Updated September 2024
If you’re looking to get a better understanding of the types of questions you’ll be asked in SQE1, look no further! I’ve compiled a list of parties providing practice sets at no cost.
Where to Find SQE1 Mock Exams
- The SRA (130 Questions) – As you may already know, the SRA has published some sample questions to help candidates prepare for the SQE. They’ve shared 65 questions for FLK1 and 65 for FLK2. Answers are provided after each question. Here are the SRA’s SQE1 Multiple-Choice Questions.
Helpfully, the SRA has also provided an SQE exam simulation. SQE1 is a computer-based test, and you can find some of the sample questions (mentioned above) presented via a realistic user interface (similar to the one you’ll see on test day at Pearson VUE). Here you can try the simulated SQE1 Test.
- The QLTS School (190 Questions) – The QLTS School is a prep centre that now provides materials and training for the SQE. On its website you can find a mock test available for free. They’ve provided 90 FLK1 practice questions and 90 FLK2 practice questions.
- The British Law Academy (130 Questions) – The British Law Academy is an SQE consultancy / training provider located in Italy. It is run by a practising solicitor who qualified in both the UK and New York state. On its website you can find a free SQE1 FLK1 mock exam (65 questions) and a free SQE1 FLK2 mock exam (65 questions).
It appears that you have to provide an email address to receive BLA’s FLK1 questions and also to receive the FLK2 answers (not ideal). I looked briefly at the FLK2 questions. My view is that they are not really the same style of questions candidates will see on exam day. (They are simpler and the suggested answers lack nuance). That said, if you want to try some multiple-choice questions – as a way to consolidate your general legal knowledge – you could give these mocks a try.
Where to Find More SQE1 Practice Questions
In addition to the full (or nearly full) mocks above, you can also get a few additional practice questions in the following places:
- The QLTS School (10 Questions) – In addition to the QLTS mocks mentioned above, you can also find 10 more free SQE questions here.
- The University of Law (45 Questions) – The University of Law is a well known SQE course provider that makes 45 single-best-answer questions available via its ULaw SQE app for Apple and for Android.
Note that if you’ve purchased any of UOL’s SQE study manuals (mentioned in this earlier SQE1 article) you can also access an additional 40 practice questions per topic on the app (ie. you’ll get 40 topic-specific questions related to the book(s) purchased).
- Kaplan (29 Questions) – Kaplan is the assessment organisation appointed by the SRA to develop and run the SQE. It also produced exams for the Qualifying Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS), which preceded the SQE process and ran from approximately 2012-22. Kaplan previously made 29 practice questions available for candidates sitting the multiple-choice section of the QLTS. Given the similarities between SQE1 and the QLTS, you may find these 25+ Q&A to be helpful.
However, keep in mind that there are likely to have been some changes in the law since these Kaplan problems were written (ie. Brexit, new tax rates, etc.)!
Do You Need More Practice Questions for the SQE?
The examples above give a good flavour of the kinds of things you’re likely to see in SQE1. In my view, 475+ questions is a sufficient sample size and there is no need to necessarily go looking for additional mocks. (In fact, when I wrote the QLTS, I didn’t actually try any sample questions beforehand. Instead, I concentrated on understanding the material in the textbooks and preparing my study notes. I know of other lawyers who prepared in a similar way – largely because none of us had much of a choice! Back in the days of the QLTS, there was very little information/practice material available. Unless you paid to prepare with a course provider – which I did not – you couldn’t get access to any sample MCQs (with the exception of the 29 from Kaplan)).
I know however that some candidates prefer to focus less on texts and more on doing lots of practice sets. If this sounds like you, then you may find it worthwhile to pay for additional resources via a legal publisher or prep-centre. In another post, I’ve written about places you can find additional practice questions – for a cost. See SQE1: Sample Questions & Mock Exams (Options for Purchase).
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If you know of any other places to find freebies, please drop a note in the comments! Good luck with your prep!
Best,
Lawyer in London
Hi, thanks for the list. You can also access 45 free questions from ULaw. You will need to download their app and create an account. The questions are relatively difficult, especially compared to the SRA ones. Here’s the link: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/ulaw-sqe-revision-questions/id1536809275
Thanks Dmitrii!
Hi, can anyone please confirm the whether the level of difficulty of SQE exam question will be similar to the sample questions on the SRA website because i have found some websites (namely the QLTS school which is mentioned on this page) that are offering sqe practice questions but their level of difficulty and complexity seems to be higher than the SRA sample questions.
Hello all, does anyone know what is the reasoning behind option A being the indicated solution in SRA’s sample question 54 (liability for Income Tax in the 2023/24 tax year for a woman who sold a business a bought a share in a partnership)?
I tried to apply every possible calculation, but I do not follow.
Thank anyone for the help!
Hi Martina:
So I hope below this is the question you mean. I am no math buff, so it took me way to long and lots of coffee, but here is how I was able to solve it:
A woman owned a pet shop which she ran as a sole trader. She decided to sell the pet shop and become a partner in a dog grooming salon which has been operating for a number of years. When the woman joined the partnership, she took out a loan of £10,000 at an annual interest rate of 10% to purchase her partnership share. The loan is still outstanding in full. In the 2023/24 tax year the woman’s share of partnership profits was £38,000.
It took longer than the woman anticipated to find a buyer for the pet shop but she completed the sale on 6 April 2023 making a profit on the sale of £10,000.
In 2023/24 the personal allowance is £12,570 and the basic rate of Income Tax is 20%. The basic rate tax band is £0 – £37,700.
What is the woman’s liability for Income Tax in the 2023/24 tax year?
My answer:
First I worked out the amount of tax due at the basic rate on the taxable income minus the personal allowance.
Then, the woman may claim relief for interest on loans taken out to invest in a partnership (S383(1) and S398 Income Tax Act 2007). The basic rate of 20% will apply here on this loan interest, which in our question: £10,000 * 10% interest = £1000 * 20% (basic rate) = £200 can be deducted as relief
Sale of her business is likely subject to Capital Gains Tax (with possible Business Asset Disposal Relief here), but it’s not relevant for calculating her Income Tax.
1. £38,000 (taxable income) – £12,570 (personal allowance) = £25,430 * 20%
= £5,086 income tax
2. Loan Interest deductible £10,000 * 10% (loan interest) = £1000 * 20% (basic rate)
= £200 can be deducted from the income tax liability
3. £5,086 (income tax) – £200 (deduction for the loan interest) = £4,886
Hope this helps – good luck if you are also sitting the exam in July!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Hi Laureen,
many thanks for this!
Indeed it was simpler than expected, don’t know why I got stuck on this!
Thanks and good luck to you, we are almost there!
Hi Martina,
Perhaps you included the capital gain on the sale of business when calculating the income tax liability. I know I did!
Best of luck all!
Can you please share what textbooks I need to study to prepare for the SQE1? I have a 7 month old baby and I cannot afford these expensive prep courses and can’t seem to find any free resources to study for the SQE1.
Hi Sara, This article has different options for books: https://sqeselfstudy.co.uk/sqe/books-materials-sqe-preparation/
ulaw books are the best I reckon. I found mine for around 200
Most helpful young Sire! Jolly well done!
@KewSeagullQC
1. Kindly assist with past mock exam sample papers on the SQE1 and SQE2.
2. I would also really apreciate if you would assist guide me on how, i may sit for these exam from Africa ( Zambia) holder of a bachelors Degree on Law
Hello, 1. Past SQE exam papers are not made public, 2. Check the SRA’s website for info on when and where you can sit the exams
Thanks so much for the help!
Thank you, really helpful