Key facts
- One preparation site estimates 300–400 hours of focused study for SQE1, with law graduates nearer the lower end and non-law graduates the upper end (secondary source).
- At 10 hours a week, 300–400 hours take 30–40 weeks; at 15 hours a week, 20–27 weeks (our calculation).
- QLTS School recommends an average of 15 hours a week, starting at least five to six months ahead (secondary source).
- The next sittings start with FLK1 on 11–15 January 2027 (check the official website) and 12–16 July 2027 (check the official website).
- Employees with at least 26 weeks’ service in organisations of at least 250 people can request time off to train; it is usually unpaid unless the employer agrees (GOV.UK).
How many hours a week do you need for SQE1 while working?
One preparation site estimates 300–400 hours of focused study for SQE1. Beside a full-time job, that is 30–40 weeks at 10 hours a week, or 20–27 weeks at 15. Choose your sitting from those numbers, then protect the hours. (SQE1 Prep, study hours (secondary source))
The same site expects law graduates to aim nearer the lower end for the academic subjects and non-law graduates to plan for the upper end or beyond. It describes a 12-month route of 8–10 hours a week for people working full time or with caring responsibilities, a 6-month route of 15–20 hours a week and a 3-month route of 30–40 hours a week, which it calls intense. It adds that longer plans need a slightly higher total, because you re-learn material covered months earlier: its 12-month route comes to about 400–500 hours. (SQE1 Prep, study hours (secondary source)) QLTS School recommends an average of 15 hours a week, starting at least five to six months ahead. (QLTS School, preparation time (secondary source)) These are estimates by preparation providers, not SRA figures.
| Hours a week | 300 hours | 350 hours | 400 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 38 weeks | 44 weeks | 50 weeks |
| 10 | 30 weeks | 35 weeks | 40 weeks |
| 12 | 25 weeks | 30 weeks | 34 weeks |
| 15 | 20 weeks | 24 weeks | 27 weeks |
| 20 | 15 weeks | 18 weeks | 20 weeks |
Which sitting can you realistically make?
Work back from the start of FLK1, which runs 11–15 January 2027 (check the official website) in the January 2027 sitting and 12–16 July 2027 (check the official website) in July 2027. Then divide:
Hours a week needed = hours you need ÷ (weeks until FLK1 − buffer weeks). With 350 hours, 30 weeks and 3 buffer weeks for illness, holidays and busy periods, that is 350 ÷ 27 ≈ 13 hours a week.
| Hours a week needed | What to do |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 | Plan A below. Keep the buffer weeks; they are what makes the plan survive a bad month. |
| 10 to 15 | Plan B, and agree predictable working hours for the final weeks. |
| 15 to 20 | Only with lighter work periods or leave; Plan C for the final six to eight weeks. |
| More than 20 | Choose the later sitting or reduce your working hours for a period. At that level the job and the revision compete for the same hours. |
The study-time budget calculator shows how many hours your week holds after work, commuting, care and sleep. The FLK revision planner turns your sitting and your hours into phases by subject.
What do realistic weekly plans look like?
| Day | Plan A: 10 hours | Plan B: 15 hours | Plan C: 20 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday, each | 30 min reviews on the commute or at lunch, 30 min new topic in the evening (1 h) | 30 min reviews, 1 h new topic or error log (1.5 h) | 30 min reviews, 1.5 h questions and explanations (2 h) |
| Friday | Off | 30 min reviews | 1 h reviews |
| Saturday | 2 h new topic, 1 h error log, 30 min mixed questions (3.5 h) | 2 h new topic, 40 timed questions in 72 min, review (5 h) | Full session of 85 questions in 2 h 33 min, 2 h review, 1.5 h reviews (about 6 h) |
| Sunday | Reviews, 30 questions from one session’s subjects in 54 min, review (2.5 h) | Error log, reviews, one new topic (3.5 h) | Second full session, 2 h review, 30 min reviews (about 5 h) |
| Suits | About a year of preparation, or months with heavy work | About six months of preparation | The last six to eight weeks, with some leave |
Timed sets use the SQE1 average of about 1.8 minutes a question; a session has 85 questions in 2 hours 33 minutes. (SRA, SQE1 sample questions) From January 2027 each session covers a fixed group of subjects (SRA announcement, 10 September 2026), so build timed sets from one session’s subjects at a time – our guide to how SQE1 is structured lists them.
Every plan puts reviews first and keeps them daily. A large review of study techniques rated practice testing and distributed practice of high utility, and rereading and highlighting of low utility. (Dunlosky et al., 2013) The preparation site above suggests commutes, lunch breaks and queues for spaced-repetition review. (SQE1 Prep, study hours (secondary source)) Our guide to revising with spaced repetition shows how.
What do you do in a week when work takes over?
- Switch to a minimum week: 20–30 minutes of due reviews a day, no new topics, one short mixed set at the weekend. The review schedule stays alive and the restart is easier.
- Plan known peaks in advance: year-end, completions, trials or audits go into the plan as minimum weeks and count against your buffer.
