Updated July 2025 – Just as I did for SQE1 performance, I wanted to write about SQE2 pass rates over time… and now that the SQE has been in place for over three years, there is some interesting data available regarding candidates’ SQE2 success rates.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) publishes detailed SQE2 exam reports after every assessment, and at the end of each year. However they don’t (as far as I’m aware) present historical pass rates, etc. in any one document – rather, they publish SQE2 stats on a per-test basis.
I thought it might be useful to amalgamate some of the performance data to illustrate SQE2 pass rates (and more!) over time. So below I’ve shared what I think are the most useful and interesting SQE2 “stats from the past”…
By the Numbers: SQE2 Pass Rates and More
Historical SQE2 Candidate Numbers
The number of candidates sitting SQE2 has grown significantly since the exam was first introduced. The initial sitting in April 2022 included just 726 candidates, whereas – by April 2024 – 2,181 people were writing the exam (the largest cohort to date).
| Exam Session | Total Candidates | 1st Attempt | 2nd Attempt | 3rd Attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | 726 | 726 | 0 | 0 |
| October 2022 | 646 | 600 | 46 | 0 |
| April 2023 | 996 | 924 | 69 | 4 |
| July 2023 | 1,004 | 944 | 56 | 4 |
| October 2023 | 642 | 542 | 90 | 10 |
| January 2024 | 876 | 833 | 41 | 2 |
| April 2024 | 2,181 | 2,097 | 82 | 2 |
| July 2024 | 932 | 860 | 65 | 7 |
| October 2024 | 1044 | 846 | 188 | 10 |
| January 2025 | 1134 | 940 | TBC | TBC |
SQE2 Pass Rates and Passing Scores
As you can see in Chart A and Table 2, pass rates for the SQE2 exam are not static – they fluctuate between sittings.
So far, we’ve seen a high of 81% (in October 2024) and a low of 64% (in October 2023).
| Exam Session | Pass Rate (%) | Passing Score (%) |
|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | 77 | 66.0 |
| October 2022 | 71 | 62.0 |
| April 2023 | 77 | 61.5 |
| July 2023 | 79 | 61.5 |
| October 2023 | 64 | 61.5 |
| January 2024 | 73 | 61.5 |
| April 2024 | 79 | 61.0 |
| July 2024 | 74 | 61.3 |
| October 2024 | 81 | 61.0 |
| January 2025 | 75 | 300* |
*At the end of 2024, the SRA started sharing numerical passing scores, rather than passing percentages for the SQE2. The score required to pass the assessment is now expressed as a scaled score out of 500, and the passing score is always set at 300. For more information see the SQE Marking and Standard Setting Policy.
SQE2 Exam Trends: Some Key Observations
1. The “October Dip” (and “October Bounce Back”): A Trend to Watch? The October 2022 session had a pass rate of 71% (relatively low for SQE2), and October 2023 saw the lowest ever pass rate at 64%. It was beginning to look like there may be seasonal variations in candidate success (with lower pass rates occurring in October sittings). However, just last autumn, the October cohort achieved the highest SQE2 pass rate so far – a strong 81%.
2. Historically Consistent Passing Scores (Until the Scaled Scoring Change. See below). For most of the reported period, the SQE2 passing score remained quite stable – generally requiring candidates to achieve a grade somewhere in the low 60s. This consistency offered a clear target for aspiring candidates. It suggested a well-calibrated standard that, while somewhat challenging, was at least predictable in its numerical requirement.
3. The Shift in Scoring: From Percentage to Scaled Score (January 2025 onwards). As of 2025, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has changed how SQE2 results are reported. Gone are the variable percentage passing scores, and in their place is a fixed, scaled, passing score of 300 (out of a possible 500). This shift aims to ensure greater fairness and consistency across different exam sittings – by accounting for variations in paper difficulty.
The inaugural sitting under the new 300/500 scaled scoring system (in January 2025) registered a solid 75% pass rate. This initial figure provides a baseline for the new era of SQE2 results. While it’s too early to draw definitive conclusions, it does suggest that the shift to scaled scores hasn’t drastically altered the overall pass rate in its debut.
