The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is now well established as the primary route to qualifying as a solicitor. But one question remains at the forefront of law graduates’ minds: Is the SQE difficult? Below we look at the SQE route in more detail, break down what the exams cover and hear from one of our students on how difficult the assessments are and the best ways to prepare for them.
Written by Grant Longstaff. Published 28 April 2026.
SQE1 assessment overview
The SQE1 assessments cover Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) and tests your ability to apply the essential legal rules and principles you’ll need to work as a newly qualified solicitor. The SQE1 has two parts, FLK1 and FLK2, with each covering different areas.
The FLK1 encompasses the following modules:
- Business Law and Practice
- Dispute Resolution
- Contract Law
- Tort
- Legal System of England and Wales; Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law (collectively referred to as ‘Legal System’)
- Legal Services
The FLK2 covers these modules:
- Property Law and Practice
- Wills and the Administration of Estates
- Solicitors Accounts (examined in the context of Property Law and Practice and Wills and the Administration of Estates)
- Land Law
- Trusts Law
- Criminal Liability
- Criminal Law and Practice
The SQE1 assessments are closed book and contain 180 multiple choice, single best answer questions. This means whilst most answers are plausible, you’ll need to choose the answer which best fits the scenario.
SQE2 assessment overview
Similarly to the SQE1, the SQE2 tests the fundamental knowledge and skills you’ll need to practice as a solicitor. The assessments in SQE2 cover:
- Client interview and attendance note/legal analysis
- Advocacy
- Case and matter analysis
- Legal research
- Legal writing
- Legal drafting
The SQE two is made up of both oral and written assessments. The are four oral exams which cover interview and attendance note/legal analysis and advocacy, and 12 written exams covering case and matter analysis, legal research, legal writing and legal drafting.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has a dedicated hub for the SQE where you can find more information about the assessments, a detailed breakdown of exactly what’s covered and find sample questions.
How difficult are the SQE assessments?
One of the most common questions we hear when it comes to the assessments is: how difficult is it to pass the SQE?
There’s no denying the SQE assessments are going to be challenging. However, it’s also worth noting that 76% of our students passed the SQE1 and 91% passed the SQE2 on their first attempts.
But it isn’t all about pass rates. We chatted with Sophie, one of our students, about the challenges she faced when preparing for and sitting her SQE assessments and her advice for other students looking to complete the SQE.
What challenges did you face with the SQE assessments?
“I found the SQE demanding and difficult, but not in the way I was expecting. The academic content wasn’t any more difficult than what I studied for the PGDL. The difficulty came from how much time you have to dedicate to studying and revision. I was doing 40+ hour weeks including contact hours and independent study whilst also working in my retail job. I had to turn down a lot of social events to make sure I was completing all my work on time as well as keeping up with revision.”
How did you prepare for the SQE assessments?
“To prepare for the SQE1 I focused on practice questions. By the time I sat the exam I had completed almost 10000 practice questions in the space of four and a half months. I think this is the main way to revise. The answer will always be in front of you, so memorisation isn’t essential.
For SQE2, I focused more on active recall and making sure I can explain core legal principles in a way that people without legal knowledge can understand. I tend to do a set of flashcards and then answer a mock exam on that topic. During SQE1 I made flashcards after each topic as a way of consolidating my learning. This meant my revision resources for SQE2 were already made, meaning I didn’t have to spend time making more resources.”
Advice on preparing for the SQE assessments
“Practice single best answer questions from the very beginning. Don’t be afraid to get them wrong. This is how you really learn. It’s a cliché, but it’s so true. Make sure you’re actively looking at what you got wrong afterwards too, so you can pinpoint your weak spots. Practicing questions will also increase your pattern recognition and ability to notice the small nuances in answers, like ‘may’ or ‘must’. I had a notebook which I used to write down any legal principle I got wrong or was unsure of.
Build up your stamina by slowly increasing the amount you do in one sitting to replicate the actual exam and record your performance so you see your progress. Try sample questions from a variety of providers, though I’d suggest waiting until a few weeks before your assessments once you’ve covered all the content.
Don’t neglect black letter law. It’s easy to focus on the new content but black letter law makes up 50% of the questions and it’s important to keep up to date on the underlying law.
Make revision resources that you can use for both assessments, so you don’t waste time making additional resources when it comes to SQE2.
Finally, be prepared to see things in the exam you’ve never even looked at before. It’s impossible to learn every niche aspect of the law, so use your knowledge to make an educated guess instead and move on.”
Final thoughts on the SQE assessments
“I think prospective SQE students need to make peace with the fact that the year you study the SQE will be a quiet year. You’ll have to turn down social invitations and spend a lot of time glued to your laptop practicing questions. I’d recommend speaking to your family and friends. Let them know how demanding the SQE is in advance so they understand why they may not see you as much.
A year in the perspective of a whole legal career isn’t long and definitely worth the sacrifice in my opinion. That doesn’t mean you have to revise 24/7. You still need to make time for yourself. Taking a day off is okay and will probably make you perform better.
There’s a lot of fearmongering about the SQE online but, whilst I’m not saying the SQE is easy by any means, it is absolutely achievable. How one person found it doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience. If you dedicate the time and effort to studying, and get used to the style of questions, your chance of passing will increase greatly.”
Learn more about our SQE courses and enrol today.
