SQE vs Bar: the solicitor and barrister routes
In the SQE vs Bar choice, the solicitor route is two SQE assessments plus two years of work experience, while the barrister route is an academic stage, a Bar training course and a pupillage. Both are regulated separately, by the SRA and the Bar Standards Board.
Try a free SQE2 client interview
Talk to an AI client by voice or text, write the attendance note, and get estimated grades against the published criteria. No sign-up.
The two routes side by side
This table uses the SRA and the Bar Standards Board's own pages. Costs, salaries and job numbers are not included, because we do not have sourced figures for them.
| Stage | Solicitor (SQE) | Barrister |
|---|---|---|
| Academic | A degree in any subject, or an equivalent qualification | A law degree, or a non-law degree plus the Graduate Diploma in Law; minimum 2:2 |
| Exams or vocational | SQE1 then SQE2 | A Bar training course |
| Work-based | Two years' QWE, up to four organisations | Pupillage: usually six months non-practising and six months practising |
| Membership | None needed to sit the SQE | Member of an Inn of Court before vocational training |
| Character | Character and suitability requirements | Set by the Bar Standards Board |
Source pages: the SRA's SQE page and the Bar Standards Board's becoming a barrister page.
How the barrister route works
The Bar Standards Board describes three components: academic, vocational, and pupillage or work-based learning. The academic stage needs either a law degree or a non-law degree with the Graduate Diploma in Law. The degree must be at least a 2:2, and the academic stage must cover the seven foundations of legal knowledge.
The vocational stage is a Bar training course. You must be fluent in English and a member of an Inn of Court, and you must join an Inn before you start. When you complete the course your Inn calls you to the Bar, but you cannot practise as a barrister until you have completed pupillage. The BSB says obtaining a pupillage is very competitive.
How the solicitor route works
On the SQE route you need a degree in any subject, SQE1, SQE2, two years' qualifying work experience and to pass the SRA's character and suitability checks. QWE can come before, during or after the exams, in up to four organisations, paid or voluntary. SQE1 is two closed-book, single best answer papers on functioning legal knowledge. SQE2 is 16 stations on practical skills. See SQE1 and SQE2.
One difference matters to many readers. The solicitor route does not require a law degree or a conversion course. The barrister route does require one or the other.
A way to choose
Do not choose on prestige. Use the work itself.
- Day to day: solicitors usually work directly with clients and manage matters. Barristers are usually instructed for advocacy and specialist advice. Many roles overlap, so read job descriptions.
- Skills you enjoy: if you like standing up in court, try the advocacy station in SQE2, see SQE2 advocacy. If you prefer client work and drafting, try client interviews.
- Risk: the BSB says pupillage is very competitive. The SQE route has no such bottleneck in the exams themselves, but you still need QWE and, in practice, an employer.
- Timing: you can gain QWE while you study, which suits people who need to earn.
Moving between professions later is possible but it has its own rules. Check both regulators before you decide.
Questions
What is the difference between a solicitor and a barrister?
They are regulated by different bodies and train differently. Solicitors qualify through the SRA's SQE route, barristers through a Bar training course and pupillage regulated by the Bar Standards Board.
Do I need a law degree to be a barrister?
You need either a law degree or a non-law degree plus the Graduate Diploma in Law, and a minimum 2:2, according to the Bar Standards Board.
Do I need a law degree to be a solicitor via the SQE?
No. The SRA accepts a degree in any subject or an equivalent level 6 qualification.
How long is pupillage?
The Bar Standards Board says it is divided into two parts, usually six months non-practising and six months practising.
Is the Bar or the SQE harder?
We have no source that compares them fairly. The SQE1 pass rate has ranged from 41% to 56% in the sittings on our pass rates page, while pupillage is described by the BSB as very competitive.
Related
- SQE without a law degree: what you need
- SQE vs LPC: which route applies to you
- SQE2 advocacy: how to prepare and perform
- SQE1: format, subjects and how to prepare
- SQE qualifying work experience (QWE)
Sources: Bar Standards Board: Becoming a barrister; SRA: Becoming a solicitor through the SQE; SRA: Qualifying work experience. Checked 10 November 2026.