Where can you sit the SQE? Test centres explained

"Where can I sit it" has a different answer depending on which part of the SQE you mean. SQE1 runs at a wide network of Pearson VUE test centres across the UK and internationally. SQE2 is split in two: its written stations run on that same broad Pearson VUE network, but its oral stations (the in-person interviewing and advocacy assessments) are held at a short list of dedicated venues in England and Wales only, because those need examiners and role-players in the room, not just a bank of computers.

That difference matters more than most candidates realise until booking day. Here's how the centre system actually works, and how to avoid getting stuck travelling further than you need to.

Pearson VUE runs both exams, but not identically

Pearson VUE is the testing organisation the SRA contracts to deliver the SQE. For SQE1, that means the same kind of setup used for lots of professional multiple-choice exams: rows of computer terminals, ID checks, lockers for your belongings, and invigilators watching the room. Because the exam is just answering MCQs on screen, almost any Pearson VUE centre with enough terminals and the right software can run it.

SQE2 has 16 separate skills stations covering things like interviewing a client, oral advocacy, and legal drafting, spread across roughly five half-days. The written stations are computer-based and run through the same Pearson VUE network as SQE1. The oral stations are different: they're conducted in person with an examiner and a role-player in the room, and that setup needs dedicated venues and trained staff, not just spare exam terminals. That's the practical reason SQE2's oral assessments sit at a much shorter list of locations than SQE1, and why those locations are limited to England and Wales rather than the wider UK-and-international spread SQE1 candidates get.

If you want the exact list of centres open for your specific sitting, the SRA's assessment dates and locations page is the place to check, since which centres are active can change window to window.

SQE1: the wider network

SQE1 test centres exist across the UK, including major cities and a good number of smaller towns, plus international locations for candidates sitting from outside the UK. Because the exam format is standard MCQ testing, Pearson VUE can run it at a large share of its general professional testing network, not a bespoke SQE-only site.

That doesn't mean every centre is open for every sitting. Availability still depends on how many candidates are booked into that window and how Pearson VUE allocates seats. In practice, most SQE1 candidates in or near a major UK city get a reasonably local option if they book in good time.

SQE2: fewer centres for the oral stations, more competition for seats

SQE2's written stations sit on the same Pearson VUE network as SQE1, so their centre spread is similarly wide. It's the oral stations that narrow things down: they run at a short list of dedicated venues concentrated in a handful of larger English and Welsh cities, not the broader Pearson VUE network. If you live somewhere without a nearby oral venue, or you're booking into a busy window, you may need to travel further than you did for SQE1, sometimes with an overnight stay to consider given SQE2 runs across multiple half-days.

This is the detail that catches people out: passing SQE1 and turning straight to book SQE2 without checking venue distance first, especially for the oral stations. Because the oral venues have less spare capacity than SQE1's centre network, popular locations in a given window can fill before the general booking deadline arrives. Building in a short buffer to research your options, rather than booking on the day you decide, is worth it.

Why booking early is really a location decision

Centre allocation generally works on a first-come basis within the booking window that's open for your sitting. That means the calendar date isn't actually the constraint that decides where you sit; how early you book relative to other candidates targeting the same window is.

Book in the first days a window opens and you have the best shot at your nearest or preferred centre. Book close to the deadline and the options nearest you may already be gone, particularly for SQE2's oral venues or for SQE1 sittings in high-demand periods. We've covered the booking process in more depth separately, but the short version is: don't wait to see if the deadline "feels" close. By the time it does, the good centres are often already taken.

A free study planner that logs your target sitting can help you keep the booking window itself on your radar, rather than losing it among study deadlines and other dates.

What to check before you book a centre

A few practical things worth confirming before you commit to a specific location:

• Travel time on exam morning. SQE1 sessions start early; SQE2 days can run long. Factor in getting there with margin, not just theoretical travel time.
• Whether the centre or venue appears for your exact sitting. Centres and venues open and close between windows, so don't rely on one being available just because it ran a previous sitting.
• Accommodation, if travelling. For SQE2's multi-day format, some candidates from further away book nearby accommodation rather than commuting each day. Worth pricing in early if your nearest venue is a distance away, and worth weighing against the rest of your budget alongside the assessment and prep fees.
• ID requirements. Whichever centre you sit at, you'll need valid photo ID that matches your booking details exactly. Check the SRA's current identification rules before exam day, since requirements can be strict.

Building this into your revision timeline

Centre choice is really a scheduling problem wearing a logistics costume. The earlier you decide on a target sitting, the earlier you can check which centres are realistically open to you, and the earlier you can book before your options narrow.

A sensible order to work through it:

1. Pick your target sitting using the SQE1 and SQE2 dates guide.
2. Check which centres are listed for that specific window on the SRA's locations page.
3. Book as early in the window as you can, especially for SQE2's oral venues or for busy SQE1 sittings.
4. Confirm travel and, if needed, accommodation once your centre is locked in.
5. Keep your revision plan and your booking deadline on the same calendar, so one doesn't sneak up while you're focused on the other.

None of this changes how hard the exam is. But it does change whether exam day starts with a familiar short journey or an unfamiliar long one, and that's worth getting right while you still have the choice.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you sit the SQE in the UK? SQE1 is offered at a wide range of Pearson VUE test centres across the UK, plus international locations for candidates sitting outside the country. SQE2's written stations use that same broad Pearson VUE network. SQE2's oral stations run at a much smaller number of dedicated venues, concentrated in a handful of larger English and Welsh cities.

Can you sit SQE1 and SQE2 at the same centre? Not necessarily. SQE2's written stations use the same Pearson VUE network as SQE1, but its oral stations run at a separate, smaller set of dedicated venues, so your nearest SQE1 centre may not host an SQE2 oral sitting at all. Check each part separately on the SRA's locations page rather than assuming.

Do you get to choose your SQE test centre? You choose from the centres or venues open for your specific sitting, subject to availability at the time you book. It isn't a guaranteed pick; places are allocated as candidates book, so earlier bookers within the window get first choice.

Why are there fewer SQE2 oral venues than SQE1 centres? SQE2's oral stations are in-person assessments that need an examiner and a role-player present, across part of its roughly five half-days. That requires more dedicated setup per candidate than SQE1's computer-based multiple-choice format, which is why far fewer venues can run it. SQE2's written stations, by contrast, run on the same Pearson VUE network as SQE1.

Can international candidates sit the SQE? Yes, SQE1 and SQE2's written stations are available at international Pearson VUE locations for candidates who aren't sitting in the UK. SQE2's oral stations, however, are only held in England and Wales, so candidates based abroad need to travel for that part. Availability and specific locations vary, so check the SRA's current list for the sitting you're targeting.