SQE2: 16 stations. 12 written, 4 oral. One pass mark.

The 12 written stations run over 3 consecutive half-days at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and internationally, 4 a day. The 4 oral stations run over 2 consecutive half-days at an oral centre in London, Manchester, Birmingham or Cardiff. The written and oral assessments must be completed in the same assessment window.

There is no separate negotiation station, but at least one station in every sitting involves negotiation. For every station except legal research you are given the materials a newly qualified solicitor would look up, for example the Standard Conditions of Sale.

Source: SRA, Assessments in SQE2. Checked 5 Sept 2026.

Not examined in SQE2: The Legal System of England and Wales (including constitutional and administrative law and EU law); Legal Services, apart from money laundering and financial services; Solicitors Accounts. Ethics and professional conduct issues are never flagged: you have to spot them.

Source: SRA, SQE2 Assessment Specification. Checked 5 Sept 2026.

Interviews are marked by the trained actor playing the client, on skills only. Everything else is marked by a solicitor qualified in England and Wales.

• A5 marks. Superior performance: well above the competency requirements.
• B4 marks. Clearly satisfactory: clearly meets the competency requirements.
• C3 marks. Marginal pass: on balance, just meets the competency requirements.
• D2 marks. Marginal fail: on balance, just fails to meet the competency requirements.
• E1 marks. Clearly unsatisfactory: clearly does not meet the competency requirements.
• F0 marks. Poor performance: well below the competency requirements.

Skills marks and law marks are averaged separately, combined with equal weight for each station, and the 16 station percentages are averaged. There is one pass mark for the whole of SQE2, reported on a 0 to 500 scale with the pass at 300. Borderline regression sets the cut score, adjusted for standard error, then scaled so the pass is 300.

From 1 September 2026, identifying and resolving ethical and professional conduct issues is graded as its own law criterion at every station. There is no spell check in the written assessments. A spell check tool is being trialled from the July 2026 sitting. Minor spelling and grammar errors are not penalised unless they affect legal accuracy or clarity. Formatting is not marked.

Source: SRA, SQE2 results and marking. Checked 5 Sept 2026.

Source: SRA statistical reports. SQE2 April 2026 report published 27 August 2026. Checked 5 Sept 2026.

• SQE2 January 2027

  • Oral (two sittings): 26 to 29 Jan 2027
  • Written: 2 to 4 Feb 2027

  Law cut-off 26 September 2026.

• SQE2 April 2027

  • Written (first sitting): 20 to 22 Apr 2027
  • Oral (first and second sittings): 26 to 29 Apr 2027
  • Written (second sitting): 4 to 6 May 2027
  • Oral (third and fourth sittings): 11 to 14 May 2027

  Law cut-off 20 December 2026.

• SQE2 July 2027

  • Oral (two sittings): 27 to 30 Jul 2027
  • Written: 3 to 5 Aug 2027

  Law cut-off 27 March 2027.

• Written practice for all four skills, timed to the real station clock: 30 minutes for writing, 45 for drafting, 60 for research and for case and matter analysis.
• A partner's email brief, attachments and sources, exactly as the stations present them.
• Model answers and tickable marking points, and every gap SQEEZED into your Weakness Bank.