How much does the SQE cost in 2026?

If you're asking how much the SQE costs, the short answer is that it depends on when you sit it. Right now, the combined SQE1 and SQE2 assessment fees total £4,908. From September 2026, that rises to £5,092. That's before you've spent anything on preparation.

This isn't a minor technicality. If your timeline is flexible at all, the date you book against changes your bill by real money. Here's the full breakdown: what the SRA charges, what's changing, and what else actually shows up on your total cost of qualifying.

The September 2026 fee rise

The Solicitors Regulation Authority sets SQE fees directly, and they're going up. As things stand up to August 2026:

• SQE1 costs £1,934 in total (split into two payments of £967 for FLK1 and FLK2, booked together)
• SQE2 costs £2,974
• Combined total: £4,908

From September 2026, the new fees are:

• SQE1: £2,006 (£1,003 per FLK paper)
• SQE2: £3,086
• Combined total: £5,092

That's an increase of roughly 3.7%. The SRA has attributed the rise to inflation and the cost of translating assessments into Welsh. It's not a huge jump in percentage terms, but on an exam that already costs thousands of pounds, £184 is £184.

The practical takeaway: if you're weighing up whether to book a sitting before or after the cutoff and your circumstances allow either, booking under the current fee structure is the cheaper option. That only matters if you're actually ready to sit, of course. Booking early to save £184 and then sitting underprepared is a false economy. But if your prep is on track and your timing is genuinely flexible, it's worth knowing the numbers before you decide.

Always check the SRA's own cost page before you book, since fees are set by the regulator and can be revised again.

Why the two exams cost different amounts

SQE1 and SQE2 aren't priced the same because they aren't built the same. SQE1 is 360 multiple-choice questions sat over two days, marked by machine. SQE2 is a set of practical skills stations, oral and written, assessed by trained examiners across roughly five half-days. The examiner time and logistics behind SQE2 are a large part of why it costs over £1,000 more than SQE1.

Both fees are for the assessment itself. Neither includes any preparation, and neither includes travel, accommodation, or lost income while you study or sit the exam. Those come separately, and they add up.

What resits cost

Resits aren't discounted. If you need to resit, you pay the same fee as your first attempt at that stage. There is one piece of good news for SQE1 specifically: the exam is split into two separately-payable FLK papers, so if you only need to resit one of them, you're not paying for both again. SQE2 doesn't split the same way, so a resit there means the full £3,086 fee (from September 2026) again.

This is worth budgeting for from the start rather than treating it as a nasty surprise. A resit fund, even a modest one set aside before your first sitting, takes the sting out of a result that doesn't go your way.

The full cost picture, beyond the SRA fee

The assessment fee is the number everyone quotes, but it's rarely the number people actually spend. A realistic total cost of qualifying includes:

1. SQE1 and SQE2 assessment fees: £5,092 combined from September 2026 (£4,908 before)
2. Preparation, ranging from largely free (self-study using the SRA's published specifications and low-cost question banks) to well into five figures for a full-time structured course with tutoring and mocks
3. Travel and accommodation for exam days, especially if your nearest Pearson VUE centre isn't local
4. Time off work or lost income while revising and sitting, particularly for SQE2's multi-day format
5. A resit contingency, ideally budgeted for even if you never need it

Preparation costs vary the most and are the hardest to pin down, because they depend entirely on the route you choose. Structured full-time courses from established providers can run into the thousands, sometimes rivaling or exceeding the assessment fees themselves. Self-directed study using free SRA materials, past-style questions, and a disciplined revision plan can cost a fraction of that, mostly your own time. Most candidates land somewhere in between, mixing paid resources with self-structured revision.

We've broken down the full range of prep costs and funding routes, including firm sponsorship and apprenticeship funding, in what the SQE actually costs.

Does booking before September 2026 actually make sense for you?

It depends on your readiness, not just the calendar. A few honest scenarios:

• You're on track and have a choice of sitting dates. Booking before the fee rise saves you money with no downside, assuming you're genuinely prepared either way.
• You'd need to rush your prep to hit an earlier date. Don't. An extra £184 is much cheaper than a failed sitting and a resit fee on top of it. Pass rates matter more to your total cost than a fee increase does; our piece on cohort pass rates is worth reading if you're unsure how much runway you actually need.
• You're still deciding when to start. Work backwards from a realistic exam date using the 2026-27 sitting calendar, then see which side of September that lands on. A free SQE study planner can help you map preparation time against booking deadlines so the fee date becomes one input among several, not the only one driving your decision.

Ways to bring the total down

The SRA fee itself isn't negotiable, but the rest of your spend often is:

• Ask about firm or training contract sponsorship early. Many firms cover exam fees, and some fund a full prep course, but terms vary a lot, so get commitments in writing rather than assuming.
• Look into solicitor apprenticeships, which fund SQE fees and prep through the Apprenticeship Levy while you earn a salary. Eligibility rules for Level 7 apprenticeship funding tightened from January 2026, so check current criteria directly with the SRA before assuming you qualify.
• Use free and low-cost resources for the bulk of your revision, saving paid materials or tutoring for the areas you're genuinely weak on rather than a blanket course covering everything.
• Space SQE1 and SQE2 apart if you're self-funding, giving yourself paid working time in between to save towards the second set of fees.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the SQE cost in total?

From September 2026, SQE1 and SQE2 assessment fees combined come to £5,092 (up from £4,908). That's the SRA's charge for sitting both exams once each. It doesn't include preparation, travel, or time off, which can add anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand pounds depending on your route.

Why are SQE fees increasing in September 2026?

The SRA has attributed the roughly 3.7% rise to inflation and the cost of translating assessments into Welsh. The increase applies to both SQE1 and SQE2. Always check the SRA's cost page for the current figures, since regulator-set fees can change again.

Is SQE2 more expensive than SQE1?

Yes. SQE2 costs £2,974 currently (rising to £3,086 from September 2026), compared with £1,934 for SQE1 (rising to £2,006). SQE2's higher cost reflects the examiner-marked skills assessments it involves, compared with SQE1's machine-marked multiple-choice format.

Do I have to pay full price again if I resit?

Yes, resits cost the same as a first attempt. The one exception is that SQE1's two FLK papers can be paid and resat separately, so failing only one doesn't mean paying for both again. SQE2 doesn't split the same way, so a resit there is the full fee.

Can I get help paying for the SQE?

Possibly. Training contract or graduate scheme sponsorship from a law firm is common, and solicitor apprenticeships fund both fees and prep through the Apprenticeship Levy. Some course providers also run their own bursaries or scholarships. None of these are guaranteed, so it's worth asking directly and getting terms confirmed before you rely on them.