Updated May 2025
Along with sharing the most recent SQE1 pass rates, The Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) also publishes detailed reports after every SQE1 assessment, and at the end of each year.
Given that the SQE has been running for a number of years now, I thought it might be useful to amalgamate some of the performance data to illustrate pass rate trends over time. (As far as I know, the SRA publishes SQE1 stats on a per-test basis, but does not present historical pass rates in any one document).
Below I’ve shared what I think are the most useful and interesting SQE1 stats from the past…
Historical SQE1 Pass Rates
Let’s start by looking at the overall candidate numbers, and pass rates, since the introduction of the SQE in late 2021:
| Exam Session | Number of SQE1 Candidates | SQE1 Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| November 2021 | 1073 | 53% |
| July 2022 | 1829 | 53% |
| January 2023 | 3031 | 51% |
| July 2023 | 3475 | 53% |
| January 2024 | 6061 | 56% |
| July 2024 | 5006 | 44% |
| January 2025 | 6782 | 56% |
Key Observations:
1. The number of candidates attempting SQE1 has increased significantly since the introduction of the exam (up from 1,073 in November 2021 to 6,782 in January 2025).
2. Historically, SQE1 pass rates have hovered around 52%, but 2024 showed significant fluctuation, with both the highest and lowest pass rates to date (56% and 44% respectively).
SQE1 Exam Results: Performance in FLK1 vs. FLK2
Here’s a separate breakdown of FLK1 pass rates and FLK2 pass rates:
| Exam Session | FLK1 Pass Score | FLK1 Pass Rate | FLK2 Pass Score | FLK2 Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2021 | 57% | 67% | 56% | 54% |
| July 2022 | 56% | 64% | 55% | 55% |
| January 2023 | 57% | 59% | 56% | 56% |
| July 2023 | 53% | 66% | 52% | 58% |
| January 2024 | 300* | 63% | 300* | 61% |
| July 2024 | 300* | 55% | 300* | 50% |
| January 2025 | 300* | 64% | 300* | 61% |
| July 2025 | 300* | TBC | 300* | TBC |
*In January 2024, the SRA started sharing numerical passing scores, rather than passing percentages ,for the FLK1 and FLK2 portions of the SQE1 exam. The score required to pass the assessment is now expressed as a scaled score out of 500, and the passing score for each of FLK1 and 2 is 300. For more information see the SQE Marking and Standard Setting Policy.
Key Observations:
1. There are consistently higher pass rates for FLK1 than for FLK2.
2. However, the gap between FLK1 and FLK2 pass rates has narrowed over time.
3. FLK1 pass rates have fluctuated more (between 55-67%) compared to FLK2 (50-61%).
SQE1 Pass Rates by Number of Candidate Attempts
Here you can see how many candidates have taken the exam for a 1st, 2nd or 3rd time:
| Assessment | Assessment Window | Number of Candidates | Number of 1st Attempt Candidates | Number of 2nd Attempt Candidates | Number of 3rd Attempt Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQE1 | Nov 2021 | 1073* | 1073 (100%) | n/a | n/a |
| SQE1 | July 2022 | 1829* | 1736 (95%) | 93 (5%) | n/a |
| SQE1 | January 2023 | 3031* | 2816 (93%) | 184 (6%) | 8 (<1%) |
| SQE1 | July 2023 | 3475* | 3005 (87%) | 425 (12%) | 31 (1%) |
| SQE1 | January 2024 | 6061 | 5581 (92%) | 441 (7%) | 39 (1%) |
| SQE1 | July 2024 | 5006 | 4168 (83%) | 744 (15%) | 71 (2%) |
| SQE1 | January 2025 | 6782 | 5908 (87%) | TBC | TBC |
| SQE1 | July 2025 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
*Represents the total number of candidates who sat the full SQE1 exam, regardless of whether they took both FLK1 and FLK2, or just one part.
