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SQE1 Course for Foreign Candidates
Introduction: Language Requirements in SQE
SQE is assessed in English or Welsh, and language competence is a key factor in practicing as a solicitor in England & Wales. For many foreign lawyers, being exempt from SQE2 might seem like achieving half the goal, but even with an exemption they must meet SQE language requirements, especially when it comes to demonstrating English (or Welsh) competence.
There are two main routes to SQE2 exemption for foreign-qualified lawyers: agreed jurisdictions (those jurisdictions whose qualifications the SRA has pre-approved) and individual exemptions, where you apply case-by-case. For more detail, see our article “Can you get a SQE2 exemption? Explore your options” on our SQE blog, and if need help, please complete the SQE Exemptions Form.
General Rules for Proving SQE Language Proficiency
The SQE1 is a single best answer multiple-choice exam. From a language perspective, it primarily tests your reading skills. Speed is crucial: some questions are long and complex, yet you have on average only 1.7 minutes per question.
However, SQE1 does not assess writing, speaking, or listening. The exam is highly accessible — candidates from all over the world can apply, and you don’t need to be a qualified lawyer or even hold a law degree (any degree is sufficient).
To avoid the risk of admitting solicitors who cannot properly communicate in English or Welsh, the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) has introduced language requirements for those who are exempt from SQE2. You will not be admitted to the Roll of Solicitors unless you meet one of the recognised requirements – or can otherwise prove your proficiency. This is vital, because the role of a solicitor in England and Wales demands the ability to speak and write effectively in at least one of these languages. SQE1 alone does not guarantee that.
There is no fixed time when you must provide language evidence – it becomes essential at the stage of applying for admission. We recommend addressing it after you pass SQE1, as some approved tests used for proof have expiry dates. Remember, this is not just about paperwork. Beyond meeting the SQE2 exemptions language requirements, you need genuine, practical language skills. Building those skills takes time, so if you know you need to improve, it’s best to start now.
SQE2 Exemptions for Foreign Lawyers (Agreed & Individual)
If you are exempt from SQE2, you must still demonstrate your English or Welsh language proficiency before being admitted as a solicitor. This requirement exists because SQE1 only tests reading skills through multiple-choice questions and does not assess speaking, listening, or writing.
There are two main ways to provide this evidence:
- Your Legal Qualification
If the professional legal qualification on which your SQE2 exemption is based was taught and assessed in English or Welsh, this can be accepted as proof. - An Approved Language Test: If your qualification was not delivered in English or Welsh, you will need to pass an approved language test at the required level. The accepted tests and minimum scores are:
- IELTS (Academic UKVI): overall 7.5
- Pearson PTE Academic UKVI: overall 78
- Trinity College London (ISE III): (Reading – Distinction; Listening – Distinction; Writing – Distinction; Speaking – Merit).
- LanguageCert Academic SELT: overall score of 80.
All certificates must be issued within the last three years at the time of your admission application.
SRA Clarifications on Language Evidence for SQE2 Exemptions
We asked the SRA for more clarity, and this is what they confirmed. Here are common sub-issues and the SRA’s responses, made universal (for any jurisdiction, agreed or individual exemption):
| Question | Answer / SRA Clarification |
| When the guidance refers to ‘the same qualification you used for your SQE2 exemption,’ does this mean the undergraduate law degree (e.g. an LLB) that underpins the professional legal qualification on which the exemption is based? | Yes. They will need to evidence that the professional legal qualification on which the exemption is based was assessed in English or Welsh. This could be in the form of a degree (for example a bachelor’s degree) and/or assessments, but it may have only been assessments, similar to the SQE. Evidence could include: – A confirmation email directly from the course provider to certificates@sra.org.uk, confirming that the Medium of Instruction and Assessment was in English or Welsh. – A copy of the transcript which confirms that the method of instruction and assessment was in English or Welsh. |
| For clarity, the degree must come from the same jurisdiction on which the SQE2 exemption is based, not from another country. For example, if an advocate obtains an SQE2 exemption based on qualification in Ukraine, the underlying degree must be from Ukraine, not from the UK or any other jurisdiction. | The qualification, for example a bachelor’s degree, does not need to be from the jurisdiction the SQE2 exemption is based. It can be from any country. They must be able to demonstrate the medium of instruction to be English or Welsh in its entirety, and also that it is the qualification that formed the route to being qualified in the jurisdiction the exemption is based. |
| Are we correct in understanding that a degree in English language (or any other unrelated subject) from the same jurisdiction would not be acceptable, if it was not the basis for the professional legal qualification used for the SQE2 exemption? | We would not consider a qualification, for example a bachelor’s degree, that did not form the route to qualifying in the jurisdiction the exemption is based upon. Please note we do not consider a master’s degree, advanced degrees, or work experience as sufficient evidence. |
| In jurisdictions where the professional legal qualification is awarded after passing a local bar exam, would that bar exam need to have been conducted in English for it to be accepted as evidence of language proficiency? | We would expect the professional legal qualification (PLQ) to form the route to qualifying, and the bar exam to be undertaken before admission to the jurisdiction. Evidence would need to be provided that the medium of instruction of the PLQ is English or Welsh. As mentioned previously we would not consider qualifications undertaken post admission, that did not form the route to being qualified. This includes master’s and advanced degrees. |
The SRA has now clarified what exactly counts as valid evidence of English or Welsh proficiency for those who are exempt from SQE2. Their answers make it clear that not every qualification will do — only the professional legal qualification (PLQ) that formed your route to qualification in your home jurisdiction can be used. Let’s break this down with practical examples.