SQE2 Pass Rates by Legal Skill and by Legal Practice Area
| Practice Area | Skill Type | All Candidates | Pass | Fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRIL 2022 SITTING | mean (%) | mean (%) | mean (%) | |
| Business Organisations, Rules and Procedures | Case and Matter Analysis | 78.3 | 83.8 | 59.5 |
| Legal Drafting | 68.0 | 71.8 | 55.2 | |
| Legal Research | 69.7 | 74.3 | 54.5 | |
| Legal Writing | 74.7 | 77.5 | 65.1 | |
| Criminal Litigation | Advocacy | 78.5 | 83.2 | 62.5 |
| Case and Matter Analysis | 68.1 | 74.0 | 48.2 | |
| Legal Drafting | 65.3 | 70.4 | 47.9 | |
| Dispute Resolution | Advocacy | 75.2 | 79.4 | 60.9 |
| Legal Research | 85.0 | 89.6 | 69.4 | |
| Legal Writing | 57.0 | 61.3 | 42.1 | |
| Property Practice | Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis | 71.7 | 74.4 | 62.6 |
| Legal Drafting | 68.2 | 72.6 | 53.1 | |
| Legal Research | 77.2 | 82.0 | 61.1 | |
| Wills and Intestacy | Case and Matter Analysis | 69.5 | 75.7 | 48.3 |
| Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis | 73.2 | 76.9 | 60.5 | |
| Legal Writing | 73.0 | 78.6 | 53.9 | |
| COMBINED OCTOBER 2022 & APRIL 2023 SITTINGS | ||||
| Business Organisations, Rules and Procedures | Case and Matter Analysis | 68.3 | 74.3 | 50.6 |
| Legal Drafting | 65.5 | 70.1 | 52.0 | |
| Legal Research | 66.9 | 72.8 | 49.7 | |
| Legal Writing | 64.9 | 69.1 | 52.9 | |
| Criminal Litigation | Advocacy | 76.9 | 82.1 | 61.7 |
| Case and Matter Analysis | 67.7 | 72.2 | 52.7 | |
| Legal Drafting | 59.8 | 63.6 | 47.0 | |
| Legal Research | 58.0 | 62.7 | 46.6 | |
| Legal Writing | 61.1 | 65.3 | 50.8 | |
| Dispute Resolution | Advocacy | 75.0 | 80.2 | 59.9 |
| Case and Matter Analysis | 59.0 | 65.7 | 42.8 | |
| Legal Drafting | 70.8 | 77.0 | 55.7 | |
| Legal Research | 73.6 | 78.8 | 56.1 | |
| Legal Writing | 63.9 | 69.3 | 45.9 | |
| Property Practice | Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis | 69.5 | 73.0 | 59.4 |
| Legal Drafting | 72.4 | 78.1 | 58.8 | |
| Legal Research | 71.7 | 76.3 | 56.5 | |
| Legal Writing | 59.4 | 67.2 | 40.7 | |
| Wills and Intestacy | Interview and Attendance Note/Legal Analysis | 73.5 | 77.8 | 60.9 |
| Case and Matter Analysis | 70.4 | 74.8 | 55.6 | |
| Legal Drafting | 77.6 | 82.9 | 64.9 | |
| Legal Research | 68.1 | 75.4 | 50.6 | |
| Legal Writing | 64.1 | 68.4 | 49.6 | |
| COMBINED JUL 2023, OCT 2023, JAN 2024, APR 2024 & JUL 2024 SITTINGS | ||||
| Business Organisations, Rules and Procedures | Case and Matter Analysis | 67.4 | 72.7 | 51.1 |
| Legal Drafting | 60.1 | 64.9 | 45.0 | |
| Legal Research | 64.7 | 69.0 | 51.1 | |
| Legal Writing | 64.2 | 69.6 | 47.4 | |
| Criminal Litigation | Advocacy | 76.9 | 81.9 | 61.5 |
| Case and Matter Analysis | 67.7 | 72.0 | 54.2 | |
| Legal Drafting | 63.2 | 66.7 | 52.3 | |
| Legal Research | 66.2 | 71.5 | 49.4 | |
| Legal Writing | 64.0 | 68.6 | 49.3 | |
| Dispute Resolution | Advocacy | 74.2 | 78.9 | 59.8 |
| Case Matter and Analysis | 66.5 | 71.3 | 51.4 | |
| Legal Drafting | 70.8 | 74.6 | 58.8 | |
| Legal Research | 72.9 | 76.7 | 61.2 | |
| Legal Writing | 63.1 | 67.8 | 48.8 | |
| Property Practice | Interview and Attendance Note | 65.8 | 69.3 | 54.9 |
| Case Matter and Analysis | 66.5 | 70.3 | 54.3 | |
| Legal Drafting | 69.2 | 74.7 | 52.0 | |
| Legal Research | 69.6 | 74.2 | 55.6 | |
| Legal Writing | 67.0 | 71.1 | 54.4 | |
| Wills and Intestacy, Probate Administration and Practice | Interview and Attendance Note | 63.3 | 66.7 | 52.9 |
| Case Matter and Analysis | 69.1 | 73.9 | 54.4 | |
| Legal Drafting | 61.8 | 64.2 | 54.6 | |
| Legal Research | 65.5 | 69.8 | 51.7 | |
| Legal Writing | 70.7 | 74.8 | 57.9 |
SQE2 Success Rates by Skill and Subject: Key Observations
Assessment-Specific Insights
1. The “Passing Gap”: A Consistent Divide Between Success and Struggle. This might seem obvious, but the data consistently shows a sizeable performance gap between those who pass SQE2 and those who don’t. Across all legal skills and practice areas, successful candidates demonstrate notably higher average scores.
