The SQE1 guide
Everything you need to understand SQE1 before you prepare for it — what the exam is, how it is built, how it is scored, and what it takes to pass.
What SQE1 is
SQE1 is the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, the route to becoming a solicitor in England and Wales. It tests your functioning legal knowledge — not by essays, but through single-best-answer multiple-choice questions set at the standard of a day-one newly qualified solicitor. You sit two assessments, FLK1 and FLK2 (Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 and 2).
How it is structured
- 360 questions in total — 180 in FLK1 and 180 in FLK2.
- Single best answer. Each question gives a scenario and five options; one is the single best answer.
- Real pace. Around 1 minute 42 seconds per question, across timed sessions.
- No negative marking. A wrong answer costs nothing more than a blank, so you answer everything.
How it is scored
SQE1 is standard-set: the pass mark is decided for each sitting against a consistent competence standard, so there is no fixed percentage to aim at in advance. That is why practising against the real standard and difficulty matters — you are preparing to clear a bar, not to hit a number. Pass rates have fallen recently, which makes arriving genuinely ready more important than ever (see the SQE1 pass rate).
The subjects you are tested on
FLK1 covers:
- Business Law and Practice
- Dispute Resolution
- Contract
- Tort
- The Legal System of England and Wales
- Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law
- Legal Services
FLK2 covers:
- Property Practice
- Wills and the Administration of Estates
- Solicitors Accounts
- Land Law
- Trusts
- Criminal Law and Practice
Ethics and professional conduct run through both papers rather than sitting as a separate subject — you are expected to spot the professional-conduct issue in any scenario.
For the full topic-by-topic breakdown, see the FLK1 guide, the FLK2 guide, or the complete SQE1 syllabus.
How to prepare so you pass
- Cover everything. The exam draws across all of it, so weak spots anywhere cost you marks.
- Practise at exam pace with single-best-answer questions, not just by reading notes.
- Find your weak areas early and close them, rather than discovering them on the day.
- Know your readiness honestly, and book the exam when the data says you are there.
Common questions
What is SQE1?
SQE1 is the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination — the route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. It tests functioning legal knowledge through single-best-answer multiple-choice questions across two assessments, FLK1 and FLK2.
How many questions are in SQE1?
There are 360 questions in total — 180 in FLK1 and 180 in FLK2. Each is a single-best-answer question with five options, where one option is the best answer.
How is SQE1 scored and what is the pass mark?
SQE1 is standard-set, so the pass mark is decided for each sitting against a consistent competence standard rather than fixed in advance. There is no negative marking, so you should answer every question.
How long do you get per question?
About 1 minute 42 seconds per question. The questions are split across timed sessions, so pacing is part of the challenge — practising at that speed matters as much as knowing the law.
When can you sit SQE1?
SQE1 is offered twice a year, typically in January and July, at test centres in the UK and internationally.
How should you prepare for SQE1?
Cover the whole syllabus across both papers, practise single-best-answer questions at real exam pace, find your weak areas early with honest feedback, and only book the exam when your readiness says you are there.
Exam structure and rules are set by the SRA. See the official SQE site for the definitive assessment specification.