SQE1 study plan
A good SQE1 plan does three things: covers the whole syllabus, builds the skill the exam actually tests, and tells you when you are ready. Here is a simple, exam-aligned plan you can build backwards from your sitting date.
Start from your exam date
Pick your sitting and work backwards. Map every one of the 13 subject areas across FLK1 and FLK2 onto the weeks you have, so coverage finishes with time to spare for review and mocks. Set a daily target you can genuinely keep — consistency covers the breadth far more reliably than cramming.
The daily rhythm: learn, then test
Each study day, take a topic, learn or revise it, then immediately do single-best-answer questions on it. Recall beats re-reading, and the questions show you whether you actually understood it. Review every wrong answer until you know the rule behind it — that review is where the marks come from.
A weekly shape that works
- Most days: new topic + questions on it, at roughly exam pace.
- One day a week: revisit your weakest topics from earlier — spaced repetition stops them fading.
- Track accuracy by topic and steer your time toward the weak ones, not the comfortable ones.
- Final weeks: full timed mocks as two 90-question sessions a paper, so the clock and the stamina are no surprise.
Know when you are ready
End the plan with a readiness read that weights each area by its share of the paper and is calibrated against real exam difficulty. When your accuracy sits at the competence standard across the whole syllabus, weak areas included, you are ready to book. For the reasoning behind this method, see how to prepare for SQE1 and how long it takes.
Common questions
How do I make an SQE1 study plan?
Work backwards from your sitting date. List all 13 subject areas and schedule them so you cover everything with weeks to spare. For each topic, learn it then test it the same day with questions. Set a steady daily target, review your weak areas weekly, and keep the final few weeks for full timed mocks.
How many questions a day should I do for SQE1?
A consistent daily number you can actually sustain beats occasional big sessions. Many candidates aim for a set block of questions each day, topic by topic, so coverage builds steadily and exam-pace recall becomes second nature. What matters most is reviewing every question you get wrong until you understand the rule.
What does a good SQE1 timetable look like?
A daily learn-then-test rhythm across the syllabus, a weekly review of your weakest topics, and a final block of full timed mocks at exam pace. Coverage first, then depth on weak areas, then mock conditions — paced so you are ready before you book, not cramming at the end.
Can I plan SQE1 revision around a full-time job?
Yes, with a longer runway and a realistic daily target. A modest but consistent daily habit over several months covers the breadth far more reliably than weekend cramming, and it protects the exam-pace stamina you need for two long papers.
More: how to prepare, how long to study, free practice questions, and the full syllabus.
Independent SQE1 preparation for study — not legal or careers advice. The syllabus and standard are set by the SRA; see the official SQE site.