Compulsory assessment fees
The official fee schedule separates assessments up to September 2026 from assessments from September 2026 onward. Fees are VAT exempt. Check the current SRA cost page before booking. For assessments from September 2026, SQE1 is £2,006 in total (£1,003 per FLK), according to that SRA page (checked 30 September 2026).
| Assessment | What the fee covers | Amount | Effective date | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQE1 | Both FLK assessments, assessments from September 2026 | £2,006 | From September 2026 | 30 September 2026 |
| FLK1 | One SQE1 assessment only, including a one-part resit | £1,003 | From September 2026 | 30 September 2026 |
| FLK2 | One SQE1 assessment only, including a one-part resit | £1,003 | From September 2026 | 30 September 2026 |
| SQE2 | Written and oral assessments | £3,086 | From September 2026 | 30 September 2026 |
Normally, FLK1 and FLK2 are booked and paid for together. A candidate resitting only one failed FLK assessment pays the one-part fee. SQE2 written and oral assessments are booked and paid for together.
The September 2026 fee change
Assessments up to September 2026
- SQE1
- £1,934
- SQE2
- £2,974
Assessments from September 2026
- SQE1
- £2,006
- SQE2
- £3,086
The effective date belongs to the fee schedule; it is different from this page’s update date. The fee change was announced in April 2026.
Resit costs
From September 2026, resitting one SQE1 assessment costs £1,003. Resitting both FLK1 and FLK2 costs £2,006. A full SQE2 resit costs £3,086.
These are assessment fees rather than penalties or discounted resit rates. The rules that determine which assessments must be retaken are separate from the price schedule.
If you want to challenge a result, the SRA also lists appeal fees: £350 for a first-stage appeal and £850 for a final appeal, each refunded if the appeal is upheld.
What is VAT-exempt
The SRA states that all SQE assessment fees are VAT exempt, so the £2,006 SQE1 fee and £3,086 SQE2 fee are the full amounts you pay.
That applies to the SRA's fees only. Preparation products are priced by their providers, and some show prices before VAT. For example, Future Solicitor listed its SQE1 plan at £297 a month excluding VAT when we checked. Always check the checkout total.
Illustrative assessment budgets
These examples use only the official assessment-fee inputs above. They are arithmetic illustrations, not quotations and not complete estimates of the cost of qualifying.
One full attempt at SQE1 and SQE2
£5,092
£2,006 + £3,086
One FLK resit
£1,003
In addition to earlier assessment fees
One FLK resit plus full SQE2 resit
£4,089
£1,003 + £3,086
What preparation costs
Books, question banks, courses, tutoring and mock assessments are optional choices. Prices vary widely, so this is a guide to ranges, not a quote. Every figure below was taken from the provider's own site on 30 September 2026. For the full provider-by-provider table, see what SQE1 question banks and mocks cost in 2026.
| Type of preparation | What we found (checked 30 Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| Free material | The SRA publishes 220 SQE1 sample questions. Several providers also offer free questions, trials or free mocks. |
| Books | Revise SQE subject guides are £17 each in print on the publisher's site, or £232.90 for the SQE1 print bundle. Mock-paper books ranged from £18 (Revise SQE, one paper) to £39.99 (Solon Prep, three papers). |
| Standalone question banks | From tens of pounds to a few hundred pounds to cover the January 2027 sitting, depending on whether you pay once, for a fixed term or monthly. |
| Standalone mocks | Roughly £25 to £40 per full paper, based on the prices providers listed. |
| Courses | From £650 (University of Law SQE1 Exam Preparation Course) to £5,900 (BPP SQE1 Preparation) among the courses we checked. |
Most candidates do not need every row. Build your own figure from the current prices of the resources you actually choose, and use free material first to decide what you are missing.
Other qualification costs
To qualify through the SQE you also need two years' full-time (or equivalent) qualifying work experience (QWE). It can be gained in up to four organisations, in paid or volunteer work, and must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice. The SRA's QWE page does not list a fee for confirming it. The real cost of QWE depends on your arrangement, including whether it is paid.
When you apply for admission to the roll of solicitors, the SRA lists:
- an admission fee of £100
- a background screening fee of £34, carried out for the SRA by Atlantic Data
A practising certificate is a separate fee, not covered here.
Travel, accommodation, and rescheduling or cancellation charges may also affect your budget. The SRA's cost page refers to its Assessment Terms and Conditions for cancellation charges.
A worked budget example
This is an illustration only. Change each line to match your own choices.
Assumptions: you are sitting SQE1 in January 2027 for the first time, both FLKs; you already have a law degree and are self-studying; you use the SRA's free sample questions; you buy one set of subject revision guides, one question bank and four full mock papers (two per FLK); travel is not included.
| Item | Cost | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| SQE1 assessment fee (FLK1 and FLK2) | £2,006 | SRA fee from September 2026 |
| SRA sample questions | £0 | Free on the SRA website |
| Subject revision guides | £232.90 | Revise SQE SQE1 print bundle, publisher's site |
| Question bank to January 2027 | £195 | Assumption: a fixed-term plan within the range we found |
| Four full mock papers | £120 | Assumption: £30 a paper, within the £25–£40 range we found |
| Total | £2,553.90 |
If you then had to resit one FLK, add £1,003, for a total of £3,556.90. Going on to sit SQE2 once adds £3,086, and admission adds £100 plus £34 screening.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the SQE exam cost?
For assessments from September 2026, SQE1 costs £2,006 (£1,003 per FLK) and SQE2 costs £3,086, so one attempt at each is £5,092. All fees are VAT exempt.
How much is an SQE1 resit?
£1,003 to resit one FLK, or £2,006 to resit both, for assessments from September 2026.
Can I pay for FLK1 and FLK2 separately?
Normally, no. The SRA says FLK1 and FLK2 are booked at the same sitting and paid for in a single payment. The one-part fee of £1,003 applies when you resit only one FLK.
Does the SRA charge for qualifying work experience?
The SRA's QWE page does not list a fee for confirming QWE. Admission costs £100, plus £34 for background screening.
Plan preparation separately
Use the SQE books guide to separate learning materials from practice and timed rehearsal, or start with 20 free worked questions.
Sources
All checked 30 September 2026.
- SRA, SQE cost.
- SRA, fee announcement (21 April 2026).
- SRA, admission to the roll and related fees.
- SRA, qualifying work experience for candidates.
- SRA, SQE1 sample questions.
- Revise SQE Contract Law 2027.
- Revise SQE FLK1 Practice Assessments 2027.
- University of Law SQE1 Exam Preparation Course.
- BPP SQE1 Preparation.
- Future Solicitor pricing.