India is one of the largest communities we work with, and for a good reason: Indian lawyers start the SQE with a real advantage that candidates from many other countries do not have. India is a common law country. The instincts you built studying Indian law transfer far more smoothly to English law than they would for, say, a lawyer trained in France or Germany.
Here is the practical route, step by step, without the sales gloss.
Step 1 — Understand what you are signing up for
The SQE has two stages. SQE1 tests functioning legal knowledge through multiple choice; SQE2 tests practical skills like client interviewing and legal drafting. You also need a degree and two years of qualifying work experience. That is the whole shape of it.
Step 2 — Check where you can sit the exams
This matters for Indian candidates and people are not always told it honestly. SQE1 can be sat in India at Pearson VUE test centres in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and others. SQE2, however, is currently only held in the UK, so you should budget for travel and time when you reach that stage. Exact windows and locations are on our SQE exam dates page, which we keep current.
Step 3 — Be realistic about cost
SRA fees are set in pounds, so the exchange rate is part of your planning. On top of the assessment fees you have preparation and, for SQE2, travel. It is a serious investment, but set against the cost and time of relocating to study, the SQE route is remarkably efficient.
Step 4 — Build a plan that fits Indian time zones
Most of our Indian candidates prepare while working. Our free SQE Planner lays out your hours per subject across the weeks to your exam, and our India SQE1 study group runs live sessions at times that work from IST, with mentors who understand both systems. You will also want to get your Qualifying Work Experience logged correctly from day one.
A question worth answering early
Does my Indian law degree count?
Yes, a recognised degree satisfies the degree requirement, and your common law grounding gives you a genuine head start on the reasoning SQE1 rewards. You are not starting over; you are converting.
If you want a straight answer about your specific situation, the fastest route is to join the study group and ask. That is what it is there for.
— Dr Olga Pogrebennyk
Related reading: SQE for French lawyers and the SQE route for Ukrainian lawyers.