- Restart with the error log, not with the next new topic.
- Recalculate after a month of minimum weeks. If the hours no longer fit, choose the later sitting early rather than in the final weeks.
How do you make time at work?
Tell your manager your paper dates early and name the weeks when you need predictable hours. Keep annual leave for the exam weeks and one or two full practice days.
You may have a right to request time off to train. It applies to employees with at least 26 weeks’ service in an organisation where at least 250 people work, for training that helps you do your job better; the time off is usually unpaid unless your employer agrees to pay. (GOV.UK, training and study at work) Follow your organisation’s rules; if there are none, write to your employer stating that it is a request under section 63D of the Employment Rights Act 1996, with the details GOV.UK lists. You can make one request a year. (GOV.UK, asking for time off to train)
If your job involves providing legal services, it may count as qualifying work experience, which you can gain before, during or after the SQE assessments. (SRA, qualifying work experience) See what counts as QWE. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common mistakes when revising beside a job
- Weekend-only plans. The preparation site above calls steady weekly hours more reliable than weekend binges. (SQE1 Prep, study hours (secondary source))
- Planning to your ideal week instead of an ordinary one, and leaving no buffer weeks.
- Skipping full timed sessions because time is short. The same site advises keeping them. (SQE1 Prep, study hours (secondary source))
- Leaving ethics until the end. With money laundering, it can make up to 20% of the questions. (SRA, SQE1 Annex 4)
- Using out-of-date material. Each sitting examines the law as it stands four calendar months before its first assessment. (SRA, SQE1 Assessment Specification)
When should you ease off?
Difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed and sleeping too much or too little are among the signs of stress the NHS lists. If you are struggling to cope, or what you try is not helping, see a GP. (NHS, stress) LawCare offers free, confidential support to people who work in the legal profession. (LawCare, helpline, chat and email support) A minimum week is a plan, not a failure.
What this means for you
- Put your real week into the study-time budget calculator.
- Pick the sitting where the hours a week you need fit the table above, with buffer weeks.
- Generate phases with the FLK revision planner and choose Plan A, B or C.
- Measure where you start with the free SQE1 quick test; our SQE1 course schedules the daily reviews for you.
For the phases themselves, see our SQE1 study plan. Caring for children or a relative as well? See revising for SQE1 as a parent or carer.
What this page covers
- Last updated
- Based on
- Study-hour estimates of two preparation providers (secondary sources); SRA format and rules; GOV.UK on time off to train
- Includes
- Weeks by hours a week, a formula for your sitting, three example weeks, busy weeks, time at work, common mistakes
- Not included
- Hours you personally need, booking windows, legal advice on employment rights
Frequently asked questions
Can you prepare for SQE1 while working full time?
Yes, if the plan fits your week. One preparation site describes a 12-month route of 8–10 hours a week for people working full time; another recommends about 15 hours a week, starting at least five to six months ahead.
How many hours a week should you study for SQE1 while working?
Divide the hours you need by the weeks until FLK1, minus a few buffer weeks. With an estimate of 300–400 hours, 10 hours a week takes 30–40 weeks and 15 hours a week 20–27 weeks.
How many months before SQE1 should you start if you work full time?
At about 15 hours a week, QLTS School suggests starting at least five to six months ahead. For 8–10 hours a week, SQE1 Prep describes a 12-month route.
Can you get time off work to study for SQE1?
Employees with at least 26 weeks’ service in an organisation of 250 or more people can request time off for training that helps them do their job better. It is usually unpaid unless the employer agrees, and you can make one request a year.
Does your job count as qualifying work experience?
It may, if it involves providing legal services. QWE can be gained before, during or after the SQE assessments.
What if a busy period at work wrecks your revision plan?
Switch to a minimum week of 20–30 minutes of due reviews a day without new topics, count it against your buffer weeks, and recalculate if minimum weeks last for a month.
Related tools and pages
Sources
- SQE1 Prep, sqe1prep.co.uk (preparation website, secondary source): How Many Hours Do You Need to Study for SQE1? (2 June 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- QLTS School, help centre (training provider, secondary source): How long do I need to prepare for SQE1 and SQE2 assessments and how many hours of study per week do you recommend? (11 October 2023). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 sample questions. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Important changes to SQE1 for January 2027 onwards (10 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Annex 4 – Functioning Legal Knowledge blueprint. Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 Assessment Specification (applicable for assessments from 1 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (26 January 2024). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J. & Willingham, D. T., Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1), 4–58: Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques (2013).
- GOV.UK: Training and study at work: your rights. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Training and study at work: your rights – asking for time off. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- NHS (nhs.uk): Stress – symptoms, things you can try, and when to get help (GP, NHS talking therapies, NHS 111, Samaritans) (6 March 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- LawCare (mental health charity for the legal sector): Helpline, online chat and email support for anyone in the legal community. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- BPP University (training provider, secondary source): SQE exam dates 2027. Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Assessment dates published for 2027 assessments (5 December 2025).
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.