Key facts
- SQE1 costs £2,006 and SQE2 £3,086 in 2026/27; the SRA applies these fees to candidates who book to take the SQE from October 2026 onwards.
- Together that is £5,092 in assessment fees, up from £4,908 in 2025/26.
- Other fees: £36 for a UK degree check (£54.84 for an international degree), £34 for background screening and £100 for admission.
- By our addition, the fixed fees for a first-time candidate with a UK degree come to £5,262, before training, resits or a practising certificate.
- Qualified lawyers pay £265 to apply for an exemption from one or both SQE assessments.
How much do SQE1 and SQE2 cost?
For 2026/27, the SRA charges £2,006 for SQE1 and £3,086 for SQE2 – £5,092 in assessment fees in total. The new fees took effect at the start of the 2026/27 academic year in September 2026 and apply to any candidate who books to take the SQE from October 2026 onwards. (SRA news release, 21 April 2026)
| Assessment | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| SQE1 (FLK1 and FLK2) | £1,934 | £2,006 |
| SQE2 | £2,974 | £3,086 |
| Both assessments | £4,908 | £5,092 |
That is a rise of about 3.7% on 2025/26. The SRA says the annual increase reflects inflation plus a small annual uplift towards the cost of translating the assessments into Welsh. (SRA news release, 21 April 2026) Because the fees have risen each year, check the current fee on the SRA’s SQE website when you book.
What other fees do you pay on the SQE route?
The assessments are the largest item, but not the only one. These are the other fees the SRA lists on the way to admission:
| Step | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Degree check (UK or Irish qualification) | £36 | Paid to Atlantic Data through mySRA; some institutions charge extra to verify a qualification. (SRA, degree check) |
| Degree check (international degree) | £54.84 | Checked for equivalence to a UK level 6 qualification. (SRA, degree check) |
| Background screening | £34 | Carried out by Atlantic Data before you apply for admission. (SRA, admission and fees) |
| Admission to the roll | £100 | A practising certificate has a separate fee. (SRA, admission and fees) |
| SQE exemption application (qualified lawyers) | £265 | One fee for one or both assessments. (SRA, SQE1 exemption) |
Some steps are free: solicitor apprentices do not need the degree check (SRA, degree check), a UK lawyer applying for an agreed exemption (for example a Scottish solicitor applying for an SQE2 exemption) pays no application fee (SRA, UK lawyer agreed exemption), and LPC graduates who replace the training contract with qualifying work experience and SQE2 pay no application fee – only the SQE2 fee. (SRA, QWE and SQE2 instead of a training contract)
What is the total for a typical first-time candidate?
By our addition, the fixed fees for a candidate with a UK degree who passes each assessment first time come to £5,262. That is £2,006 for SQE1, £3,086 for SQE2, £36 for the degree check, £34 for screening and £100 for admission. It does not include training or study material, resits, a practising certificate, or travel to a test centre.
What does a resit cost?
The SRA allows three attempts at SQE1 over a six-year period. (SRA, 29 September 2026) Candidates can resit one or both parts. (SRA, 29 September 2026) The SRA’s 2026/27 announcement does not state resit fees, so check the fees page on the SRA’s SQE website before you budget for one. A resit costs more than money: it also uses one of your three attempts and usually several months.
Which costs vary from person to person?
- Training. A preparation course is not one of the SRA’s requirements for the SQE route (SRA, SQE route), and prices vary widely. The SRA’s SQE training and course finder lists more than 150 providers and over 250 training options and can filter by price. (SRA, SQE Update September 2026) The SRA does not regulate, accredit, endorse or recommend training providers. (SRA, SQE Terms of Use)
- Qualifying work experience. QWE is work, not a fee: it can be paid or voluntary and can be gained in up to four organisations. (SRA, qualifying work experience) Our guide explains what counts as QWE.
- Your degree. To be admitted you need a degree in any subject or an equivalent qualification, such as a level 6 or 7 apprenticeship. (SRA, SQE Q&A)
- Overseas screening. If you have lived in another country continuously for 12 months or more in the past five years, you need a criminal record check from each of those countries; any fee for it is set by that country. (SRA, screening)
Is there financial help?
The SRA has awarded £360,000 to 11 organisations to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the cost of sitting the SQE. (SRA, SQE route) The money comes from its SQE Access and Reinvestment Fund, which supports schemes for aspiring solicitors who face significant personal barriers to qualifying. Each organisation runs its own candidate selection and the SRA is not involved in choosing candidates, so contact the organisations directly. (SRA, SQE Access and Reinvestment Fund)
How to keep the total down
- Book the sitting you can be ready for. Attempts are limited to three, and with two SQE1 sittings a year a resit means another fee and usually another six months. Our guide to 2027 sittings and booking helps you choose.
- Check exemptions and transitional routes first. Qualified lawyers may be exempt from parts of the SQE (see SQE for lawyers qualified outside England and Wales), and LPC graduates have a route without SQE1 (see SQE vs LPC).
- Choose study material by what you can check. Look for a stated law date, a source for every answer and a way to report errors. Our SQE1 course costs £79 for 12 months, and the free quick test needs no account.
Frequently asked questions
How much does SQE1 cost?
SQE1 costs £2,006 (the 2026/27 fee, which the SRA applies to candidates who book to take the SQE from October 2026 onwards). The fee covers both FLK1 and FLK2. The SRA has raised the fee each year, so check it when you book.
How much does the SQE cost in total?
The two assessments cost £5,092 together (£2,006 for SQE1 and £3,086 for SQE2). Adding the degree check (£36), screening (£34) and admission (£100) gives £5,262 for a first-time candidate with a UK degree, before training costs.
Why did the SQE fees go up in 2026?
The SRA says the annual increase reflects inflation plus a small annual uplift towards the cost of translating the assessments into Welsh.
Does the SQE fee include a preparation course?
No. The SRA fees cover the assessments only. Training is optional and bought separately; the SRA does not regulate, accredit, endorse or recommend training providers.
Is there funding to help with SQE costs?
The SRA has awarded £360,000 from its SQE Access and Reinvestment Fund to 11 organisations to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the cost of sitting the SQE. Each organisation runs its own candidate selection, so contact them directly.
Sources
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Reports find SQE to be robust with improvements made (including SQE fees for 2026/27) (21 April 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Checking and validating your degree (25 July 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Admission to the roll of solicitors and related fees (23 January 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Apply for screening (13 October 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Applying for an SQE1 exemption (6 August 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Apply for a UK lawyer agreed exemption (7 August 2024). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Substitute QWE and SQE2 as an equivalent to a period of recognised training (26 June 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 pass rates up slightly year-on-year for July sittings (29 September 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE Update – September 2026 (September 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE Terms of Use (trade marks) (5 February 2026). Accessed 23 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (26 January 2024). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE questions and answers (28 January 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route (August 2025). Accessed 23 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE Access and Reinvestment Fund (13 October 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
High Performer Certs is an independent study platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and it is not authorised or accredited by the SRA or the SQE assessment provider. The SQE and SOLICITORS QUALIFYING EXAMINATION trade marks are the property of and are used under licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.