Exam pace calculator: time per question

1 min 48 sper question

85 questions in 153 minutes: 1 min 48 s per question, about 33 questions an hour.

Checkpoints
Question	Done by (h:mm)
Q20	0:36
Q40	1:12
Q60	1:48
Q80	2:24
Q85	2:33

Practice sets at this pace
Questions	Time allowed
10	18 min
20	36 min
30	54 min
45	81 min
60	108 min
90	162 min

Key facts

SQE1 from January 2027: 85 questions per session in 2 hours 33 minutes – 108 seconds per question.
CFA® Program Level I: 90 questions per session in 2 hours 15 minutes – 90 seconds per question.
FRM® Exam Part I: 100 questions in one 4-hour session – 144 seconds per question.
Keeping 10 minutes for review in an SQE1 session lowers the working pace to about 1 minute 41 seconds per question.

How is the result calculated?

The calculator divides the time you work on questions by the number of questions. Time kept back for review at the end is taken off first.

t = \frac{60\,(M - R)}{Q}

$t$ is the working time per question in seconds, $M$ the minutes allowed for the session, $R$ the minutes kept for review and $Q$ the number of questions. A checkpoint for question $n$ lies at $n \times t$ seconds from the start, shown in hours and minutes and rounded down, so you are never told a later time than the pace allows. A practice set of $k$ questions gets $k \times t$ seconds, rounded up to whole minutes.

Each session is timed on its own, so the presets use one session: SQE1 from January 2027 (SRA announcement, 10 September 2026), Level I of the CFA® Program (CFA Institute, Level I exam) and Part I of the FRM® Exam (GARP, FRM Exam information).

Worked example

An SQE1 session has 85 questions and 153 minutes. Without a reserve that is 108 seconds (1 min 48 s) per question. Keep 10 minutes for review:

t = \frac{60 \times (153 - 10)}{85} = \frac{8580}{85} \approx 100.94\ \text{s}

So you work at about 1 min 41 s per question. Question 40 is due after 4038 seconds, which shows as 1:07 (hours:minutes, rounded down). A 30-question practice set at this pace gets 51 minutes; the last question of the session is due at 2:23, leaving the 10 minutes for review.

How do you use checkpoints in a timed practice set?

Note three or four checkpoint times before you start. Look at the clock only when you reach those questions. If you are behind, you notice it while there is still time to adjust, instead of in the last ten minutes. Practise with the same reserve you plan to keep on the day, so the pace becomes familiar.

Which timing mistakes are common?

Pacing the whole exam instead of the session. Sessions are timed separately; time you save in one does not carry over to the next.
Treating the average as a limit for every question. Some questions take longer than others. The checkpoints matter, not each single question.
Planning a review reserve without practising it. A reserve works only if you can keep the faster working pace; try it in practice sets first.

What this tool covers

Last updated

30 October 2026

Based on

The exam formats published by the SRA (SQE1 from January 2027), CFA Institute (Level I) and GARP (Part I) – see the sources below
Your own numbers for any other exam or practice set

Includes

Average time per question, with and without a review reserve
Checkpoints: which question to have answered by when
Time to allow for practice sets of 10 to 90 questions at the same pace

Not included

Breaks between sessions – each session is timed on its own
Extra time from reasonable adjustments – enter your own minutes instead
How long a particular question takes you: the figures are averages

Frequently asked questions

How long do you have per question in SQE1?

From January 2027, FLK1 and FLK2 each have two sessions of 85 questions with 2 hours 33 minutes per session. That is 108 seconds per question on average.

How long do you have per question in the CFA® Program Level I exam?

The Level I exam has two sessions of 90 questions with 2 hours 15 minutes each, so 90 seconds per question on average.

How long do you have per question in the FRM® Exam Part I?

Part I has 100 questions in one 4-hour session: 144 seconds per question on average.

What does a review reserve change?

Minutes kept for checking flagged questions at the end come off the working time. In an SQE1 session, a 10-minute reserve lowers the pace from 1 minute 48 seconds to about 1 minute 41 seconds per question.

What are the checkpoints for?

A checkpoint says which question you should have answered by a given time, for example question 40 after 1 hour 12 minutes in an SQE1 session without a reserve. If you are behind at a checkpoint, you notice it while there is time to adjust.

Is the time the same for every question?

No. The figures are averages: the time allowed divided by the number of questions. Some questions will take you longer, others less.

Does the calculator save my numbers?

No. The calculation runs in your browser. Your numbers appear only in the page address after the # sign, so you can share a result; they are not sent to us.

Sources

Solicitors Regulation Authority: Important changes to SQE1 for January 2027 onwards (10 September 2026). Accessed 25 October 2026.
CFA Institute: CFA Program Level I exam: format and topic weights. Accessed 26 October 2026.
Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP): FRM Exam information: format and exam topics. Accessed 26 October 2026.

Study aid only – not legal, financial or careers advice. The tool runs in your browser and stores nothing.

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.

High Performer Certs is an independent study platform. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CFA Institute or the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). We are not a CFA Institute Prep Provider and not a GARP Exam Preparation Provider. CFA Institute does not endorse, promote, review or warrant the accuracy or quality of our products and services. GARP does not endorse, promote, review or warrant the accuracy of our products or services. All questions and explanations are our own original material and contain no CFA Institute or GARP exam, curriculum or practice questions. CFA®, Chartered Financial Analyst®, CIPM® and GIPS® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute. FRM® and GARP® are trademarks owned by the Global Association of Risk Professionals.