SQE LPC Exemption: Should You Choose SQE1 or SQE2 When You’re LPC & Foreign Qualified?

If you’re both an LPC graduate and a foreign-qualified lawyer, you have two potential SQE exemptions:

• Exemption from SQE1 (via LPC), or
• Exemption from SQE2 (via foreign qualification).

The problem is you cannot benefit from both and must choose one of the routes. This article helps you decide. We explore procedure, exam format, risk, cost, pass rates, and career impact. We also highlight the common pitfalls and hidden advantages that candidates often overlook. By the end, you’ll know which route works best for your circumstances — and how we can help you get ready.

Whether you’re LPC or not, our specialised resources are here to guide you every step of the way:
SQE For LPC
SQE2 Training
SQE1 Course for Foreign Candidates
Retake SQE2

Procedural Factors: SQE Exemptions

When deciding whether to apply as an LPC graduate or as a foreign-qualified lawyer for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), understanding the procedural differences between the two routes is essential. Another consideration is the relative difficulty of the SQE exams — which is easier to pass: SQE1 or SQE2? These differences impact your qualification timeline, administrative obligations, and overall strategy for becoming a solicitor in England and Wales.

Route 1: LPC Graduates – SQE1 Exemption, QWE Required

If you hold an LPC (Legal Practice Course) qualification, you are automatically eligible for exemption from SQE1. This is a significant advantage, as SQE1 is known for its intense format: two days of computer-based multiple-choice testing, with limited time per question and high cognitive pressure.

However, this route comes with a strict procedural requirement: you must still complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) — even if you are already a qualified lawyer. And this is not always as straightforward as it sounds.

To qualify via the LPC route, your QWE must be signed off by a solicitor of England and Wales and demonstrate experience in at least two of the SRA’s prescribed competencies. While the good news is that QWE can be obtained abroad, there are some limitations. Most notably, the experience must be gained across no more than four organisations in total.

If you’re unsure how to meet these requirements, we can help. At SUPERexam, we work closely with a network of dual-qualified solicitors in various jurisdictions — many of whom trained and passed the SQE with us. Contact us at info@superexam.uk, and we may be able to connect you with a solicitor familiar with your jurisdiction.

In cases where we cannot assist directly, we may also refer you to trusted third-party providers who offer QWE verification services.

Route 2: Foreign-Qualified Lawyers – SQE2 Exemption, No QWE, But English

If you are a qualified lawyer outside England and Wales, you may apply for exemption from SQE2 based on your professional background and jurisdiction. However, this route is not automatic — and for many jurisdictions, it is not available by default to all, but only to those jurisdictions eligible under the agreed exemptions. If you do not qualify for an agreed exemption, you may still apply for an individual exemption, provided you can demonstrate that you meet the relevant criteria. This, however, introduces an additional procedural hurdle. Applications for agreed exemptions are typically straightforward and rarely require professional assistance. In contrast, individual SQE2 exemption applications tend to be more complex and demand a detailed understanding of the SRA’s assessment framework and documentation standards. If you would like support with this process, we’re happy to help. Simply complete our SQE Exemption Form.

This route is especially appealing because, if the exemption is granted, you are:

• Not required to sit the SQE2 (a performance-based practical assessment),
• Not required to provide any QWE,
• Eligible to proceed directly to admission, once you cleared SQE1 and your character and suitability requirements are confirmed.

However, this route is not automatic for many jurisdictions. The SRA has published a list of jurisdictions where automatic (or “agreed”) SQE2 exemptions apply. These are mostly civil law countries and mainly non-EU members, except Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary. The SQE2 agreed exemptions jurisdictions are such as Bahrain, Brazil, Finland, Indonesia, Isle of Man, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Uzbekistan etc. In most cases, exemptions are granted to advocates – qualified lawyers who are registered on the official roll. Other legal professionals — for example, jurists or notaries — are generally not exempt, although they can apply for individual exemptions.

Nonetheless, a candidate’s employability in the UK legal market remains a highly relevant consideration when applying for SQE2 exemption — and we will discuss this in more detail below.

