SQE pass rates: SQE1 and SQE2
The SQE pass rate was 42% for SQE1 in July 2026 and 83% for SQE2 in April 2026. SQE1 is the harder gate by the numbers, so most of your planning should go into it. Below are the figures reported for recent sittings and how to use them without fooling yourself.
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SQE pass rates by sitting
These are the overall pass rates reported in the legal press, which quotes the SRA, for the sittings we have checked. SQE1 runs twice a year. Older SQE2 sittings are not listed here because we only state figures we have verified.
| Assessment | Sitting | Pass rate | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQE1 | January 2025 | 56% | Overall |
| SQE1 | July 2025 | 41% | Reported as a record low |
| SQE1 | January 2026 | 53% | Overall |
| SQE1 | July 2026 | 42% | First-time candidates 47%; FLK1 and FLK2 each 50% |
| SQE2 | Previous sitting before April 2026 | 80% | Overall |
| SQE2 | April 2026 | 83% | First-time candidates 85% |
In 2024/25, 13,081 candidates sat SQE1 and 5,752 sat SQE2, according to the SRA annual report. Check the SRA site for the newest figures, because a new sitting changes this table.
What the SQE1 and SQE2 pass rates tell you
SQE1 pass rates have moved between 41% and 56% in the sittings above. That is a wide swing, so do not treat one sitting as a promise about the next. Plan as if the exam will be hard.
SQE2 pass rates are much higher. Do not read this as "SQE2 is easy". Candidates only reach SQE2 after passing SQE1, so they are a selected group. They have also usually prepared for the practical skills in a focused way. A high pass rate for a prepared group says little about whether you are prepared.
- Overall rate includes people who are resitting.
- First-time rate counts only people sitting for the first time. In July 2026 it was 47% against 42% overall.
- Per-paper rates can differ. In July 2026 FLK1 and FLK2 were both 50%.
Why SQE2 has a high pass rate but still fails people
SQE2 is marked with a grade from A (superior) to F (extremely poor) on each criterion. Marks are added across all 16 stations and there is one overall pass mark. There is no separate pass mark for each station, and none for the oral part and written part. This means one weak station can be made up by strong ones. It also means you cannot rely on a few good stations to carry many weak ones.
Read how the SQE2 pass mark works for the structure, and the SQE2 overview for the 16 stations.
A worked example: using the numbers
Imagine three friends, Amara, Vikram and Sana, who all plan for the same SQE1 sitting.
- Amara sees "42%" and decides she needs twelve weeks of timed practice, not four. She plans to sit once and to treat a resit as a back-up only.
- Vikram sees 83% for SQE2 and decides to skip SQE2 skills practice until after SQE1. He then has less time between results and the SQE2 window.
- Sana notes that she gets three attempts at each assessment within six years. She does not plan to use them. She still checks each result date so she can book the next stage quickly.
Amara and Sana use the numbers to set their effort. Vikram uses them to relax. The first approach is the useful one.
Mistakes when reading pass rates
- Comparing a provider's "success rate" with the SRA figure. They may count different groups of people.
- Assuming the pass rate is the chance you will pass. Your chance depends on your preparation and your starting point.
- Ignoring the cost of failing. The combined fee for both stages is £5,092 from 1 September 2026, and a resit means paying again. See SQE fees.
- Quoting an old figure. Always give the sitting and the date.
Checklist: turn pass rates into a plan
- Book your first sitting only when you have time for timed practice. See SQE dates and how to check them.
- Do single best answer practice by subject first, then in full sessions. Start at SQE1 practice questions.
- Practise SQE2 skills out loud and under time, starting with the SQE2 stations.
- Keep a log of the topics you get wrong, and revisit them every week.
- Read how to prepare for the SQE for a full plan.
Questions
What is the SQE1 pass rate?
The overall SQE1 pass rate was 42% in the July 2026 sitting, with 47% for first-time candidates. Earlier sittings in the table above ranged from 41% to 56%.
What is the SQE2 pass rate?
The overall SQE2 pass rate was 83% in April 2026, with 85% for first-time candidates. The previous sitting was 80%.
Is SQE1 harder than SQE2?
By pass rate, yes. SQE1 pass rates are far lower. But SQE2 candidates have already passed SQE1, so the groups are not the same. Both need real preparation.
How many people take the SQE?
In 2024/25, 13,081 candidates sat SQE1 and 5,752 sat SQE2, according to the SRA annual report for that year.
What was the lowest SQE pass rate?
Of the sittings we have checked, the lowest SQE1 pass rate was 41% in July 2025, reported as a record low at the time.
Related
- SQE1: format, subjects and how to prepare
- SQE2: what it tests and how to prepare
- SQE2 pass mark: how it works
- SQE fees 2026
- How to prepare for SQE1 and SQE2
Sources: Legal Cheek: SQE1 pass rate drops to 42%; LawCareers.Net: SQE1 pass rate falls to 42%; Legal Cheek: SQE2 pass rate climbs again to 83%; Legal Cheek: SQE1 pass rate falls to record low of 41%; SRA SQE annual report 2024/25; SRA: SQE2 marking and overall pass marks explained. Checked 10 November 2026.