SQE: what to expect on the day
On the SQE exam day you check in at a test centre, store your belongings in a locker, pass ID checks and sit your papers, with breaks that you must spend outside the exam room. Your booking confirmation email is the final word on timing and rules.
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What to bring and what to leave
The SRA tells candidates to bring only a small bag, because storage at test centres is limited. All personal belongings go in the secure lockers provided. A small number of centres have no lockers and give out clear ziplock bags instead. So pack light and plan on handing in your phone, notes and watch.
The SRA's pages we could read do not list accepted ID documents, and we do not state a list here. The rule that matters: your ID must match your booking, so check the name on your booking against your document well before the day. Read the identity section of your confirmation email and, if you are unsure, ask the SRA or the test centre in advance.
Candidates who need reasonable adjustments, such as extra time or a different room, should apply to the SRA well before booking closes. We do not describe the process or what is granted, because it is decided case by case.
SQE1: timings, sessions and breaks
SQE1 is two closed-book papers, FLK1 and FLK2, sat at a Pearson VUE centre. From January 2027 each FLK has 170 questions in two sessions of 2 hours 33 minutes. Before that, each FLK had 180 questions. The SRA says you must leave the assessment room during all breaks, and ID checks are carried out before you are readmitted.
Do the sums for pace. In a 2 hour 33 minute session you have 153 minutes for roughly 85 questions, which is about 108 seconds per question. Practise at that rate in a timed SQE1 mock until it feels normal.
Use breaks for the body, not for revision. Eat, drink, stretch and stay out of conversations about answers.
SQE2: oral and written days
SQE2 has 16 stations: 4 oral and 12 written, over about 14 hours in total. Oral tasks are on two half days at a smaller number of centres in England and Wales. Written tasks are on three half days. Oral days can be long, with waiting between tasks, so read the SRA's SQE2 assessment day page and your booking email for your own hours. Typical task timings are:
| Task | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Client interview | 25 minutes, after about 10 minutes reading |
| Attendance note or legal analysis | 25 minutes |
| Advocacy | 45 minutes preparation, then 15 minutes performance |
| Case and matter analysis | 60 minutes |
| Legal research | 60 minutes |
| Legal writing | 30 minutes |
| Legal drafting | 45 minutes |
These are typical timings, so check your own booking. Train each one separately: client interview, advocacy, legal drafting and the rest, then link them in a full SQE2 mock.
A checklist for the week before
- Check your booking: centre address, arrival time, session length and ID instructions.
- Travel test: find the route and the time it takes at the same hour of day.
- Match your ID: your name on the document and the booking must agree.
- Run one full timed session: same start time, same break pattern, no notes.
- Plan food and drink for the breaks, leaving belongings in the locker.
- Sleep. Stop new learning two days before. Only review error logs.
On the day, if a question stalls you, mark your best option and move on. A wrong guess costs the same as a skipped question, but lost time costs you the later questions you could have answered. See how to prepare for the SQE and SQE dates.
Questions
What should I bring to the SQE?
A small bag only. The SRA says storage is limited and belongings must go in the secure lockers. Check your booking email for ID instructions.
Can I take breaks during SQE1?
Yes, there are scheduled breaks. The SRA says you must leave the assessment room during all breaks, and ID checks are done before you return.
How long is the SQE exam day?
It depends on the paper and your booking. Each SQE1 session is 2 hours 33 minutes from January 2027. SQE2 days can be long. Your booking email gives your exact times.
Where do I sit SQE1?
At a Pearson VUE test centre, in the UK or abroad. SQE2 oral tasks are at a smaller number of centres in England and Wales.
How many questions are in SQE1?
From January 2027, 170 per FLK paper, 340 in total. Before that it was 180 per paper.
Related
- SQE dates
- SQE1 mock: how to time, pace and review it
- SQE2 mock: how to run one that helps
- How to prepare for SQE1 and SQE2
- SQE results: timing, content and next steps
Sources: SRA: SQE1 assessment days; SRA: SQE2 assessment days; SRA: The SQE2 assessment (presentation); Legal Cheek: Has the SQE just got easier?. Checked 10 November 2026.