If you are granted an exemption from SQE2, one crucial step may remain — proving your English language proficiency. To meet this requirement, you have two main options:

• Option 1: Submit evidence that your legal qualification — the one used for your SQE2 exemption — was assessed in English or Welsh.
• Option 2: Take and pass a recognised English language test at the appropriate level.

⚠️ Important: If you choose to rely on your legal qualification as proof of language ability, it must be:

• The same qualification that secured your SQE2 exemption, and
• Officially assessed in English or Welsh.

This requirement ensures that exempted candidates have the necessary language skills to practise law in England and Wales.

Formal Structure and Fees: SQE1 vs SQE2

Beyond exam content and format, SQE1 and SQE2 differ significantly in formal structure, costs, and logistical requirements — all of which can impact your decision on which route to take.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Cost & Locations

SQE2 is considerably more expensive than SQE1. That’s a difference of over £1,000, and the higher cost reflects the in-person, performance-based nature of SQE2, where each task is individually assessed by examiners. But the cost doesn’t stop there. Unlike SQE1, which is widely available globally, SQE2 can only be taken in England. For international candidates or those living abroad, this means additional travel, accommodation, and visa-related costs, potentially adding hundreds or even thousands of pounds to the total.

SQE1 is delivered through Pearson VUE centres and is available in multiple international locations. This makes it far more accessible and budget-friendly for foreign-qualified lawyers, especially those looking to complete the exam without travelling to the UK. You can prepare and sit the exam closer to home, saving on both time and expenses.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Assessment Format

SQE1 is divided into two assessments: FLK1 and FLK2. You must pass both, but they’re marked separately. If you fail one, you can resit only that component — but each resit counts as one of your three attempts. So technically, failing FLK2 three times ends your entire SQE1 eligibility, even if you passed FLK1.

SQE2 is a single assessment across five practice areas, with tasks covering interviews, drafting, advocacy, legal research, and writing. Your performance is assessed as an average — meaning you can still pass even if you underperform in one area, as long as your overall mark meets the threshold. This integrated format offers more flexibility and mirrors real-life solicitor work more closely.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Booking & Timing

SQE1 is offered more frequently (four time per year), and with more available seats globally. Booking is straightforward through the SRA’s website and Pearson VUE.

SQE2, on the other hand, is offered less often (January and July) and has limited capacity, particularly for oral assessments. This means early booking is essential to avoid missing a sitting, and there’s a higher degree of administrative preparation required.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Exam Content & Difficulty

Understanding the content and demands of each exam is critical when deciding which route to take — especially for LPC graduates who are also foreign-qualified lawyers. While both SQE1 and SQE2 form part of the SQE, they are entirely different in their nature, structure, and difficulty.

Both SQE1 and SQE2 Are Legal Marathons

The SQE1 exam assesses a broad base of legal knowledge using multiple-choice questions. It consists of two assessments, FLK1 and FLK2, each testing a wide range of topics across five major practice areas.

Candidates face 360 Single Best Answer MCQs across two long days of testing — 5 hours per day. This totals around 10 hours of screen-based examination. Each question must be completed in about 1.7 minutes, and many of them are embedded in complex fact scenarios, known as “stems”.

These stems can include up to four paragraphs of factual information, which candidates must absorb quickly before selecting the best answer — with each of the five options often spanning two lines. That’s not speculation; this comes directly from actual SQE1 candidates who sat the exam and reported the extreme reading load under time pressure. It’s an extremely demanding format. Even for fluent English speakers, the time constraints pose a major challenge. For foreign lawyers, this becomes even more pronounced. Our internal feedback and survey data confirm that reading speed and mental fatigue are among the top reasons candidates fail SQE1.

SQE2 is also a highly time-constrained exam, structured as a set of practical tasks simulating real-life solicitor duties. Many candidates struggle to complete all parts of their tasks within the allotted time.

However, unlike in SQE1 where an incorrect answer or unfinished question means zero marks, SQE2 still awards partial credit for answers that are accurate and demonstrate strong legal reasoning — even if unfinished. Running out of time in SQE2 is not necessarily fatal.

