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SQE1 exam dates 2027 and how booking works

SQE1 runs twice in 2027: FLK1 on 11–15 January and FLK2 on 18–22 January, then FLK1 on 12–16 July and FLK2 on 19–23 July. How registration and booking work, and which law each sitting examines.

SQE1 guideBy High Performer CertsPublished 5 min read

Key facts

  • January 2027 sitting: FLK1 on 11–15 January and FLK2 on 18–22 January 2027.
  • July 2027 sitting: FLK1 on 12–16 July and FLK2 on 19–23 July 2027.
  • SQE1 is offered twice a year, in January and July, at test centres in the UK and around the world.
  • You must register on the SRA’s SQE website and complete the pre-booking steps before you can book.
  • SQE1 examines the law four calendar months before the first assessment: by our calculation 11 September 2026 for January 2027 and 12 March 2027 for July 2027.
  • You can attempt SQE1 three times over a six-year period.

When are the SQE1 exam dates in 2027?

There are two SQE1 sittings in 2027. In January, FLK1 runs from 11 to 15 January and FLK2 from 18 to 22 January 2027. In July, FLK1 runs from 12 to 16 July and FLK2 from 19 to 23 July 2027. The SRA published these dates on 5 December 2025. (SRA, 5 December 2025) Two training providers list the same dates. (BPP, secondary source, accessed 24 October 2026) (College of Legal Practice, secondary source, 30 January 2026)

SQE1 sittings in 2027
SittingFLK1FLK2Law examined as at*
January 202711–15 January 202718–22 January 202711 September 2026
July 202712–16 July 202719–23 July 202712 March 2027

* Our calculation from the SRA’s rule: four calendar months before the first assessment in the window.

The dates are ranges. Each FLK assessment is delivered over several days, and FLK1 and FLK2 are sat on separate days. Each assessment day has two sessions of 2 hours 33 minutes with a one-hour break between them. (SRA blog, 24 September 2026) Check your own booking for the exact day you sit.

What is different about the 2027 sittings?

Both 2027 sittings use the new format announced in September 2026: 170 questions per FLK assessment instead of 180, 85 questions per session, and each session limited to a fixed group of subjects. The time per session stays at 2 hours 33 minutes. The changes apply to first-time candidates and resitters alike. (SRA announcement, 10 September 2026) Our guide to how SQE1 is structured from January 2027 sets out which subjects fall in which session.

Which version of the law is examined in each sitting?

SQE1 examines the law as it stands four calendar months before the first assessment in the window. Later developments are not tested, but a change that takes effect on that exact date may be. (SRA, SQE1 Assessment Specification) Counting back from the first FLK1 day, that gives 11 September 2026 for the January 2027 sitting and 12 March 2027 for July 2027. Check that your study material states the date of the law it reflects, and that the date fits your sitting.

How does booking SQE1 work?

  1. Register first. You need an account on the SRA’s SQE website before you can book an assessment, and you must complete the pre-booking steps the SRA lists for your sitting. (SRA, SQE Update September 2026) (SRA, SQE Q&A) Applications such as a degree check or an exemption run through mySRA, the SRA’s separate online account. (SRA, degree check)
  2. Check the booking window. The SRA publishes when booking opens and closes for each sitting. Its September 2026 update announced that the booking information for January 2027 was live. (SRA, SQE Update September 2026) We do not repeat the booking dates here because they can change – check the SRA’s SQE website for your sitting.
  3. Book and pay. The 2026/27 fee for SQE1 is £2,006. (SRA news release, 21 April 2026) Our guide to the cost of qualifying through the SQE lists the other fees.
  4. Plan any adjustments early. If you need reasonable adjustments, check how to request them on the SRA’s SQE website as early as possible, before you book.

You do not need a degree to sit SQE1. You need a degree in any subject, or an equivalent qualification, only when you apply to be admitted as a solicitor. (SRA, SQE Q&A)

Where can you sit SQE1?

SQE1 is offered twice a year, in January and July, at test centres in the UK and around the world. (SRA, SQE1 exemption) The SRA describes them as testing centres throughout England and Wales and internationally, which administer high-stakes exams under controlled conditions. (SRA blog, 24 September 2026)

When are SQE1 results published?

The SRA announces results dates for each sitting on its SQE website. As a guide to the pattern: results for January 2025 were published on 1 April 2025 and for January 2026 on 31 March 2026 (SRA, 1 April 2025) (SRA, 31 March 2026); results for July 2025 were published on 1 October 2025, and the SRA reported on the July 2026 results on 29 September 2026. (SRA, 1 October 2025) (SRA, 29 September 2026) Check the SRA website for the 2027 results dates.

How many attempts do you have?

You can attempt SQE1 three times over a six-year period. (SRA, 29 September 2026) Once you have passed SQE1 you can go on to SQE2, which runs in January, April, July and October. (SRA, SQE Q&A) (SRA, exemptions Q&A) Because attempts are limited, it is worth booking the sitting you can be ready for, not the earliest one available.

How to plan backwards from your sitting

  • January 2027: the law cut-off has passed, so your material should reflect the law as at 11 September 2026. Use the remaining weeks for mixed review and full timed sessions.
  • July 2027: you have time for a full cycle – introduce every subject, consolidate, then practise under exam conditions. Our SQE1 study plan shows the three phases.
  • Either sitting: find your weakest subjects early. The free SQE1 quick test gives you a first picture by subject, and our SQE1 course page shows the next sittings with a countdown.

Frequently asked questions

When is SQE1 in January 2027?

FLK1 runs from 11 to 15 January 2027 and FLK2 from 18 to 22 January 2027, according to the dates the SRA published on 5 December 2025.

When is SQE1 in July 2027?

FLK1 runs from 12 to 16 July 2027 and FLK2 from 19 to 23 July 2027.

How often can you sit SQE1?

SQE1 is offered twice a year, in January and July. The SRA allows three attempts at SQE1 over a six-year period.

When does booking open for the 2027 SQE1 sittings?

The SRA publishes the booking window for each sitting on its SQE website, and you must register and complete the pre-booking steps first. Check the SRA website for the current dates, as they can change.

Do you need a degree to book SQE1?

No. A degree in any subject, or an equivalent qualification, is needed only when you apply to be admitted as a solicitor.

Which law is examined in the January 2027 sitting?

SQE1 examines the law as it stands four calendar months before the first assessment in the window. Counting back from 11 January 2027, that is 11 September 2026.

Sources

  1. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Assessment dates published for 2027 assessments (5 December 2025).
  2. BPP University (training provider, secondary source): SQE exam dates 2027. Accessed 24 October 2026.
  3. The College of Legal Practice (training provider, secondary source): When are the 2027 SQE assessments? (30 January 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  4. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Understanding SQE1: what employers need to know (24 September 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  5. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Important changes to SQE1 for January 2027 onwards (10 September 2026). Accessed 21 October 2026.
  6. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Assessment Specification (applicable for assessments from 1 September 2026). Accessed 21 October 2026.
  7. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE Update – September 2026 (September 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  8. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE questions and answers (28 January 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  9. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Checking and validating your degree (25 July 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  10. 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.
  11. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Applying for an SQE1 exemption (6 August 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  12. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 January 2025 results published (1 April 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  13. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 January 2026 results published (31 March 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  14. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 July 2025 results published (1 October 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  15. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 pass rates up slightly year-on-year for July sittings (29 September 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
  16. Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE exemptions: questions and answers. 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.

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