Key facts
- Results for the January 2027 SQE1 sitting are due on 9 March 2027 (check the official website), 46 days (6 weeks and 4 days) after the last FLK2 day.
- A mitigating circumstances claim has to be made by 4pm on the fifth working day after your booked assessment day, for each FLK paper separately (check the official website); an upheld claim can discount the attempt or refund the fee, but never raises marks.
- Results show a mark out of 500 with the pass mark at 300, and you need the pass mark in both FLK1 and FLK2.
- After a pass you can enrol for SQE2, which runs in January, April, July and October and costs £3,086 (check the official website) in 2026/27.
- After a fail you resit only the failed paper, for £1,003 (check the official website); each paper allows three attempts within six years of your first assessment.
When are SQE1 results released?
Results for the January 2027 SQE1 sitting are due on 9 March 2027 (check the official website), 46 days (6 weeks and 4 days) after the last FLK2 day. The days right after each paper matter most: a mitigating circumstances claim has to be made by 4pm on the fifth working day after your booked assessment day, for each FLK paper separately (check the official website). (SQE1 Prep, SQE1 dates and results (secondary source)) (Brigitte's FLK, SQE mitigating circumstances (secondary source))
Waiting is hard because there is nothing left to do about the exam itself. This page splits the weeks into what is worth doing and what is not, and helps you write two short plans before results day – one for a pass, one for a fail – so that whatever the email says, the next step is already decided.
| Sitting | FLK2 assessment days | Results day | Wait after the last FLK2 day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | 18–22 January 2027 (check the official website) | 9 March 2027 (check the official website) | 46 days (6 weeks and 4 days) |
| July 2027 | 19–23 July 2027 (check the official website) | check the official website | not known yet |
Results days come from a preparation website that lists the SRA’s dates (SQE1 Prep, SQE1 dates and results (secondary source)); the SRA publishes them on its SQE website. The same website says you receive an email after 11am UK time on results day telling you that your result is in your SQE candidate account. (SQE1 Prep, SQE1 dates and results (secondary source))
What will your result show?
SQE1 results show an overall mark out of 500, and the pass mark is always set at 300. (SRA, 1 April 2025) To pass SQE1 you need the pass mark in each of FLK1 and FLK2. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations) Behind that scale, the pass mark is set independently for each paper to allow for differences in difficulty. (SRA, 31 March 2026) According to the preparation website above, the report also shows your quintile in the sitting and a breakdown by practice area, but not individual questions. (SQE1 Prep, SQE1 dates and results (secondary source)) Our guide to the SQE1 pass mark and results explains why the pass mark moves between sittings.
What should you do in the first week after the exam?
Only one thing is urgent. If illness, a personal crisis or a problem at the test centre affected your performance, a mitigating circumstances claim has to be made by 4pm on the fifth working day after your booked assessment day, for each FLK paper separately (check the official website). (Brigitte's FLK, SQE mitigating circumstances (secondary source)) Check the time limit as soon as something goes wrong, not after the exam: if it counts from your booked day, a claim about FLK1 can fall due before you have finished FLK2. If you cannot send the evidence in time, send the form and let the evidence follow. (SRA, mitigating circumstances slides, April 2023)
- What a claim can and cannot do: if the Assessment Board upholds it, the attempt may be discounted or the fee refunded; it will not increase your marks, and it does not consider claims from candidates who passed. (SRA, mitigating circumstances slides, April 2023)
- Fit to Sit: by signing the declaration you stated that you knew of no reason why your performance would be adversely affected, or why you might later claim mitigating circumstances – it matters for any claim. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations)
- The rules: claims follow the SQE Mitigating Circumstances Policy on the SRA’s SQE website. Read it as soon as something goes wrong, not after results.
If nothing went wrong, use the first week to rest. The NHS advises talking to someone and not trying to do everything at once. (NHS, stress)
How can you get through the wait?
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Make any mitigating circumstances claim straight away; then rest. No forum threads about the questions. | The time limit is short; reconstructing the paper changes nothing. |
| Week 2 | Back to normal routines: sleep, exercise, the people you put off while revising. | The NHS lists being active and connecting with people among ways to cope with stress. |
| Weeks 3–4 | Work, QWE or a project that has nothing to do with law. Tell your employer the results date. | Something else to think about; no surprises at work on the day. |
| Week 5 | Write plan A and plan B on one page each (below). | Decisions made calmly are better than decisions made on results day. |
| Week 6 | Plan results day: where you will be at 11am, who you tell first, group chats muted. | You decide when you hear other people’s results. |
The NHS’s stress tips include being active, connecting with other people and concentrating on what you can control. (NHS, 10 stress busters)
Plan A: what if you pass?
- SQE2: you must pass SQE1 before you enrol for SQE2. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations) SQE2 runs in January, April, July and October (SRA, SQE Q&A), and the fee for 2026/27 is £3,086 (check the official website). Check the booking windows on the SRA’s SQE website and pick the window you can prepare for. The SQE1 and SQE2 comparison sets out what changes.
- Time: you have six years from the date you first sat an SQE assessment to sit the remaining assessments. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations)
- QWE: it can be gained before, during or after the assessments, so keep it going. (SRA, qualifying work experience) See what counts as QWE.
Plan B: what if you fail one or both papers?