You are assessed on your legal performance, and if your written or oral submissions include the correct approach and show your competence, you can still pass — even without completing every section of the task.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Broader Syllabus

For those familiar with the QLTS MCT (the SQE1 predecessor): to compound the challenge, SQE1 covers an extended legal syllabus, much broader than SQE2. In total, SQE1 draws from 14 substantive legal subjects, blending both academic and vocational content — making it far more than just an MCQ-based memory test.

By contrast, SQE2 is limited to the same five practice areas: Dispute Resolution, Property Practice, Business Law, Wills and the Administration of Estates, and Criminal Practice. SQE2 exam has a very different format: it focuses on practical, skills-based application. Candidates are assessed 50% on the law and 50% on the skills: on tasks like interviewing, advocacy, legal writing, research, and case and matter analysis. For those with hands-on legal experience, especially in solicitor-like roles, this makes SQE2 more accessible. The familiarity of real-world legal problem-solving — rather than abstract academic theory — can make a big difference in performance. As such, SQE2 may feel more natural to lawyers who’ve already worked in practice, even if outside England and Wales.

SQE1 vs QLTS MCT: MCQ Difficulty

From a difficulty standpoint, SQE1 is markedly more challenging than its predecessor, the QLTS MCT. Question design has grown more complex, often involving long multi-paragraph stems, intricate fact patterns, and fine distinctions between answer choices.

Critically, it is understandable why the SRA increased the difficulty of SQE1. With the introduction of exemptions from SQE2 for many qualified lawyers, including automatic exemptions in some jurisdictions, the regulator appears to have recalibrated SQE1 to serve as a more robust initial filter. Previously, under the QLTS regime, the MCT was more of a gateway to the central and demanding QLTS OSCE (now SQE2). But with a growing number of candidates qualifying without taking SQE2, the SRA has understandably raised the standard of the first exam to ensure that those entering the profession meet a sufficiently high knowledge threshold.

Moreover, this decision seems to respond to broader criticism of multiple-choice testing as a methodology — especially when used for professional qualification. The SRA appears to be relying on complexity, timing pressure, and scenario realism to ensure that SQE1 remains a meaningful and selective stage in the qualification process.

The statistics reflect this shift: when the SQE was introduced, SQE1 pass rates were higher, but they dropped significantly from 2024 onward.

SQE1 vs SQE2: Prestige & Employability

While both SQE1 and SQE2 are essential steps on the route to qualification, they do not carry the same weight in terms of practical demonstration and market perception — especially in the eyes of UK employers.

Let’s be clear: SQE1 tests your legal knowledge, but passing it does not show that you can perform as a solicitor. It’s a theoretical assessment. You answer multiple-choice questions under extreme time pressure, but you’re not required to draft legal documents, conduct interviews, or stand up in advocacy scenarios. As a result, employers have no evidence of your practical readiness.

By contrast, SQE2 is performance-based. It assesses your ability to:

• Conduct realistic client interviews.
• Draft Particulars of Claim, letters of advice, and legal research reports.
• Participate in court hearings via advocacy.
• Analyse case files under time pressure.

It’s the kind of assessment that shows your potential employer: “Yes, this candidate can do the job.” This is why recruiters often see a significant distinction between someone who passed SQE1 and someone who passed SQE2. Knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient.

💬 There’s even a nickname that’s gaining traction in some legal circles: “exempt solicitors” — referring to candidates who obtained an exemption from SQE2, often via their foreign qualification. It reflects the perception that these lawyers may be qualified on paper but lack proof of hands-on, solicitor-level competence. This is not to say they are incapable — many are highly experienced — but in a competitive UK job market, employers value proof over potential. The law firms even ask their trainees who have completed the LPC to sit and pass SQE2, even though they may still qualify via the previous route — the training contract.

This distinction becomes even more pronounced if you are:

• A foreign-qualified lawyer, especially from a civil law jurisdiction and/or
• An LPC graduate with no domestic legal experience in England & Wales

For candidates like you, SQE2 becomes more than just an exam — it’s your portfolio. It demonstrates our ability to perform solicitor-level tasks under pressure, in English, according to the expectations of the SRA. While exemption from SQE2 might seem like a shortcut, it may leave your employability weaker. Without the SQE2 on your record, how will you show a UK employer that you can hit the ground running?

SQE1 vs SQE2: Full Comparison Table