first day tests your knowledge of the following areas of the law:

• Business Law

• Dispute Resolution

• Contract Law

• Tort Law

• The Legal System of England & Wales

• Constitutional and Administrative Law (and EU law)

• Legal Services

  
  

FLK2

The second day tests your knowledge of the following areas of the law:

• Property Practice

• Land Law

• Wills and administration of estates

• Trusts

• Solicitors Accounts

• Criminal Law

• Criminal Litigation

Ethics and professional conduct issues are assessed throughout both FLK1 and FLK2.

Candidates who have completed their LPC could obtain an exemption to pass the SQE1 exam. However, foreign-qualified lawyers are unlikely to get such an exemption.

Date and Location

To book the exam, the candidate will need to create an SQE account on the SRA website and book FLK1 and FLK2 assessments accordingly. There are several windows during the year to take the exam. All exams take place in Pearson VUE test centres, in the United Kingdom or overseas.

The process of booking is quite straightforward, and once completed, an email will be sent to the candidate for each assessment day, confirming the time to report to the centre, the location and the duration of the assessments.

On arrival at the test centre, the candidate will need to complete registration and present two different valid IDs. After registering, the candidates will have to put their personal belongings into lockers. No watch or personal belongings are allowed in the exam room. Even bottles of water will be left outside the room and candidates can raise their hand during the exam to go out of the room and drink. Such breaks, as well as using the restroom, will not discount time on the exam session.

Between the two sessions on each day, the candidates will have a 60 minute break during which they can access their personal belongings. Depending on the test centre, they may or may not leave the test centre.

Costs and Fees

Aside from the preparation course fee, the SQE1 assessments cost approximately £1,888 (£944 for FLK1 and £944 for FLK2). Since the costs are subject to change by the SRA, please visit the SRA website to stay updated.

The cost of the preparation course will depend on the provider. Usually, it is expected to pay for a course for the SQE1 exam, and a second course for the SQE2 exam, but some providers do not separate the fees.

Exam fees are payable to Kaplan, organiser of the SQE exam, at the time the candidate books their seat and selects their exam date. Additional costs could be considered in case of resit. If both FLKs are failed, then the candidate will have to repay the entire cost of the SQE1 to sit the exam again. Although, if the candidate fails only one of the FLK, they will have to pay half of the price (cost of the failed FLK).

If you are interested in finding the best funding option for you, stay tuned for our next article tackling funding options for the SQE exam.

Pass mark and Pass rate

As a matter of clarification, the pass mark is different from the pass rate. To simplify, the pass mark is the grade that the candidate needs to obtain to have successfully passed the exam. The pass mark for the FLK1 is often different from the pass mark of the FLK2. Whereas the pass rate is the percentage of candidates who passed the exam within a specific cohort.

Pass mark

The pass mark is determined based on a process designed to ensure fair and accurate comparisons between test-takers who sit different papers throughout the assessment window with different levels of difficulty.

On the 180 questions answered by the candidate, the number of correct answers will constitute a 'raw' score, which will be converted to a scaled score out of 500. In other words, each correct answer will not suffice but also take into consideration how other candidates answered within the cohort.

Contrary to the LPC, the pass mark is not necessarily 50% but is more likely to be close to 60% for FLK1 and slightly above 50% for FLK2.

Pass rate

The pass rate has no real importance for the candidates, except to deter from taking the SQE1 exam in the first place. Yet, with such a low rate, it is understandable that in light of the high pass mark and low pass rate, the SQE could be considered as harder than the LPC in certain aspects.

Results, Resit and Appeal

After taking the SQE1 assessments, results are accessible within 5-6 weeks of the assessment date. All results are accessible through the personal SQE account of the candidate with the SRA. An option to appeal the results is available under the SRA policy.

Results are accessible within 5-6 weeks of the assessment date.

Both SQE1 and SQE2 exams must be passed within 6 years from the date of the first attempt at the SQE1 exam. The candidate has 3 attempts to pass SQE1 within the 6 years. However, even if the first time sitting the SQE1, both parts (FLK1 and FLK2) must be taken at the same time, if in the second attempt only one of the FLKs is not passed, then the failed FLK can be taken again individually.

We hope this article helped you! If you have further questions on this topic, do not hesitate to send a message to frenchlegalprofessionals@gmail.com.

Article by Aurelia Pyneeandee

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