Blog · PROVIDER COMPARISON · 24 Jul 2026 · 8 min read
SQE prep courses compared (2026)
A neutral comparison of SQE prep course providers and price bands, so you can match budget and format to what you actually need before you pay.
Searching for the best SQE prep course usually turns up a lot of marketing and not much comparison. Providers differ hugely on price, format, and how much structure they give you, and the right one depends on your circumstances more than any single "best" answer.
This isn't a ranking. It's a map of the landscape: what the main providers cost, how they differ in delivery, and how to think about the decision based on your own budget, schedule, and how much support you need.
The two things that actually vary
Price ranges from a few hundred pounds for a short, focused revision course up to nearly £19,000 for a full-time programme with a law degree or LLM attached. The gap exists because some providers sell exam prep alone, while others bundle it with a postgraduate qualification, campus access, tutoring hours, and careers support.
Format ranges from fully self-paced online study to structured, timetabled programmes with live teaching and a physical campus. Self-paced tends to cost less and demands more self-discipline. Structured programmes cost more and give you a fixed schedule, tutor contact, and often a cohort of other candidates working through the same material.
Once you know roughly where you sit on those two axes, the "best" course becomes a much shorter list.
The main providers, roughly
Prices move year to year and often depend on options you pick (payment plan, LLM add-on, resit packages), so treat these as bands rather than fixed quotes. Always check the provider's own current pricing page before deciding, since figures here reflect 2026 rates and can shift.
- BARBRI: broadly in the £5,500 to £5,900 range for combined SQE1 and SQE2 prep. Delivery is primarily online and self-paced, built around its own question bank and study platform. This tends to suit disciplined self-studiers, often working alongside a job, who want structured materials without paying for campus infrastructure they won't use.
- BPP: £12,200 for online or regional classroom delivery, rising to £14,300 for the London classroom option. BPP offers both online and campus-based delivery, with more built-in tutor contact and a longer academic history in legal education. The higher price reflects more live teaching, careers support, and, depending on the package, an academic award alongside SQE prep.
- University of Law (ULaw): the widest range of the major providers. Its combined SQE1&2 programme runs from roughly £15,150 (online or regional) up to £18,850 (London), and short, exam-focused revision courses are available separately for a few hundred pounds at the low end. ULaw offers everything from a standalone SQE1 or SQE2 revision course to a full LLM-attached programme, which is why its range spans so widely. Read the specific course specification rather than comparing headline "ULaw" prices across providers.
Smaller or newer providers also exist, offering question banks, tutoring, or short intensive courses, often cheaper than the three above. Pricing changes quickly in this space, so check a provider's current website rather than relying on older comparison articles, including this one, for exact figures.
Why the price gap is so wide
An £18,000 course isn't automatically three times as good as a £5,500 one. A large part of the difference is what's bundled in. An LLM or PGDL-equivalent academic award attached to your SQE prep adds significant cost, because you're paying for accredited teaching hours and assessment beyond the SQE syllabus itself. If you don't need an additional academic qualification, that part of the price buys you very little.
Campus access, timetabled classes, and dedicated tutor contact time also cost more to deliver than a self-paced online platform. Whether that's worth paying for depends on how you learn. Some candidates need the structure of a timetable and live sessions to stay on track; others do better working at their own pace and would find a rigid schedule a constraint rather than a help.
None of this means cheaper providers teach the syllabus worse, or that expensive ones guarantee a better result. You're paying for different things, so it's worth being honest about which of those you'll actually use.
Questions worth asking before you pay
A provider's marketing page rarely answers these directly, so dig for them or ask outright.
- Does the price include both SQE1 and SQE2 prep, or just one? Some packages cover only SQE1, with SQE2 sold separately later.
- Is there a resit or repeat-attempt policy built in? A real share of candidates don't pass first time, especially at SQE1, so it's worth knowing whether extended access is included or charged again.
- How is the course delivered week to week? "Online" can mean live scheduled classes, a self-paced video library, or something in between.
- What happens if your exam sitting date moves? Check whether course access has a fixed expiry.
- Does the price include the SRA assessment fees, or only preparation? These are separate: the SRA charges you directly to sit SQE1 and SQE2, on top of whatever a prep provider charges. See how much the SQE costs for that breakdown.
Matching budget and format to your situation
A few honest starting points, not prescriptions.
If you're working full-time and self-funding, a lower-cost, self-paced option is often the more realistic choice. A rigid timetable can be hard to keep alongside a job, and there's little point paying for live classes you'll struggle to attend. See studying for the SQE while working full-time for the scheduling side of this.
If your firm or training scheme is sponsoring you, cost may not be the constraint. Focus more on delivery format and support level, since your main variable is what actually helps you learn.
If you're weighing an LLM or academic award against pure SQE prep, ask yourself honestly whether you need the extra qualification for career reasons, or whether you're paying for it out of habit from the old LPC route. The SQE itself doesn't require a postgraduate award to sit it.
If you're not sure how much structure you need, start with the free layer first: the SRA's own published assessment specifications, a study planner to map your hours against a realistic timeline, and a light-touch way to track syllabus coverage. A free SQE study planner can help with that before you commit serious money to a paid course.
What we don't claim
To be upfront, PasSQE isn't a full alternative to a structured prep provider like the ones above. Its free tools cover planning and syllabus tracking, with email sign-up and no payment required. Anything beyond that, including the full study system, sits behind paid founding access.
If you're deciding between a full paid course and building your own study plan, how SQE cohort pass rates actually break down is worth a read. A lot of "which course is best" comes down to how much structure and accountability you personally need to stay consistent over several months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest SQE prep course?
Short, exam-focused revision courses from providers like the University of Law start from a few hundred pounds, and self-paced options such as BARBRI sit in the £5,500 to £5,900 range for combined SQE1 and SQE2 prep. The true floor is self-study using the SRA's published assessment specifications and low-cost question banks. Confirm exactly what's included before assuming a low headline price covers everything.
Is BARBRI or BPP better for the SQE?
Neither is objectively better; they suit different situations. BARBRI's pricing (roughly £5,500 to £5,900) reflects a mainly self-paced, online model. BPP's pricing (roughly £12,200 to £14,300) reflects more live teaching, tutor contact, and often campus access. Low-cost, flexible, self-directed study points towards BARBRI. More built-in structure and live support points towards BPP.
Why is University of Law's SQE course so much more expensive than others?
ULaw's range (its combined SQE1&2 programme runs from roughly £15,150 to £18,850, with cheaper standalone options also available) is wide because it covers very different products under one name, from a standalone revision course to a full LLM-attached programme. The top of that range includes an academic award alongside SQE prep, which costs more to deliver. Check the specific course, not just the provider name, before comparing prices.
Do I need an expensive course to pass the SQE?
No. There's no requirement to use any particular provider, and the SRA doesn't favour candidates from higher-priced courses. What matters more is consistent, structured revision against the published assessment specifications, realistic mock practice, and enough hours logged over time. A paid course can help some candidates stay disciplined, but it isn't a substitute for the study hours themselves.
Should I pick a course based on price alone?
Price is one input, not the whole decision. Weigh it against delivery format, whether SQE1 and SQE2 are both covered, resit policy, and whether you're also paying for an academic award you don't need. Two courses at very different prices can suit two different candidates equally well.