SQE1 Pass Rate Falls to 42% in July 2026 Sitting

Fewer than half of candidates passed the July 2026 SQE1, down from 53% in January

Only 42% of candidates passed the July 2026 sitting of the first part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1). The figure comes from the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) post-assessment statistical report, published on 29 September.

The rate covers all candidates who sat both papers, including those re-sitting both. It is 11 percentage points lower than January's 53%. It is only one point above the record low of 41% set in July 2025.

Candidates sitting for the first time did better, with 47% passing. That is slightly up from 46% in July 2025, but well below the 58% of first-time candidates who passed in January.

Six sittings at a glance

The figures show a clear seasonal pattern. Every January sitting since 2024 has had a pass rate of 53% or more for all candidates, while every July sitting has been 44% or lower.

Results by paper

To pass SQE1, candidates must pass both Functioning Legal Knowledge papers, FLK1 and FLK2. In July, the all-candidate pass rate was 50% for each paper. First-time candidates passed at 54% on FLK1 and 52% on FLK2. Because some candidates passed one paper but not the other, the overall pass rate was lower than either paper's.

FLK1

FLK2

A record share of re-sitters

The SRA said July cohorts consistently include more re-sitters than January cohorts, and that this was especially true in 2026. Re-sitters made up 23.4% of FLK1 candidates and 27.8% of FLK2 candidates, the highest proportions recorded for any SQE1 sitting.

The SRA added that re-sitters have lower pass rates than first-time candidates. It said this applies to both SQE1 and SQE2 and is also seen in other professional exams.

How the pass mark is set

The SRA repeated that SQE1 has no pre-set pass mark, and that the standard candidates must meet is the same at every sitting. Each paper's pass mark is set separately. All papers are meant to be equally difficult, but if there is evidence that a paper was slightly harder than others, its pass mark is set slightly lower.

Changes on the way

The results come shortly after the SRA announced small changes to the exam. These include cutting the number of SQE1 questions, after candidates complained that the exam felt "rushed". See what changes from January 2027.

The changes have had a mixed reception. Some candidates say giving more time per question deals directly with the time pressure. Others say the wider problems remain: the cost of nearly £5,000 for both SQE stages before preparation courses, the lack of official past papers, and reports of inconsistent conditions between test centres.

For every sitting since 2021, see our full SQE pass rate analysis.

Source: SRA, July 2026 SQE1 Statistical Report.

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