SQE1 guide
How many hours does it take to pass SQE1?
The short answer: 500–700 hours across 6–9 months for most candidates. Kaplan's official guidance is 200 hours per FLK paper (400 total), but that assumes an existing law-degree foundation. Below, a realistic breakdown by background.
Law graduate, recent (last 3 years)
400–500 hours. You already have the doctrinal foundation for contract, tort, and public law. Time goes into filling SQE-specific topics (business law, criminal litigation, dispute resolution) and MCQ drilling.
Law graduate, non-recent
500–600 hours. Add a foundation refresh — property, equity, and contract law usually decay first.
Non-law graduate (PGDL/GDL first)
700–900 hours combined with the conversion course. The conversion covers foundations; SQE1 prep sits on top.
How to allocate the hours
Roughly 60% MCQ practice with worked explanations, 25% content review from a concise manual, 15% spaced-repetition flashcards. Skip the highlighter-heavy approach — it doesn't correlate with pass rates.
FAQs
- Can I pass SQE1 in 3 months?
- Possible if you're a recent law graduate studying full-time (~40 hours/week). Not realistic part-time.
- How many practice questions should I do?
- Successful candidates typically complete 3,000–5,000 SBAQs across preparation. Volume matters more than any single provider.
- Should I study FLK1 and FLK2 together?
- Yes, most candidates now sit both in the same window and interleave study. It's how the exam is scheduled.
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