The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is a high-stakes exam that will likely be the most important one you’ll take in your professional life. This rigorous assessment ensures that you meet the required threshold to practise as a solicitor in England and Wales.
But it’s no secret that passing the SQE is challenging, with low pass rates for SQE1 (around 50%) and moderate pass rights for SQE2 (around 70%).
There are five key reasons why it’s crucial to pass the SQE exams on your first attempt – and why failing can have significant consequences far beyond the cost of retaking the exam.
Passing the SQE is not just about obtaining the qualification – it’s about ensuring a smooth and efficient start to your legal career. Failing this exam could result in financial losses, career setbacks, and unnecessary stress.
With such high stakes, it’s important to understand why passing on the first attempt should be a top priority. Below, we’ll outline the real costs of failing the SQE and why first-time success is critical.
Failing the SQE comes with a hefty price tag. Sitting SQE1 costs £1,888, while SQE2 is £2,902. Retake fees are identical, and if you fail either of the two Functional Legal Knowledge (FLK) exams in SQE1, you’ll need to retake them at £944 each.
The financial burden doesn’t stop there – some training providers may charge you again for using their courses, depending on their terms, and additional costs such as travel and accommodation can add up quickly. Failing the exam means more than just a second try; it means substantial financial cost.
The SQE exams cover nearly the entire spectrum of English law, which requires a great deal of preparation. On average, you’ll spend around six months preparing for SQE1 and at least 3-4 months for SQE2. If you fail, you’ll have to repeat this time-consuming and mentally exhausting process all over again.
Instead of advancing in your career, you’ll be stuck revising, missing out on other opportunities, whether that’s travelling, work, or personal pursuits. The time and costs spent repeating the exam could have been better spent elsewhere.
Every month that passes without qualification as a solicitor is a month without earnings from your legal career. Failing the SQE pushes back your ability to practise by at least six months, potentially delaying key financial and professional milestones.
It’s a competitive industry, and delaying your qualification can affect your long-term career trajectory and financial security. Time is money – and failing the SQE can mean losing out on both, with significant costs.
If your law firm has sponsored your SQE exam or offered you a job that depends on passing, failing the exam could cost you that opportunity. Many firms expect you to pass the SQE on your first attempt, and they might see failure as a sign that you’re not the right fit.
In some cases, firms use SQE success as a filter in their recruitment process – if you can’t pass first time, they may decide to withdraw your job offer and move on to another candidate.
In fact, many law firms may over-recruit candidates, fully aware that some will not make it through the rigorous process. This practice allows them to filter out those who may not meet the firm’s standards, with the SQE being a key part of that evaluation.
Passing the exam is more than just a personal achievement; it could be the key to securing your job and avoiding the cost of failure.
Failing a high-stakes exam like the SQE can take a serious toll on your mental health. The stress of repeating months of study, combined with the fear of failing again, can lead to anxiety and decreased confidence.
Preparing for the SQE a second time could add even more pressure, affecting your well-being and personal life. Passing on the first attempt spares you from this emotional strain and allows you to move forward with confidence, avoiding both financial and emotional costs.
To give yourself the best chance of passing the SQE on your first attempt, QLTS School offers expertly crafted SQE preparation courses. Our mock exams are designed to closely resemble the real SQE, ensuring you are well-prepared for both the exam format and content, helping you avoid the costs associated with retakes.
With nearly 15 years of experience in this field, our expertise dates back to the QLTS exam, which served as a model for the current SQE. Over the years, we have developed highly effective mock tests that are widely acclaimed and have become some of the most sought-after products in the SQE training market.
Investing in our preparation courses can save you from the costs of failing and having to repeat the exams.
Our mock exams for both SQE1 and SQE2 allow you to practise under realistic conditions, helping to build confidence and improve performance. These premium-quality materials are designed to give you the best possible chance of passing the SQE on your first try and avoiding the financial and emotional costs of failure.
Even if you’re enrolled in a course selected by your firm, QLTS School provides the flexibility to enroll in one of our SQE preparation courses and supplement your training with targeted resources and focused practice, which can reduce the cost of extended preparation and retakes.
Explore more through our blog posts on SQE1 Mock Tests and SQE2 Mock Exams, where you can also access free sample mock tests. Additionally, hear directly from past candidates on platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit about how our mock exams helped them succeed without the added cost of retakes.
If you’re a Learning and Development Manager at a law firm, QLTS School offers bespoke SQE training programmes specifically tailored to your candidates. Our services range from mock test-only packages to comprehensive preparatory courses, providing a structured and flexible learning experience.
This ensures that your trainees are thoroughly prepared for both SQE1 and SQE2 assessments, helping your firm avoid the direct costs associated with extended training periods and re-examination fees, as well as the indirect costs such as disruption to the firm’s long-term talent progression plans and the loss of fee-earner productivity.
We recognise that many law firms already partner with other providers to equip their trainees with essential legal skills for practice. Our service is designed to complement these existing programmes, with a strong focus on intensive mock exam practice. This strategic approach enhances performance and maximises the chances of first-time success in the SQE. Successful first-time passage minimises potential additional costs to the firm and reduces the resource allocation that would otherwise be directed toward repeated exam preparations.
With our custom training options, firms can ensure their future solicitors are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the SQE and beyond, thereby safeguarding the firm’s investment in its future talent and maintaining its reputation as a premier training environment.
Passing the SQE on your first attempt isn’t just a personal milestone – it’s a strategic step that can save you significant time, cost, and stress. The costs of failing are simply too high to ignore.
With the right preparation and support from QLTS School, you can maximise your chances of success and confidently move forward in your career as a qualified solicitor, avoiding the financial and emotional cost of retaking exams.
Think of this as a one-time investment in high-quality mock tests that will significantly increase your likelihood of passing the SQE on your first attempt, saving you from additional costs in the future.
For more information, visit the QLTS School website, request a free consultation or get access to free SQE sample materials.
