SQE1 July 2026 Results: Pass Rates, Score Breakdown and What to Do Next
SQE1 July 2026 Results: Pass Rates, Score Breakdown and What to Do Next
Results are out. SQE1 July 2026 results landed in candidate inboxes on 8 September 2026. Whether you passed or failed, this page covers exactly what your score means and what to do next.
The SRA's official statistical report — with the overall pass rate, FLK1 and FLK2 breakdowns, and demographic data — is published several months after results day. This page will be updated with confirmed figures when that report is released.
Help us build the picture in the meantime. Every candidate who shares their result makes the dataset more useful for future sitters.
Add your result to our survey →
What Was in Your Results Email
Your results come from Kaplan, the organisation that administers SQE1 on behalf of the SRA. The email goes to the address you registered with.
It contains:
- A pass or fail for FLK1 and FLK2 separately
- Your numerical score for each paper as a percentage
- If you failed, access to further detail through the Kaplan candidate portal
You do not receive a topic-level breakdown. The result is pass or fail per paper, plus your overall score.
If you passed one paper and failed the other, your pass carries forward with no expiry under current SRA rules. You only need to resit the paper you failed.
Didn't receive an email? Check your spam folder before contacting Kaplan. Results are not posted to any public portal — they are sent individually to your registered address only.
How to Read Your FLK1 and FLK2 Scores
Each paper is 180 questions. Your score is the percentage you answered correctly.
The pass mark is not published in advance. The SRA sets it after each sitting using a standard-setting process based on the difficulty of that particular paper. Historically the pass mark has sat between 56 and 57 percent — roughly 100 to 103 correct answers out of 180.
| Your score | What it likely means |
|---|---|
| 60%+ | Solid pass in most sittings |
| 57–59% | Pass, possibly close to the boundary |
| 54–56% | Could be a narrow fail depending on where the mark was set |
| Below 54% | Fail — gap to close for January resit |
This matters for how you interpret a borderline result. A score of 54% in a sitting where the pass mark was set at 56% is a two-point fail — two or three questions. A score of 60% in an unusually difficult sitting might be closer to the median pass. The SRA does not publish the exact pass mark alongside individual results.
Historical SQE1 Pass Rates: The July Pattern
July sittings have consistently underperformed January sittings by 10 to 15 percentage points in every year since the exam launched.
| Sitting | Overall pass rate | First-attempt | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 53% | 58% | 7,863 |
| July 2025 | 41% | n/a | 5,851 |
| January 2025 | 56% | n/a | 4,200 |
| July 2024 | 44% | n/a | 5,500 |
| January 2024 | 56% | n/a | 4,000 |
Source: SRA statistical reports. Full data at SQE pass rates.
July 2025 at 41% was the lowest pass rate on record. July 2026 will follow this pattern in some direction — the official figure comes with the SRA's statistical report in a few months. Based on the historical July range of 41–44%, a similar band is the most likely outcome, though the retaker mix from January 2026 creates some upward pressure.
We are collecting July 2026 self-reported data right now. If you sat and want to see how your result compares to the cohort in real time, share your result in the survey. We will publish the aggregated data as soon as we have a meaningful sample.
If You Passed
Congratulations. Here is the immediate sequence.
Register for SQE2 — registration is open now
SQE2 January 2027 registration opened today, 8 September 2026. The sitting runs 11–22 January 2027. The fee is £3,086. Registration closes 20 November 2026.
Do not leave this late. The window closes and there are no extensions.
Understand what SQE2 actually tests
SQE1 and SQE2 are fundamentally different assessments. SQE1 is a multiple-choice knowledge exam. SQE2 is a practical skills assessment: 16 stations across client interviewing, advocacy, case analysis, legal research, drafting, and legal writing, taken over several sittings.
The skills tested in SQE2 are not a continuation of SQE1 revision. Candidates who prepare for it like an exam consistently underperform. The April 2026 SQE2 sitting produced a record 85% first-attempt pass rate — driven by candidates who specifically practised the format under timed conditions.
Start your SQE2 timetable today
You have approximately 18 weeks between today and the January 2027 SQE2 exam window. Build your plan now.
Build your day-by-day SQE plan in 60 seconds
Most revision plans fail because they ignore your actual life. Enter your exam date and real available hours — get a plan that works.
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Your plan
Check your qualifying work experience
You need two years of QWE before admission as a solicitor. It can run concurrently with SQE2 preparation. If it is not yet complete, map out when it will be and whether it aligns with your planned SQE2 sitting.
If You Failed
A fail on SQE1 is more common than a pass. Across every July sitting on record, more than half of candidates have not passed. It does not mean you cannot become a solicitor. It means you need a different preparation approach.
The January 2027 resit — register today
Registration for the January 2027 resit is open now and closes 20 November 2026. The exam runs 11–22 January 2027.
Resit fees:
- Both papers: £2,006
- Single paper (if you passed one): £1,003
Register promptly. Early registration helps with the psychology of commitment and gives you a clear endpoint to plan backwards from.
Diagnose before you plan
The most expensive mistake resitters make is returning to the same preparation approach. Second-attempt pass rates have historically been around 10%. Repeating what failed does not work.
Work through these questions honestly before building a resit plan:
Did you run out of time? SQE1 is 180 questions in 180 minutes. Time management is a separate skill from legal knowledge and must be practised under exam conditions from the start — not just in final mock sessions.
Which topics cost you marks? Without topic-level data in your results, go back through your mock scores. Solicitors Accounts has been the highest-failure topic in every sitting the SRA has reported on. Wills, Trusts, and Land Law catch candidates who covered them lightly during prior study.
How many practice MCQs did you complete? Candidates who complete 2,000 to 4,000 questions across the full syllabus pass at significantly higher rates than those who complete fewer. If you did fewer than 1,500, volume is likely a factor.
Did you treat it like a law exam? Reading and understanding legal principles is not sufficient preparation for selecting the single best answer under time pressure across 180 questions. That is a specific skill built through practice, not content study.
Build a different plan for January 2027
You have 18 weeks from today to the January 2027 exam window. Use the timetable tool to build a structured plan around your availability.
Key principles: start MCQ practice from day one, weight your time toward weak subjects, use spaced repetition, and run at least three full-paper timed mocks in the final four weeks.
Share Your Result — Help the Whole Cohort
The SRA will publish the official pass rate in a few months. In the meantime, the only way to build a real-time picture of how this sitting went is from candidates themselves.
Whether you passed or failed — whether you scored 65% or 45% — your result is valuable data. It tells us which preparation approaches are working, which topics are costing the most marks, and how July 2026 compares to prior sittings.
No sign-up required. Completely anonymous if you prefer. We will publish the aggregated results as soon as we have a meaningful sample size.
Key Dates from Today
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| SQE1 July 2026 results | 8 September 2026 (today) |
| SQE1 January 2027 registration opens | 8 September 2026 (today) |
| SQE2 January 2027 registration opens | 8 September 2026 (today) |
| Registration closes (both) | 20 November 2026 |
| SQE1 January 2027 exam window | 11–22 January 2027 |
| SQE1 January 2027 results | 8 March 2027 |
Related:
Key takeaway
Results are out. The pass mark historically sits at 56–57% (100–103 correct from 180). If you passed, SQE2 registration opened today. If you failed, January 2027 registration is also open now.
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Written by The Qualified Path Team
The Qualified Path team is dedicated to providing accurate, up-to-date guidance for aspiring solicitors. Our content is thoroughly researched and regularly updated to reflect the latest SRA requirements and best practices.
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