1. Only the Qualification Used for Your SQE2 Exemption Counts
When the guidance refers to “the same qualification you used for your SQE2 exemption,” this does not mean any academic degree. It specifically means the professional legal qualification that was the basis of your exemption.
- Example (Mr A): Mr A obtained his professional qualification as a lawyer in Country X based on a bachelor’s degree in law. That degree was taught and assessed in English. Mr A can use this degree as evidence of language proficiency, because it is the same qualification that led to his SQE2 exemption.
- However, if Mr A also holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the same country, he cannot rely on it, because it did not form part of his route to being admitted as a lawyer.
To prove this, the SRA accepts evidence such as:
- An official transcript stating the medium of instruction and assessment was in English or Welsh, or
- A confirmation email directly from the course provider to the SRA.
2. Master’s Degrees and Post-Qualification Studies Don’t Count
The SRA has confirmed that qualifications gained after admission in your jurisdiction are not acceptable. That includes master’s degrees, advanced diplomas, or other unrelated studies.
- Example (Mrs A): Mrs A qualified as a lawyer in Country Y, where her degree and assessments were in the local language. She later obtained an LLM in the UK, which was taught in English. Even though the LLM was in English, she cannot rely on it for SQE language purposes, because it was not the qualification that formed the route to her being admitted as a lawyer in Country Y.
- Please note: the SRA does not consider a master’s degree, advanced degrees, or work experience as sufficient evidence of English or Welsh proficiency.
3. Bar Exams and Professional Admission Tests
In some jurisdictions, admission as a lawyer requires both a law degree and passing a bar exam. The SRA clarified that only qualifications that formed the route to admission can be accepted, and they must have been taught or assessed in English or Welsh. This means both degrees and bar exams may be acceptable, depending on the circumstances – but only if they were part of the qualifying route.
- Example (Mr B – non-English route): Mr B studied law in Country Z in the local language and then passed the bar exam, also in the local language. He cannot use either as language evidence, because neither was in English or Welsh.
- Example (Mr B – English bar exam): If Mr B’s bar exam had been conducted fully in English, and it was a required step before admission in Country Z, then it might serve as valid evidence.
- Example (Mr B – English degree, non-English bar): Mr B obtained his bachelor’s degree in law in Country A, where the programme was taught and assessed in English. He then used that degree to qualify in Country B, where the bar exam was in the local language. In this case, the English-taught law degree could be accepted as evidence, because it formed part of the route to qualification.
- Example (Mr B – non-English degree, English bar): Alternatively, if Mr B’s bachelor’s law degree was taught in the local language but the bar exam in Country B was conducted fully in English, the bar exam may serve as evidence, provided it was part of the admission process.
Importantly, when the SRA refers to a “degree taught in English,” it means that the modules and assessments must have been conducted in English. Mixed-language degrees, where only a proportion of modules were in English, are unlikely to qualify.
4. Unrelated Degrees Don’t Help
Degrees in unrelated subjects, even if taught in English or Welsh, are not accepted.
- Example (Ms C): Ms C has a bachelor’s in business management taught in English, and separately a professional law degree in her jurisdiction taught in the local language. She cannot rely on the business degree, because it is not the qualification that led to her being admitted as a lawyer.
Finally, note that the SRA assesses each case individually. If your situation is not straightforward, you may need to provide detailed transcripts, official confirmation from your university or bar authority, and possibly write directly to the SRA for clarification before relying on your qualification as language evidence.
To make this more fun — and to demonstrate our approach to MCQs — we’ve drafted a practice question. Let’s see how well you can apply the rules to the facts.
MCQ: Language Requirements for SQE2 Exemptions
Mr B is a qualified lawyer in Country Z. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from Country A, where the entire programme was taught and assessed in English. He then used this degree to register for the bar exam in Country Z. The bar exam in Country Z was conducted entirely in the local language.
Since qualifying, Mr B has completed two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) in Country Z, working mainly in English with international clients. He has also obtained an LLM in England, taught and assessed fully in English.
Mr B has been granted an SQE2 exemption by the SRA.
Which of the following is the strongest evidence he can now use to prove his English language proficiency for admission in England and Wales?
A. His bar exam results from Country Z, even though they were conducted in the local language
B. His bachelor’s degree in law from Country A, taught and assessed fully in English
C. His two years of QWE in Country Z, carried out in English with international clients
D. His master’s degree (LLM) obtained later from a UK university, taught and assessed in English
E. His bachelor’s degree in law from Country A, as it was part of the qualification route to becoming a lawyer in Country Z
Correct Answer: E
A. Incorrect — the bar exam was not in English or Welsh, so it cannot be relied upon.
B. Incorrect — while accurate, it doesn’t capture the key point that the degree must have formed part of the route to qualification. E is therefore the best choice.
C. Incorrect — QWE or professional practice, even when conducted in English, is not accepted as language evidence.
D. Incorrect — master’s degrees and other post-qualification studies are not sufficient, even if taught in English.
E. Correct — the bachelor’s degree in law from Country A, taught and assessed in English, formed part of the route to admission in Country Z and therefore qualifies as valid evidence of English proficiency.
Reservation Notice
We would like to add an important clarification. The SRA’s response indicated that language evidence may come from a degree and/or assessments forming the basis of the professional legal qualification: “This could be in the form of a degree (for example a bachelor’s degree) and/or assessments, but it may have only been assessments, similar to the SQE.”
This means that even if your qualification exam itself was not conducted in English, the fact that your underlying degree was taught and assessed in English could still be accepted. To ensure accuracy, we now seek confirmation on whether our understanding is correct and the MCQ example above reflects this interpretation.