The takeaway? Aiming for just a pass may not be enough. This isn’t about scraping by, it’s about mastering the skills to a demonstrably higher degree. SQE2 success seems to require a robust understanding and application of legal skills to confidently surpass the minimum threshold.
2. Advocacy and Legal Research: Potential High-Scoring Opportunities? Legal Research often sees some of the highest mean scores for passing candidates (and sometimes for “All Candidates” as well). For example, in April 2022, the Legal Research task for Dispute Resolution had an 85.0% mean for all candidates and 89.6% for passing candidates! Even in later combined sittings, Legal Research consistently shows strong performance for successful sitters.
Meanwhile, the Advocacy assessments show consistently high mean scores for successful candidates. Advocacy scores for passing candidates are generally high across both Criminal Litigation and Dispute Resolution – suggesting it’s a well-developed skill for successful test-takers.
3. Legal Writing & Drafting: Areas with Variability and Room for Improvement for Struggling Candidates. While passing candidates generally do well in Legal Writing and Drafting, the scores for failing candidates can be quite low – leading to a larger “passing gap” in some instances (for example, the average score (%) for those that do not pass Writing and Drafting is usually in the 40s or low 50s). There’s also some variability in “All Candidate” scores across sittings.
Specific Practice Area Insights
1. Wills and Intestacy: Master Drafting (and Watch Your Analysis!) For Wills and Intestacy, the data reveal strong performances in Legal Drafting for successful candidates. However, the Case and Matter Analysis component has, at times, posed a significant hurdle for failing candidates. This could suggest that, while candidates can excel at preparing documents, understanding and applying the law to factual scenarios remains a critical differentiator.
2. Dispute Resolution: Research Strength, but Writing Weakness for Some. Dispute Resolution presents an interesting SQE2 paradox. While candidates who pass demonstrate noteworthy prowess in the Research component, the numbers show a significant struggle for failing candidates in the Legal Writing task. This suggests that understanding the law and finding information is one thing, but articulately and effectively communicating that information in a written format (for dispute scenarios anyway) is where many fall short. It’s an area where a strong research base needs to be matched with equally strong written communication skills.
3. Business Law and Procedures: SQE2’s Toughest Nut to Crack? The data suggest this practice area can be a consistent challenge for many candidates (just as it is for SQE1)! Skills like Legal Drafting and Case and Matter Analysis frequently show lower average scores compared to other subjects (and demonstrate a clear struggle for those who ultimately don’t pass). If you’re preparing for the SQE2, consider dedicating extra attention and targeted practice to Business Law and Procedure to shore up potential weak spots!
4. Property Practice: A Mixed Bag. While strong research skills can certainly propel you in this area, the data indicate that other skills (particularly Legal Writing) can be a major stumbling block for some candidates. (Again, this underscores the need for a balanced approach. Don’t just rely on your knowledge of the law, but ensure you can effectively apply it across all required practical skills).
SQE2 Performances of Qualified Lawyers vs. Non-Qualified Candidates
In this table you can see SQE2 pass rates by qualification status (note that the data is for candidates taking SQE2 as a first attempt only).
