SQE1 pass rates by sitting since 2021: tracker and dataset

How have SQE1 pass rates changed since 2021?

What were the SQE1 pass rates in each sitting?

1. January 2024: The overall rate comes from a later SRA release (21 April 2026), which says the January 2025 rate was the same as in 2024; the candidates and the first-time rate from a news report (Legal Cheek, 16 April 2024, a secondary source), which counts the candidates who “attempted the exams”. Neither gives the number of first-time sitters.
2. January 2023: The SRA’s release for this sitting counts the candidates who “sat the assessment”; its releases for the other sittings count those who completed both parts (November 2021: sat both FLK1 and FLK2).
3. July 2022: The SRA’s results release for this sitting gives no figures for first-time sitters.
4. November 2021: The first SQE1 sitting, so every candidate sat for the first time. Candidates: those who sat both FLK1 and FLK2.

Download the data (CSV) →

Why are January pass rates higher than July?

The SRA notes that SQE1 pass rates have been noticeably higher in January than in July, by 10–15% in each of the last three years, while the passing standard of both sittings is comparable. It gives two likely reasons: candidates on different training or educational routes tend to sit in different months, and July sittings usually have a higher share of resitters, who generally pass at lower rates. (SRA, 29 September 2026)

Set side by side, the published rates show the same pattern from 2024 onwards:

In 2023 the order was the other way round (−2 points). Resitters were a large share of the July sittings: 19% of candidates in July 2025, the highest share to that date (SRA, 1 October 2025), and 1,303 of the 6,315 (check the official website) candidates in July 2026, about one in five (SRA, 29 September 2026), against 14% in January 2026 (SRA, 31 March 2026).

Do first-time sitters do better?

Yes. In every sitting with both figures, first-time sitters passed at a rate 3 to 5 points above the rate for all candidates – most recently 47% (check the official website) against 42% (check the official website) in July 2026. The overall rate is lower because it includes resitters.

What does a pass rate tell you – and what not?

• It is not the pass mark. The pass mark is set for each paper in each sitting so that the standard stays the same, and there are no quotas for the allocation of grades (SRA, SQE Q&A). A lower rate means fewer candidates reached the standard, not that the standard moved. More in SQE1 pass mark and results explained.
• It describes a cohort, not you. Who sits – their route, their preparation, how many are resitting – changes from sitting to sitting. Your own accuracy by subject on exam-style questions says more about where you stand.
• Early sittings were small. 1,073 (check the official website) candidates sat both papers in November 2021 and 1,829 (check the official website) in July 2022, against 7,863 (check the official website) in January 2026.
• The format changes in 2027. From the January 2027 sitting, each FLK assessment has 170 questions instead of 180, and the questions in each session come from a fixed group of subjects (SRA announcement, 10 September 2026). Compare rates from 2027 onwards with that in mind.

What this means for you

• Plan for readiness, not for a sitting’s reputation. January rates have been higher, but the standard is the same; sit when your own results by subject say you are ready. The FLK revision planner works back from your exam date.
• Use the first attempt well. Attempts are limited – see resits, attempts and time limits. If a sitting went badly, what to do after failing SQE1 has a practical plan.
• Measure where you stand. Try the free SQE1 quick test, then track your accuracy by subject in the SQE1 course.

How was the data compiled?

Every figure in the table is the SRA’s own, taken from its results release for each sitting on www.sra.org.uk: (SRA, 29 September 2026) (SRA, 31 March 2026) (SRA, 1 October 2025) (SRA, 1 April 2025) (SRA, 1 October 2024) (SRA, 21 September 2023) (SRA, 14 April 2023) (SRA, 5 October 2022) (SRA, first SQE assessment results). For January 2024 we found no results release on that site; the overall rate comes from a later SRA release that compares it with January 2025 (SRA news release, 21 April 2026), the number of candidates and the first-time rate from a dated news report (Legal Cheek, 16 April 2024 (secondary source)).

• Candidates are those who completed both parts of SQE1, FLK1 and FLK2, in the sitting – the SRA’s definition in its releases. The overall pass rate includes resitters; the first-time rate counts only candidates sitting SQE1 for the first time.
• Rounding: the SRA publishes whole percentages, and we show them as published. We do not work out pass rates of our own from the counts.
• Gaps: where a release gives no figure, the cell shows a dash and the CSV leaves it empty. Kaplan, the SQE assessment provider, publishes a statistical report on each sitting (SRA, 1 April 2025); we do not quote those reports here.
• Our calculations are differences in percentage points between published rates (January against July of the same year, first-time sitters against all candidates). Because the rates are rounded, a difference can be out by up to one point. Each sitting counts once, whatever its size.
• Not included: SQE2, pass marks (see SQE1 pass mark and results explained) and any figures about our own users – we do not publish those.

How to cite this dataset

Name the original publisher and link to this page. A full reference:

Under a chart or a table, a short credit line is enough: “Source: Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA); compiled by High Performer Certs”. If you work with the CSV file or redraw the chart, check each value you quote against the page linked in its row first. Spotted an error? Tell us through the contact form, and see how we source, date and correct our pages.

When is the data updated?

Figures as of

30 October 2026

Next update

We add each sitting when the SRA publishes its results release. Since 2022 the releases on January sittings have come out between 31 March and 14 April and those on July sittings between 21 September and 5 October; the next update is the January 2027 sitting.

• 30 October 2026: First published with the ten sittings from November 2021 to July 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.