You resit only the paper you failed; if you fail both, you retake both in the same assessment window. Each paper allows two further attempts within six years of your first assessment, and you cannot resit a passed paper to raise your mark. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations) Resitting one paper costs £1,003 (check the official website). The next sitting after January is July 2027: FLK1 on 12–16 July 2027 (check the official website), FLK2 on 19–23 July 2027 (check the official website).
| If your result is … | Then plan to … |
|---|---|
| One paper failed, close to 300 | Resit that paper at the next sitting; focus on pace and the weakest practice areas in your breakdown. |
| One paper failed, well below 300 | Rebuild the weak subjects first; choose the sitting your weeks and hours can support. |
| Both papers failed | Retake both in one window; give yourself a full plan rather than the nearest date. |
| Your last attempt at a paper | Take the sitting you can be most ready for, not the earliest one. |
The guide failed SQE1? What to do next has a first-week plan and a four-week restart plan; resits, attempts and time limits covers the rules in detail. The FLK revision planner works back from the resit sitting.
Plan C: what if you need a longer break?
A break is allowed. The six-year period keeps running, though: if you still have assessments to sit when it ends, you have to reapply, and earlier passes are not carried forward. In exceptional circumstances you can apply to the SRA to extend the period. (SRA, SQE Assessment Regulations) QWE can continue meanwhile. (SRA, qualifying work experience)
What should you tell your employer?
If a training contract, a job offer or sponsorship depends on SQE1, agree before results day when you will tell your employer and what happens next. Firms handle fails differently: in 2024 some large firms were reported to allow and fund resits, while others withdrew offers after a first-attempt fail. (LawCareers.Net, firms’ approaches to SQE retakes (secondary source)) Ask about the policy now, while you are calm, rather than on the day. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common mistakes while waiting
- Missing the mitigating circumstances time limit because you hoped it would not be needed.
- Rebuilding the paper question by question in forums and group chats.
- Booking or paying for things that depend on the result before results day.
- Stopping QWE or your routine “until the result is in”.
- Deciding what to do next in the first hour after the email.
When should you get support?
- Your GP: if you are struggling to cope with stress, or the things you are trying are not helping. (NHS, stress)
- LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector: free, confidential support by phone and online chat (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) and by email, including for paralegals in training. (LawCare, helpline, chat and email support)
- Urgent help: call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk. NHS 111 can tell you where to get urgent help, and Samaritans are on 116 123. (NHS, urgent help for mental health) (NHS, stress)
What this means for you
Use the days right after each paper for the one deadline, then step away from the exam. Before results day, write plan A and plan B so that the email starts a plan rather than a decision. Whatever the result, the free quick test and our SQE1 course are there when you are ready to start again.
What this page covers
- Last updated
- Based on
- SRA SQE Assessment Regulations, SRA slides on mitigating circumstances and SRA results pages; the fact register for results days, the claim time limit, sitting dates and fees; NHS and LawCare pages; secondary sources
- Includes
- Results days, what a result shows, mitigating circumstances, a plan for the wait, plans A, B and C, employers, support
- Not included
- SQE2 results, booking windows, the full text of the SRA’s policies, legal or medical advice
Frequently asked questions
When are the January 2027 SQE1 results released?
On 9 March 2027 (check the official website). A preparation website says candidates receive an email after 11am UK time telling them that the result is in their SQE candidate account.
When are the July 2027 SQE1 results released?
Results day for the July 2027 sitting: check the official website. The SRA publishes results days on its SQE website.
Can I claim mitigating circumstances after SQE1?
Yes, if illness, other personal circumstances beyond your control or a problem with the assessment affected your performance. The claim has to be made by 4pm on the fifth working day after your booked assessment day, for each FLK paper separately (check the official website); evidence can follow. An upheld claim can discount the attempt or refund the fee, but marks are never increased.
What happens after I pass SQE1?
You can enrol for SQE2, which runs in January, April, July and October. You have six years from your first SQE assessment to sit the remaining assessments, and QWE can continue alongside.
What happens if I fail one FLK paper?
You resit only that paper, for £1,003 (check the official website). Each paper allows two further attempts within six years of your first assessment, and you cannot resit a passed paper to raise your mark.
What should I do while waiting for SQE1 results?
Make any mitigating circumstances claim straight away – the time limit is short – then rest and return to your routines. Before results day, write a short plan for a pass and one for a fail, so the next step is decided with a clear head.
Related tools and pages
Sources
- SQE1 Prep, sqe1prep.co.uk (preparation website, secondary source): SQE1 Exam Dates 2027: 11 to 22 January, Booking and Results (15 October 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Brigitte's FLK, brigittesflk.com (preparation website, secondary source): SQE Mitigating Circumstances: what counts, evidence and the SQE1 deadline. Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE – Mitigating circumstances (slides: what counts, process and timing, Assessment Board decisions) (April 2023). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SRA SQE Assessment Regulations (regulations 3–7, 9–13 and 15). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 January 2025 results published (1 April 2025). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE1 January 2026 results published (31 March 2026). Accessed 24 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE questions and answers (28 January 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (26 January 2024). Accessed 25 October 2026.
- LawCareers.Net, Law Business Research (careers news, secondary source): Magic circle firms have differing approaches to SQE retakes (3 April 2024). 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.
- NHS (National Health Service, England): 10 stress busters (26 June 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- NHS (nhs.uk): Where to get urgent help for mental health (26 April 2023). 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.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE key dates: assessment dates, booking windows and results days.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: SQE Mitigating Circumstances Policy.
- 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).
- SQE1 Prep, sqe1prep.co.uk (preparation website, secondary source): SQE Cost 2026/27: £2,006 SQE1, £3,086 SQE2, Total to Qualify (20 September 2026). Accessed 30 October 2026.
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Reports find SQE to be robust with improvements made (including SQE fees for 2026/27) (21 April 2026). Accessed 25 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.