Are University of Law Textbooks Worth It for SQE1? Honest Review 2026

Last updated: April 2026

University of Law (ULaw) publishes a full set of SQE1 study manuals covering every Functioning Legal Knowledge subject. They are comprehensive, exam-focused, and widely recommended by candidates who passed. They are also expensive, running to hundreds of pounds for the full set.

So: should you buy them?

The answer is more specific than most people expect. Not "yes, all of them" and not "no, use something cheaper." The answer is: yes, for specific subjects. Probably not for all fifteen.

Here is what the evidence from self-study candidates actually shows.

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TL;DR

Verdict: ULaw textbooks are excellent, particularly for procedural subjects. Buy them selectively, not as a full set. Get Revise SQE for most subjects and add ULaw for Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice.

Price: Full 15-manual bundle from ULaw eStore (check for 40-50% discount codes)

Best strategy: Revise SQE as the backbone, ULaw for procedural depth

Reading time: 10 min

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What Are the ULaw SQE1 Study Manuals?

University of Law publishes subject-specific study manuals aligned directly to the SRA's SQE1 assessment specifications. They cover all Functioning Legal Knowledge areas for both FLK1 and FLK2:

FLK1 subjects:

• Business Law and Practice
• Contract Law
• Tort Law
• Dispute Resolution
• Legal System and Services (including Ethics)
• Constitutional and Administrative Law

FLK2 subjects:

• Property Law and Practice
• Wills and Administration of Estates
• Criminal Law and Practice
• Trusts
• Solicitors' Accounts

These are available as individual manuals or in bundles. The 15-manual set is the comprehensive option; a separate MA Law bundle is also available.

Each manual includes detailed text, worked examples, case illustrations, and a small number of practice MCQs per chapter.

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Why ULaw Textbooks Get Good Reviews

The consistent feedback from self-study candidates is that ULaw manuals deliver three things well:

1. Depth that matches the actual exam

The SQE1 is application-heavy. The SRA does not test pure recall of rules; it tests whether you can apply those rules to fact patterns. ULaw's approach mirrors this. The manuals work through principles using practical scenarios, which is exactly what the exam requires.

One candidate who passed SQE1 after a resit put it clearly: ULaw had lots of information that Revise SQE did not have, and being able to read about subjects from a different angle was valuable in itself.

2. Particularly strong on procedural subjects

The clearest consensus across self-study communities is that ULaw's strongest manuals are the procedural ones: Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice. These subjects require understanding of how processes work in practice, not just what the law says. ULaw handles this well.

One experienced self-study candidate described supplementing Revise SQE with ULaw specifically for Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice, and noted that this combination also pays dividends in SQE2 preparation, where these subjects appear again in a practical skills context.

3. Exam alignment

The manuals are explicitly designed around SRA assessment specifications. You are not reading a general legal textbook that happens to cover SQE topics; you are reading materials written with the exam structure in mind. The AML and financial services chapters within Legal System, for example, are flagged as particularly important because they are heavily tested, and ULaw treats them accordingly.

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Where ULaw Textbooks Fall Short

Being honest about the weaknesses matters too.

Very few practice questions

Each chapter ends with three MCQs. That is not enough. The SQE1 exam is 180 questions across two papers. Candidates consistently report that ULaw's in-book questions are also easier than exam standard.

Revise SQE books include five MCQs per chapter and the overall difficulty is closer to the real exam. For dedicated MCQ practice, candidates have also used Devil's Advocate, LawDrills, and the Revise SQE 180-question mock exam books. The mock exam books in particular are widely considered the closest simulation of actual exam conditions.

Cost at full price

The full 15-manual bundle is a significant outlay. For self-funders who are already paying SRA exam fees of £4,908, the cost of materials matters.

Mitigation options that candidates use:

• ULaw eStore discount codes (40-50% off appear periodically)
• Second-hand sets on eBay (2023 editions remain largely valid; changes year to year are minor)
• Buying only the specific manuals you need rather than the full bundle

Length can be overwhelming

ULaw manuals are substantially longer than Revise SQE. For subjects where you have a solid foundation, the additional length may not add proportional value. Multiple candidates have noted that using ULaw for every subject would have been overwhelming, and that Revise SQE is a more efficient backbone for most topics.

