SQE exam-day checklist: what to bring

The honest answer to "what should I bring to the SQE?" is: less than you think. Two forms of photo ID, and that's close to the full list. Pearson VUE, the test centre provider for both SQE1 and SQE2, runs a strict no-personal-items policy in the exam room, and almost everything you'd normally carry gets left in a locker before you go in.

This is a practical checklist for exam day itself: what's allowed, what's provided for you, and what candidates commonly get wrong.

The short list: what to actually bring

• Two forms of photo ID, with the name on your primary ID matching your booking exactly
• Your confirmation email or booking reference, in case check-in staff need it
• A layer of clothing you can add or remove, since test centre temperature is out of your control
• Enough time to get there, which sounds obvious but is the thing most likely to go wrong

That's it. No pens, no calculator, no notes, no water bottle inside the exam room. If you're used to other exams where you bring your own kit, the SQE will feel oddly minimal by comparison, and that's by design.

What Pearson VUE provides for you

A few things that candidates often assume they need to bring are actually built into the exam itself:

• A calculator. SQE1 includes an on-screen calculator inside the exam software. You don't bring your own, and personal calculators aren't permitted in the room regardless.
• Scratch materials. Test centres typically provide something to work on, such as a laminated note board and pen, or scrap paper depending on the centre. You hand this back at the end and can't take anything you've written out of the room.
• The equipment itself. The workstation, monitor and exam software are all set up and ready before you sit down. There's nothing to install, configure or bring with you.

The theme here is consistency. Pearson VUE runs the same standard exam environment across all its testing programmes, not just the SQE, so every candidate sits the same software on the same type of provided equipment. Bringing your own version of any of this isn't an option, even if you'd prefer your own calculator or a specific pen.

What goes in the locker

Personal belongings aren't allowed in the exam room at all. Before you go in, expect to store:

• Your phone and any smart watch or wearable
• Bags, coats, and outer layers you're not wearing
• Any notes, textbooks, or revision materials
• Water bottles and snacks
• Your own calculator, pen, or paper, even if you brought one out of habit

Staff will usually ask you to turn out your pockets and may ask you to roll up your sleeves, so nothing can be carried into the room unnoticed. It feels thorough because it is. The same security standard applies across Pearson VUE's exams generally, so this isn't the SQE being unusually strict, it's just what a professional licensing exam looks like in practice.

Comfort items and reasonable adjustments

Sitting still for a two-and-a-half-hour session, or a multi-day run of SQE2 stations, is physically demanding, and it's fair to wonder what comfort allowances exist. The general rule is that everyday personal items stay in the locker. Pearson VUE does allow a short list of non-electronic comfort aids at SQE assessment days, such as foam ear plugs or noise-reducing headphones (without Bluetooth), without needing prior approval, but anything tied to a medical condition or disability, from medication to a specific device, should go through the SRA's reasonable adjustments process ahead of time rather than being raised at check-in.

Examples that typically fall under this category, subject to prior approval, include:

• Medication you need to take during the exam
• A specific medical device, such as an insulin pump or hearing aid
• Food or drink required for a diagnosed medical condition
• Adjustments agreed through the SRA's reasonable adjustments process, such as extra time or rest breaks

None of this is something to guess at on the day. If you think you'll need any kind of exception to the standard no-personal-items rule, raise it with Pearson VUE and the SRA well ahead of your sitting, through the proper reasonable adjustments channel, rather than asking at check-in and hoping. Policies and what counts as approved can change, so treat the SRA's current guidance as the source of truth rather than what a friend was allowed last year.

The break: what you can and can't do with it

SQE1 splits into two sessions with a break in between, and that break is a genuine pause, not an extension of the exam. During it you can access your locker, so this is your one window to eat, drink, check your phone, or step outside.

A few practical notes:

• You can't take notes, your phone, or any revision material back into the exam room with you
• Re-entry usually involves the same ID or security check you went through the first time, so build a small buffer into how you use the break rather than cutting it fine
• Cramming fresh material in the break is common but rarely helps. An hour isn't long enough to learn something new, and it can leave you more rattled than reassured going into session two

If SQE2 is what you're prepping for, the same logic applies across a longer stretch. The written stations run across multiple days, each with more than one timed session, so the "comfort kit" question becomes less about a single break and more about pacing yourself well across the whole run. That's a different kind of planning problem, but the same rule holds: nothing personal goes into any station with you, and any adjustment needs to be arranged with Pearson VUE ahead of time.

The exam-day checklist

Two valid forms of photo ID, name matching your booking exactly. Confirmation email saved somewhere accessible. Layers for an unpredictable room temperature. Nothing else needed inside the room: no calculator, no pen, no notes, no water bottle. Any medical items or approved adjustments arranged with Pearson VUE and the SRA in advance, not requested at the door.

Print it, screenshot it, whatever gets it in front of you the night before rather than the morning of. The exam itself is hard enough without adding an avoidable logistics scramble on top.

If you're still mapping your run-up to exam day, a free SQE study planner can help you slot the admin, like confirming ID and checking your booking details, into your final weeks alongside your last rounds of revision, so it's not all crammed into the night before.

Frequently asked questions

What should I bring to the SQE exam?

Two forms of photo ID that match your booking name, plus your confirmation email if you have it handy. Almost everything else, including your phone, notes, water bottle and any calculator, goes into a locker before you enter the exam room.

Do I need to bring my own calculator to the SQE?

No. SQE1 provides an on-screen calculator built into the exam software. Personal calculators aren't permitted in the room, so there's no need to bring one, and doing so won't help you anyway.

Can I bring snacks or water into the SQE exam room?

Not under standard rules. Food and drink stay in your locker with your other personal items and can only be accessed during the break between sessions, unless you have an approved medical exception arranged in advance through Pearson VUE and the SRA.

Can I bring my own pen or paper into the SQE?

No. Test centres provide their own scratch materials, such as a laminated note board or scrap paper depending on the centre, and you hand these back at the end. Personal pens and paper aren't allowed in the room.

What if I need medication or a medical device during the SQE?

Raise it in advance through the SRA's reasonable adjustments process rather than at check-in. Genuine medical needs, such as medication schedules or devices like an insulin pump, can usually be accommodated, but this needs to be arranged ahead of your sitting, not requested on the day.