We can also look at the performance of first-time candidates versus those retaking the exam:
| Exam Session | Pass Rate (SQE1 First Attempt) | Pass Rate (SQE1 Overall) |
|---|---|---|
| July 2022 | 55% | 53% |
| January 2023 | 54% | 51% |
| July 2023 | 56% | 53% |
| January 2024 | 59% | 56% |
| July 2024 | 48% | 44% |
| January 2025 | 60% | 56% |
| July 2025 | TBC | TBC |
Key Observations:
1. First-attempt candidates consistently perform better than the overall SQE1 success rate.
2. The difference in performance has increased slightly over time, with first-attempt candidates in July 2024 and January 2025 outperforming the overall SQE1 pass rate by 4 percentage points.
SQE1 Pass Rates by Legal Practice Area
In January 2024, the SRA started sharing numerical passing scores rather than passing percentages for the FLK1 and FLK2 portions of the SQE1 exam. (The passing score for both FLK1 and 2 is now set at 300). See Table 6 below for mean FLK1 scores (starting from 2024) and Table 8 for mean FLK2 scores (from 2024 – present).
Average FLK1 Scores (2021 – 2023)
| Practice Area | Average Score (All Candidates) % | Average Score (for Candidates Who Passed SQE1) % | Average Score (for Candidates Who Failed SQE1) % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | 71.3 | 77.8 | 59.0 |
| Contract Law | 67.8 | 76.2 | 52.0 |
| Legal System | 60.8 | 67.9 | 47.2 |
| Legal Services | 60.7 | 67.0 | 48.9 |
| Tort | 59.8 | 67.1 | 45.9 |
| Dispute Resolution | 54.3 | 61.1 | 41.5 |
| Business Law and Practice | 54.1 | 62.2 | 39.0 |
Mean FLK1 Scores (2024 – present)
| Practice Area | Mean Score (all candidates) | Mean Score (candidates who passed SQE1) | Mean Score (candidates who failed SQE1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | 362 | 397 | 312 |
| Contract Law | 335 | 378 | 271 |
| Legal System | 294 | 336 | 234 |
| Legal Services | 302 | 341 | 246 |
| Tort | 299 | 346 | 230 |
| Dispute Resolution | 278 | 319 | 218 |
| Business Law and Practice | 279 | 325 | 212 |
Average FLK2 Scores (2021 – 2023)
| Practice Area | Average Score (All Candidates) % | Average Score (for Candidates Who Passed SQE1) % | Average Score (for Candidates Who Failed SQE1) % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | 69.9 | 79.6 | 58.4 |
| Criminal Liability | 65.3 | 74.9 | 53.8 |
| Land Law | 58.0 | 69.7 | 43.9 |
| Trust Law | 56.4 | 66.6 | 44.1 |
| Criminal Law and Practice | 54.7 | 63.9 | 43.6 |
| Wills and Intestacy | 53.2 | 63.7 | 40.4 |
| Property Practice | 47.4 | 56.6 | 36.3 |
Mean FLK2 Scores (2024 – present)
Again, since January 2024, the passing score for FLK2 has been set at 300 (out of 500).
| Practice Area | Mean Score (all candidates) | Mean Score (candidates who passed SQE1) | Mean Score (candidates who failed SQE1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics | 354 | 393 | 303 |
| Criminal Liability | 317 | 368 | 253 |
| Land Law | 303 | 358 | 233 |
| Trust Law | 300 | 351 | 235 |
| Criminal Law and Practice | 290 | 338 | 228 |
| Wills and Intestacy | 265 | 314 | 202 |
| Property Practice | 278 | 328 | 216 |
Key Observations:
1. Test takers consistently score highest in the Ethics portion of the exam (for both FLK1 and FLK2).
2. After Ethics and Contract Law, Torts and the Legal Services are strong areas for candidates in FLK1.
3. Aside from Ethics, Criminal Liability and Land Law show higher mean scores than other FLK2 areas.
4. Comparing performance across FLK1 practice areas, candidates consistently perform worse in Business Law and Practice and Dispute Resolution. While Property Practice and Wills and Intestacy are generally the most challenging FLK2 practice areas. (Note: Property Practice was not part of the QLTS’ multiple-choice test. From memory, Land Law was traditionally the area of the QLTS exam with the lowest scores).
