SQE exemptions: who actually qualifies?

If you've already qualified as a lawyer somewhere else, sitting the full SQE from scratch can feel like being made to redo work you've already done. Exemptions exist for exactly this situation. They are not automatic, they are not for everyone, and they don't cover the whole exam. Here's what they actually are and who tends to get one.

What an SQE exemption actually does

An exemption lets you skip a specific part of the SQE assessment because you can show equivalent knowledge or experience elsewhere. It doesn't hand you a qualification. You still need to pass whatever parts remain, still need qualifying work experience (QWE) unless you're separately exempt from that too, and still need to apply for admission once everything is complete.

Exemptions can apply to:

• FLK1 or FLK2 (the two SQE1 papers)
• The whole of SQE1
• SQE2

They're assessed individually by the SRA, not as a package. Passing one part of a foreign qualification doesn't automatically mean every corresponding SQE component gets waived.

Who can actually apply

Exemptions are aimed almost entirely at people who already hold a legal qualification or have relevant legal experience from elsewhere, most commonly:

• Qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions (solicitors, barristers, attorneys, or equivalent titles depending on the country)
• Chartered legal executives (CILEX) in some circumstances
• Candidates who previously passed assessments under the old Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS)
• People with a relevant academic or professional background the SRA judges equivalent to part of the SQE

There's no blanket rule that says "if you're a foreign-qualified lawyer, you're automatically exempt from X." Each application is assessed on its own facts: which jurisdiction you qualified in, what your original assessment actually covered, and how it lines up against the SQE's own content and standards.

QLTS passes don't carry over automatically

This is the part that catches people out. If you sat and passed assessments under the old QLTS route before it closed, that pass doesn't just transfer into an SQE exemption by default. You have to apply for it.

The QLTS Multiple Choice Test (MCT) is the old assessment that mapped most closely onto what SQE1 now tests, but a pass on its own isn't treated as equivalent to SQE1 and doesn't transfer across automatically. What it can do is form part of the evidence in an individual SQE1 exemption application: you'd still need to show your other qualifications and experience cover the full range of what FLK1 and FLK2 test. The SRA advises contacting them before applying so they can confirm what else you'd need to provide.

It's also worth being realistic about the odds. SQE1 exemptions are granted only in exceptional cases, and reporting on the scheme suggests very few individual applications have succeeded since exemptions were introduced in 2021. Most foreign-qualified lawyers, including former QLTS candidates, still end up sitting SQE1. Don't assume a historic MCT pass is doing meaningful work for you until the SRA has confirmed an exemption in writing, and don't bank on one being granted.

How the application process works

Exemption applications go through the SRA directly, separate from booking an actual SQE sitting. Broadly, you'll need to:

1. Identify exactly which part of the SQE you're asking to be exempted from (a specific FLK paper, all of SQE1, or SQE2).
2. Gather evidence: your qualification certificates, transcripts, details of the assessment you passed, and anything showing what it covered.
3. Submit the application through the SRA's process and pay any applicable fee.
4. Wait for a decision before booking the exam you believe you no longer need.

Timing matters here. Don't book and pay for a sitting you're hoping to be exempted from until the SRA has actually confirmed the exemption. Assessment fees aren't small (see our breakdown of what the SQE costs), and an unconfirmed assumption is an expensive one to get wrong.

Because processing an exemption request takes time, build it into your planning early rather than as an afterthought a few weeks before a booking window closes. Our free SQE study planner can help you map an exemption decision against upcoming SQE dates so you're not left scrambling either way.

What exemptions don't cover

A few things worth being clear-eyed about:

• QWE is separate. An SQE1 or SQE2 exemption doesn't automatically exempt you from qualifying work experience. Foreign-qualified lawyers are often treated differently on QWE too, but that's assessed under its own rules, not bundled in with an assessment exemption.
• Domestic law graduates don't qualify. Having a UK law degree, or having completed the old LPC, isn't the kind of equivalence the SRA is looking for here. Exemptions are about prior qualification as a lawyer or an assessment genuinely equivalent to SQE content, not general legal education.
• An exemption isn't a guarantee of the easier route. Some candidates who are eligible for an exemption still choose to sit the relevant SQE part anyway, either because their memory of the underlying material has faded or because the exemption application process feels slower or less certain than just booking the exam.

Should you apply for one?

SQE2 exemptions for qualified lawyers with relevant practice rights and experience are granted often enough to be worth checking properly. SQE1 exemptions are a different story: they're granted rarely, even for former QLTS MCT candidates, so treat an SQE1 exemption as a long shot worth a quick eligibility check rather than something to plan around. There's no cost to checking beyond the time spent gathering paperwork, but don't delay booking a sitting on the assumption that an SQE1 exemption will come through.

If you're unsure whether your background counts, the SRA's own eligibility pages are the source that matters here. Course providers and forums can point you in the right direction, but only the SRA can confirm an exemption. Check the SRA's current exemptions guidance before you plan around an assumption either way.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get an exemption from SQE1? In principle yes, if you can show equivalent prior qualification or assessment, but in practice SQE1 exemptions are granted only rarely. You need to apply to the SRA, and it isn't granted automatically just because you're eligible to apply.

Does passing the QLTS automatically exempt me from the SQE? No. A QLTS MCT pass on its own isn't treated as equivalent to SQE1. It can be used as part of the evidence in an individual SQE1 exemption application, but the SRA reviews the whole picture, and SQE1 exemptions are hard to get regardless.

Are law graduates or LPC holders exempt from any part of the SQE? No. Exemptions are aimed at people with prior legal qualification from another jurisdiction or route, not UK law degrees or the old LPC on their own.

How long does an SQE exemption application take? The SRA doesn't publish a fixed turnaround, so build in buffer time and apply well before you'd otherwise need to book. Check the SRA's current processing guidance rather than assuming a specific number of weeks.

Does an SQE1 exemption also cover SQE2? No. Exemptions are assessed part by part. An SQE1 exemption says nothing about SQE2, and vice versa; each needs its own application and evidence.