Choosing your SQE2 sitting date

SQE2 runs four times a year: January, April, July and October. That part is simple. The harder question is which of those windows you can actually sit, and that depends almost entirely on when you passed SQE1 and how the results timeline lines up with each booking deadline.

This isn't really a "which month is best" decision. There's no evidence that one SQE2 window is easier or harder than another. The real decision is logistical: which window is reachable once you know your SQE1 result, and which one fits everything else going on around it, from a job start date to how much recovery time you want before SQE2 revision begins.

You have to pass SQE1 first

This shapes everything else, so it's worth stating plainly: you cannot sit SQE2 until you have passed SQE1. Not "shouldn't." Cannot. The route to qualification requires a pass in SQE1 before you're eligible to book SQE2.

That means your SQE2 sitting choice doesn't start with a calendar. It starts with your SQE1 results date, because that's the earliest point you know whether you're eligible to book the next SQE2 window at all.

SQE1 results typically land five to six weeks after your assessment days. Sit in January and you'd generally expect results in February or early March, not immediately. That gap catches candidates out more often than you'd think, because it can push you out of a booking window you'd assumed you'd make. For the fuller results and dates picture across both parts of the SQE, see our SQE dates roundup.

The four SQE2 windows

SQE2 sits four times a year: January, April, July and October. Each window covers the same set of skills stations, so the format itself doesn't change between sittings, only the timing does.

Roughly, here's how each window tends to line up against SQE1:

• January SQE2 sits closest to a July SQE1 sitting from the previous year, once results and a booking gap have passed.
• April SQE2 most often catches candidates who passed SQE1 in January of the same year.
• July SQE2 usually follows an earlier SQE1 pass, with more runway to prepare.
• October SQE2 suits candidates planning further ahead, or catching up after a gap.

Which combination works for you depends on your SQE1 sitting and how its results date compares to the booking deadline for each SQE2 window. Booking for SQE2, like SQE1, generally closes around five weeks before the assessment window opens, so the deadline to watch is the booking cutoff, not the exam date itself.

Working out which window is actually reachable

The practical way to do this is to work backwards from your SQE1 results date, not forwards from a preferred SQE2 month.

1. Find your SQE1 results date. Count five to six weeks from your assessment days, then check the SRA's confirmed date rather than assuming the middle of the range.
2. Find the booking deadline for the SQE2 window you're eyeing. This typically sits around five weeks before that window's assessment dates.
3. Compare the two. If results land before the booking deadline closes, that window is reachable. If results land after, you're looking at the next one along.
4. Build in a buffer. A gap of only a few days between results and a deadline doesn't leave much room to register.

This calculation, more than any preference for a particular month, is what actually decides your sitting. A free SQE study planner can help lay your SQE1 results window against each SQE2 booking deadline, so you're working from real dates rather than guesswork.

Should you book SQE2 before SQE1 results are out?

Some candidates think about booking an SQE2 sitting speculatively, before their SQE1 result is confirmed, to avoid missing a window. It's understandable given how tight some gaps can be, but it carries real financial risk. SQE2's assessment fee is a significant cost on its own, and there's no special refund route just because you didn't pass SQE1: you'd be relying on the ordinary cancellation terms, which can mean losing some or all of the fee depending on timing. What the SQE costs sets out the fee structure for both parts.

Most candidates wait for a confirmed SQE1 pass before booking SQE2, even if that means a later window than they'd ideally like. A delayed but certain booking is generally the safer call than a speculative one.

The April 2027 shift

If you're planning into 2027, it's worth knowing that the April SQE2 window is shifting earlier and running for around four weeks rather than its previous, shorter span. That's a meaningful change if you were mentally anchoring April SQE2 to where it fell in an earlier year, since the assessment dates themselves move earlier in the month.

This matters most for anyone whose SQE1 results date sits close to the April booking deadline. A shift in the SQE2 window can change whether that results date lands before or after the cutoff, even though your SQE1 sitting date hasn't moved at all. If April is the window you're aiming for, check the SRA's confirmed 2027 dates directly rather than working from a previous year's schedule.

Beyond eligibility: what else to weigh

Once you've narrowed things down to the windows you can actually reach, a few softer factors are worth weighing, separate from any pass-rate speculation.

• Recovery time after SQE1. The two exams test different things: recognition and application for SQE1, applied skills under time pressure for SQE2. Some candidates want a longer gap before starting SQE2 preparation rather than jumping straight from one into the other.
• Job or training start dates. If an offer is contingent on qualifying by a certain point, work backwards from that date through the SQE2 results wait to see which window actually gets you there in time.
• Personal circumstances. Exam windows that clash with a house move, a wedding, or another major life event are worth avoiding if you have any choice at all, even if it means a slightly later sitting than the earliest one you're eligible for.

None of this is about one SQE2 sitting being inherently easier. It's about which window fits the life you're actually living while you prepare for it.

A simple way to decide

If you're staring at four options and not sure where to start, work through it in this order:

1. Confirm your SQE1 results date, or estimate it using the five-to-six-week guidance if you haven't sat yet.
2. List the booking deadlines for the next two or three SQE2 windows.
3. Cross out any window whose booking deadline falls before your results date.
4. Of what's left, pick based on job timing, personal circumstances, and how much prep time you want between SQE1 and SQE2.

That's usually a shorter, clearer list than four equal options once eligibility does the filtering for you.

SQE2 sits four times a year, but "which sitting" isn't a free choice between four equivalent options. You must pass SQE1 first, and your results date, arriving five to six weeks after your assessment, determines which SQE2 windows are genuinely reachable. Work backwards from that date to each booking deadline rather than picking a preferred month first. For a longer view across both exams, our pass rates decoded post is a useful companion once you're ready to think about preparation, not just timing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose any SQE2 sitting I want? Only among the windows you're actually eligible for. You must have passed SQE1 first, and your SQE1 results need to land before the booking deadline for whichever SQE2 window you're targeting.

How many SQE2 sittings are there each year? Four: January, April, July and October. Each covers the same skills stations, so the format doesn't differ between windows, only the timing relative to your SQE1 result does.

Can I book SQE2 before I get my SQE1 results? You can try, but most candidates wait for a confirmed pass first, since SQE2's assessment fee isn't refunded if you haven't passed SQE1. It's a real financial risk worth weighing against the convenience of an early booking.

What's changing with the April 2027 SQE2 sitting? The April 2027 window is shifting earlier and running for around four weeks rather than its previous length. If you're planning around this sitting, check the SRA's confirmed 2027 dates rather than assuming an older calendar repeats.

Is one SQE2 sitting easier than another? There's no reliable evidence that any SQE2 window is consistently easier or harder than the others. Choosing a sitting is mostly a logistics question, built around your SQE1 results timeline and personal circumstances, not exam difficulty.