| Sitting | Qualification Status | Proportion of Candidates | Mean Score | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Qualified Lawyers | 33% | 70% | 70% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 67% | 73% | 81% | |
| October 2022 | Qualified Lawyers | 54% | 66% | 68% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 46% | 68% | 74% | |
| April 2023 | Qualified Lawyers | 27% | 65% | 69% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 73% | 71% | 85% | |
| July 2023 | Qualified Lawyers | 15% | 65% | 66% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 85% | 71% | 85% | |
| October 2023 | Qualified Lawyers | 34% | 62% | 49% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 66% | 68% | 80% | |
| January 2024 | Qualified Lawyers | 12% | 66% | 71% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 88% | 68% | 77% | |
| April 2024 | Qualified Lawyers | 5% | 63% | 60% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 95% | 68% | 82% | |
| July 2024 | Qualified Lawyers | 10% | 64% | 66% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 90% | 69% | 79% | |
| October 2024 | Qualified Lawyers | 8% | 64% | 70% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 92% | 68% | 84% | |
| January 2025 | Qualified Lawyers | 7% | 319* | 77% |
| Non-Qualified Candidates | 93% | 335* | 77% |
*The score required to pass SQE2 is now expressed as a scaled score out of 500, and the passing score is set at 300. For more information see the SQE Marking and Standard Setting Policy.
SQE2 Success Rates by Qualification Status: Key Observations and Insights
1. The “Non-Qualified” Advantage: Higher Pass Rates and Mean Scores. In almost every single SQE2 sitting, non-qualified candidates have achieved higher pass rates and higher mean scores than qualified lawyers. This isn’t just a slight difference! In some sittings, non-qualified candidates passed at rates over 20 percentage points higher.
2. Declining Proportion of Qualified Lawyers Taking SQE2. The proportion of SQE2 candidates who are qualified lawyers has dramatically decreased over time (from 54% in October 2022 to less than 5% by mid 2024 – early 2025). Non-qualified candidates now represent the vast majority of test-takers (upwards of 90%). Presumably this is because many qualified lawyers are obtaining SQE2 exemptions from the SRA, and no longer having to sit the exam.
SQE2 Exam Statistics: FAQs
Where Can I Find More Detailed Data Regarding Historic SQE2 Pass Rates?
As mentioned, the SRA publishes a detailed report after every SQE2 sitting – and at the end of every year. These reports contain a lot more information than I’ve included in this post. For example, there’s diversity and socio-economic data, to help understand how candidates with different backgrounds perform in SQE2. The SRA’s reports also break down pass rates by demographic characteristics (ie. education, ethnicity, age, sex disability, religion, etc.).
If you are interested in these additional details check out the SRA’s Full SQE Reports.
How is SQE2 Graded?
If you’d like to get granular, you should visit these pages on the SRA’s website:
- Understanding What’s Included in your SQE2 Results
- SQE Results and Resists
- SQE Marking and Standard Setting Policy
Where Can I Find Resources to Help Me Pass SQE2?
There is a lot of helpful SQE2 info in our archives! Check out the Materials & Mock Exams section of our site (to find key resources), and the Approaching the Test section (to see specifics regarding each SQE2 assessment).
The Final Word on SQE2 Pass Rates and the Evolving Landscape
Recent data reveal several interesting insights that candidates may want to consider as they prepare for the second part of the SQE:
1. Mastering the Fundamentals: Skills Dictate Success? (from Table 3). The data seem to show the critical importance of core legal skills. Across all practice areas, passing candidates demonstrably outperform their unsuccessful counterparts. While Legal Research and Advocacy often emerge as strong suits for those who pass, areas like Legal Writing and Drafting (particularly in tough subjects like Business and Disputes) reveal gaps for struggling candidates. This seems to highlight an important SQE2 principle: the exam isn’t just about knowing the law, but competently applying it through practical, client-focused skills. Future test-takers should be advised to identify (and then practice) their weaker skill areas.
2. Strategic Subject Focus: Where One May Want to Prioritise Their Efforts (from Table 3). Performance consistently varies across legal subject areas. While Criminal Litigation and Dispute Resolution often see stronger overall candidate performance (particularly in Advocacy and Research), Business frequently presents a challenge (with generally lower average scores across the assessed skills). Future candidates may therefore wish to strategically allocate their study time – leveraging strengths in some areas while dedicating extra attention to subjects that have historically proven more difficult.
3. The Ascendancy of Non-Qualified Test-takers (from Table 4). Perhaps the most intriguing (and consistent) trend is the superior performance of non-qualified candidates over qualified lawyers in almost every sitting of SQE2. While the precise reasons are multifaceted – and the sample size of qualified candidates is now quite small – this indicates that prior qualification status alone does not guarantee success. Instead, thorough, SQE-specific, preparation – tailored to the exam’s unique practical demands is paramount for all aspiring solicitors, regardless of their background.
_ _ _
Finally, (if stats aren’t your thing) and you’d like to hear some personal stories from people who’ve recently passed – check out this post: How I Did It: Advice from People Who’ve Passed SQE2.
Best,
Lawyer in London