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ULaw vs Revise SQE: The Practical Split

Based on the consistent pattern in self-study feedback, here is the subject-by-subject picture:

The pattern: Revise SQE as the primary study resource, ULaw for Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice. Selectively add ULaw for tax-heavy sections in Business and Wills.

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What Passed Candidates Actually Did

The clearest evidence comes from candidates who passed SQE1 through self-study.

One candidate with a civil law background (non-common law qualified) passed SQE1 after a resit using Revise SQE as the primary resource for roughly 80-85% of preparation, supplementing with ULaw specifically for Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice. Their retrospective advice: use ULaw for the procedural and practice subjects, because those subjects benefit most from ULaw's depth, and that depth carries over into SQE2 preparation.

Another candidate who passed on the first attempt used Revise SQE throughout and specifically credits the Revise SQE 180-question mock exam books as the resource closest to actual exam conditions.

The common thread: MCQ volume matters as much as textbook quality. Candidates who supplement strong reading materials with high volumes of timed MCQ practice consistently report better outcomes than those who read thoroughly but under-practise questions.

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The Cost Question: How to Buy Smart

If budget is a constraint, which it is for most self-funders, here is the practical approach:

Option 1: Revise SQE primary + selective ULaw

• Buy the Revise SQE FLK1 and FLK2 bundles
• Buy ULaw manuals for Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice individually
• Add the Revise SQE 180-question mock books for each paper
• Estimated spend: significantly less than the full ULaw bundle

Option 2: Full ULaw set (with discount)

• Wait for the 40-50% discount codes on the ULaw eStore
• Or find a 2023 or 2024 second-hand set on eBay (content changes minimally year to year)
• Supplement with high-volume MCQ practice from Devil's Advocate or LawDrills regardless

Option 3: Revise SQE only

• Entirely viable for passing SQE1
• Weakness: thinner on procedural subjects, less depth for Criminal Litigation and Property
• Compensate with more MCQ practice volume

What is not recommended: Law Concentrate or Law Express books as primary SQE1 resources. These are designed for undergraduate study and are not calibrated to the SQE1 exam format or difficulty. They are too academic, not practice-focused, and will consume time without proportional benefit.

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The Verdict

Are ULaw textbooks worth it for SQE1?

Yes, selectively. For Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, and Property Practice specifically, ULaw textbooks earn the strong reviews they consistently receive. The depth of procedural coverage is genuinely better than alternatives, and that depth is directly relevant to the exam.

For subjects like Contract Law, Tort Law, and Solicitors' Accounts, Revise SQE is excellent and the ULaw premium is harder to justify.

Buy the full 15-manual bundle only if you can get a meaningful discount, or buy second-hand. At full price, a selective approach to buying specific ULaw manuals is the better use of money.

Whatever textbooks you use: supplement with a high volume of MCQ practice. The books teach the law. The MCQs train you to apply it under exam conditions. You need both.

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Quick Reference

Best for procedural depth: ULaw (Dispute Resolution, Criminal Litigation, Property Practice)

Best as a primary backbone: Revise SQE (more MCQs per chapter, exam-focused, more affordable)

Best for MCQ practice: Revise SQE 180-question mock books, Devil's Advocate, LawDrills

Avoid as primary SQE1 resource: Law Concentrate, Law Express (too academic, wrong calibration)

Where to find ULaw at lower cost: ULaw eStore with discount codes (40-50% off periodically), eBay (second-hand 2023/2024 editions)

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What to Read Next

SQE Self-Study Complete Guide 2026 → The full strategy for passing SQE1 without a course: resources, schedule, MCQ targets, and realistic expectations.

Compare All SQE Providers → If you are weighing textbook self-study against a full prep course, here is the side-by-side cost and pass rate comparison.

Calculate Your Total SQE Cost → Model your exact spend: course or textbooks, exam fees, resit scenarios.