SQE1 dates 2026 and 2027
SQE1 runs twice a year, in January and July, with FLK1 and FLK2 sat about a week apart. Knowing your sitting early lets you plan revision backwards and book a test centre before it fills. Here are the confirmed windows and how to plan around them — confirm the exact day on the official SQE site before you commit.
Updated July 2026, from the SRA assessment-dates page.
Upcoming SQE1 sittings
| Sitting | FLK1 | FLK2 | Booking closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 13–17 July 2026 | 20–24 July 2026 | 28 May 2026 (closed) |
| January 2027 | 11–15 January 2027 | 18–22 January 2027 | ~early December 2026 (confirm with SRA) |
| July 2027 | 12–16 July 2027 | 19–23 July 2027 | TBC (check SRA) |
SQE1 is two papers — FLK1 and FLK2 — each sat as two 90-question sessions at real exam pace. Assessments run at Pearson VUE centres in the UK and internationally, so availability varies by location: another reason to book as soon as your window opens.
Booking windows and deadlines
Registration for a sitting usually closes about five weeks before it starts, and demand for popular centres peaks well before that. Treat the deadline as a hard constraint: miss it and the next chance is six months away. The SRA publishes confirmed dates and booking windows on the official site.
Aiming for January 2027? Plan backwards from 11 January
If January 2027 is your sitting, the work starts in the autumn, not in the new year. Counting back from an 11–22 January exam, a steady daily habit through October to December covers the whole syllabus with time to spare, leaving the final two or three weeks for full timed mocks and drilling your weak areas. The first move is the cheapest and most useful: find your baseline, so your months are spent on the topics that actually cost you marks rather than the ones you already know. See how to prepare and a study plan.
Already sat the July 2026 papers? Results come out on 8 September 2026 — here’s what arrives on results day and what to do while you wait.
Try a real SQE1 question
Straight from the bank. Answer it, then see the worked reasoning and the tutor — no signup to try.
A doctor negligently prescribes a drug to a patient, causing the patient to be admitted to hospital with internal bleeding. While in hospital and recovering well, the patient is treated by a second doctor who, acting in a way that no competent doctor could possibly justify, administers a grossly excessive and plainly contraindicated dose of an unrelated medication. That second act causes a fresh and serious injury — kidney failure — which was wholly unconnected with the original bleeding and would not otherwise have occurred. The patient sues the first doctor in respect of the kidney failure.
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Common questions
When is the next SQE1 sitting?
The July 2026 sitting is FLK1 on 13–17 July and FLK2 on 20–24 July 2026. The next after that is January 2027: FLK1 on 11–15 January and FLK2 on 18–22 January 2027. July 2027 is now confirmed as FLK1 on 12–16 July and FLK2 on 19–23 July 2027. SQE1 runs twice a year, in January and July, at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and internationally. Always confirm the exact day on the official SQE site before you plan.
When does SQE1 booking close?
Registration for a sitting typically closes around five weeks before it begins. Booking for July 2026 closed on 28 May 2026. The January 2027 booking deadline falls around early December 2026 — the SRA confirms the exact date on the official site, so check it as your window approaches and book early, because popular test centres fill first.
I want to sit in January 2027 — when should I start?
Now. Working backwards from an 11–22 January 2027 sitting, a steady daily habit from the autumn lets you cover the whole syllabus with the final few weeks left for full timed mocks and weak-area drilling. The first step is finding your baseline, so you know which areas to spend your months on.
How far ahead should I book SQE1?
Book once you have a realistic plan to be ready by that sitting, and early enough to get your preferred test centre. Plan your revision backwards from the date so the last weeks are for mocks and drilling, not first-time learning.
Independent SQE1 preparation for study — not legal or careers advice. Dates and booking windows are set by the SRA and can change; always confirm on the official SQE assessment dates page before booking.