5. Regardless of whether they pass or fail SQE1, candidates seem to struggle with the same practice areas (and also perform better in the same areas).
Does Qualification Status Affect SQE1 Pass Rates?
The SRA provides a lot of demographic data in its regular SQE1 Reports. One part of the report compares the performance of qualified lawyers with that of non-qualified candidates:
| Year | Qualification Status | Proportion of Test Takers | SQE1 Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Not Qualified | 75% | 56% |
| 2021 | Qualified | 25% | 48% |
| 2022 | Not Qualified | 65% | 53% |
| 2022 | Qualified | 35% | 53% |
| 2023 | Not Qualified | 65% | 50% |
| 2023 | Qualified | 35% | 56% |
| 2024 | Not Qualified | 69% | 55% |
| 2024 | Qualified | 31% | 49% |
| 2025 | Not Qualified | TBC | TBC |
| 2025 | Qualified | TBC | TBC |
Key Observations:
1. Consistent Majority of Non-Qualified Candidates: Across all reported years (2021-2024), the majority of SQE1 test-takers were candidates who were not already qualified lawyers. This proportion has fluctuated slightly, ranging from 65% to 75%.
2. Initial Higher Pass Rate for Non-Qualified Candidates: In 2021, non-qualified candidates had a significantly higher pass rate (56%) compared to qualified lawyers (48%).
3. Convergence and Shifting SQE1 Pass Rates: Over the subsequent years, the pass rates for both groups converged. By 2022, both groups achieved a 53% pass rate. In 2023, qualified lawyers had a slightly higher pass rate (56%) compared to non-qualified candidates (50%). In 2024, this trend reversed again, with non-qualified candidates having a higher pass rate (55%) than qualified lawyers (49%).
4. Fluctuating Proportions of Qualified Candidates: The proportion of qualified lawyers taking the SQE1 has varied, starting at 25% in 2021, increasing to 35% in 2022 and 2023, and then decreasing slightly to 31% in 2024.
SQE1 Pass Rates: FAQs
Where Can I Find More Detailed Data Regarding Historic SQE1 Pass Rates?
As mentioned, the SRA publishes detailed SQE1 reports after every sitting – and at the end of every year. In these reports you can find many more stats than I’ve included here. For example, the SRA publishes diversity and socio-economic data to help understand how candidates with different characteristics and backgrounds perform in the SQE. Their reports also break down pass rates by demographic characteristics (ie. ethnicity, disability, religion, age, sex, education, etc.).
If you are interested in these additional details check out the SRA’s Full SQE Reports.
How is SQE1 Graded?
If you’d like to get into the nitty gritty, check out these pages on the SRA’s website:
Where Can I Find Resources to Help Me Pass SQE1?
We’ve got you covered! There’s a wealth of information in our archives on SQE materials and mock exams and on how to approach the SQE.
Final Comments on SQE1 Pass Rates
1. SQE1 is Increasingly Popular: The significant increase in candidate numbers suggests growing acceptance and adoption of the SQE route to qualification.
2. SQE1 is Consistently a Challenge: The relatively stable overall pass rates indicate that the SQE1 maintains a consistent level of difficulty, despite the increasing number of candidates.
3. The Pass Rate Gap Between FLK1 and FLK2 is Narrowing: The higher pass rates for FLK1 suggest that candidates seem to find this component slightly easier than FLK2. However, the narrowing gap between FLK1 and FLK2 pass rates might indicate that candidates are adapting their prep strategies.
4. The First Attempt Advantage: The data shows that first-attempt candidates consistently perform better.
5. Certain Subjects Are Consistently Less (or More!) Challenging: Ethics stands out as a high-scoring area across both FLK1 and FLK2. More challenging areas include Business Law and Practice (in FLK1) and Wills and Property Practice (in FLK2).
Lastly, we’ve also written a detailed article on SQE2 Pass Rates. Be sure to check it out as well!
_ _ _
Best,
Lawyer in London