About BARBRI SQE2 Prep courses
BARBRI offers a flexible range of SQE2 Prep courses for the SQE2 exam. Whether you’re looking for an accelerated full-time course or prefer a more flexible part-time course to fit around other commitments, we can help you prepare for the SQE2 at the pace that’s right for you.
Why students choose BARBRI
"The BARBRI prep course was incredibly organised and comprehensive. The mock exams in particular helped to prepare me for the first ever sitting of SQE2. I couldn't have passed without it!"
Holly Moore
"I completed both SQE1 and SQE2 and qualified as a solicitor last September. I have a non-law degree and to complete the GDL and LPC would have cost close to £30K. Without the introduction of this route I would not be where I am today."
Jenny Green
What’s covered in the SQE2 exam?
The SQE2 exam tests your ethics and professional conduct, and you’ll be required to demonstrate that you can apply fundamental legal principles in a way that addresses a client’s needs and concerns, rather than your ability to memorise legal knowledge.
The practice contexts are:
- Criminal litigation
- Property practice
- Dispute resolution
- Business organisations, rules and procedures
- Wills and intestacy, probate administration and practice
Key features of BARBRI SQE2 Prep
We offer all students a diagnostic assessment to look for any gaps in your legal knowledge before you start the course. That way, you will know exactly where to focus your time and can prepare for SQE2 as effectively as possible.
BARBRI SQE2 Prep's faculty consists of experienced solicitors and barristers who are qualified in England and Wales. These experts will guide you to master the skills required to succeed in SQE2.
Watch our faculty give skills explanations in the form of interview-style lectures that are carefully crafted to fully interpret the exam criteria and give you tips on how to succeed. Materials are recorded so you can access them online anytime throughout the course, and lectures last about 20 to 30 minutes so that they fit easily into your schedule.
BARBRI will provide you with a short workbook to supplement the skills explanations.
These guided interactive learning activities take knowledge you have gained watching the skills explanations and reading the workbook and apply that knowledge to an exam style scenario. Each scaffolding activity breaks down the different steps you’ll need to master a specific SQE2 skill.
With our self-practice activities, you get the opportunity to have a go at doing a whole exam question yourself. You’ll receive instant access to self-assessment materials so you can confidently review your own work. You’ll find out how you’re doing, where you can improve, and you’ll even have the chance to mark your peers’ work and have them mark yours too.
Through Practice Feedback Activities, you’ll have the opportunity to get personalised feedback from a BARBRI assessor on every SQE2 skill. Many consider this personalized feedback to be the most valuable part of the SQE2 course.
You will also be able to participate in workshops, strategy sessions and Office Hours sessions where you can drop in to meet your mentors. They'll guide you on anything from how to tackle questions and improve your skills to queries about your own progress.
Before you sit SQE2, you’ll complete mock assessments and receive personal feedback from a BARBRI assessor in each skill and subject assessed in SQE2.
Upcoming BARBRI SQE2 Prep courses:
If you are a BARBRI SQE1 Prep alumni, you are also entitled to a £500 discount (confirmed through enrolment).
BARBRI SQE2 Prep Course
Focused
Starting 27 November 2023
Preparing for SQE2 April 2024
Candidates who are looking for the most flexible option to study for the SQE2, who have sat and passed SQE1 or LPC graduates who are exempt from SQE1.
£3,499
£2,999
BARBRI SQE2 Prep Course
Accelerated
15-20 hours of study per week
Starting 19 February 2024
Preparing for SQE2 April 2024
Candidates who have sat and passed SQE1, or LPC graduates who are exempt from SQE1 and who can commit to an accelerated pace of study with weekly assignment submissions.
£3,499
£2,999
If you would like to enrol on a course that has already started, please reach out to our team at sqeprep@barbri.com to check availability.
SQE2 Prep & Exam FAQs
Yes, you would be granted access to the SQE1 Prep materials one month prior to the SQE2 Prep course start date. We encourage early enrolments allowing you time to fill in gaps in your knowledge discovered through a diagnostic test at the start of the prep course.
The SQE2 exams is a skills-based assessment against your substantive legal knowledge tested through the SQE1 exams. Hence, you need to retain your substantive knowledge on the key practice areas as the questions may be drawn on underlying black letter law in the selected Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) subjects covered in SQE1.
You would have to register and book the exams through the SRA’s website directly. For more information on this, please visit the SRA website here.
From 2024, the exams will take place 4 times a year: in January, April, July and October. The waiting time for the results is between 14-18 weeks after assessment.
Exemptions from the SQE assessments are available to qualified lawyers from certain international jurisdictions.
Individual exemptions exempt international lawyers from particular jurisdictions from SQE2 with proof of two-years’ legal work experience gained either as part of your qualification or after it (or a combination of these). Although you may have an exemption for part of the SQE, you will also need to satisfy the SRA’s English language requirements.
To apply for an exemption, you will need to create a mySRA account and start an application for exemption. Further information about exemptions available to qualified lawyers can be found here.
You can also download an exemptions checklist here for all the steps you need to complete for this process.
Qualifying work experience does not need to be completed before sitting the SQE. You can undergo your QWE before, during or after your SQE assessments.
At the point of applying for admission as a solicitor with the SRA is when you will need to register your two years of QWE. For more information on this, please visit the SRA website here.
BARBRI’s SQE2 Prep course offers diagnostic testing which LPC students will find useful in identifying any gaps in their legal knowledge. Additionally, students will gain access to the relevant SQE1 Prep materials from a month before the SQE2 Prep course begins and for the duration of the course.
There is no English language requirement for the SQE2 exams. However, the SQE2 is made up of written and oral assessments, so candidates should feel comfortable speaking and writing in English.
Please mind that if you are an overseas lawyer, exempt from SQE2, you may need to demonstrate your English language competence. For more information on this, please visit the SRA website here.
We are committed to opening opportunities to all and understand that navigating your journey through the SQE and obtaining QWE can be challenging. We have partnered with several industry-leading organisations to help you understand the range of QWE opportunities available including LawQWE, Strive, FLEX Legal, Taylor Root, MLA Global, Elevate, Reed, Accutrainee and LPCLaw, along with a job search engine powered by Indeed through the CareerHub.
In addition to this We offer one-to-one bookable appointments which last 30 minutes each, hosted via Zoom or telephone delivered by our experienced Careers Consultants. Students can take advantage of a broad range of topics, including advice and guidance around qualifying work experience.
Students watch a video explaining each skill and the assessment criteria then do an online exercise where they complete parts of that skill and receive automatic feedback. They also have 24 self practice exercises to complete of exam level difficulty. They can upload their answers for peer review and then review other students work to become more familiar with the assessment criteria. They also have 8 practice with feedback activities. These are at set times within the course and the students will receive individual feedback on their work and how it would be graded according to the assessment criteria. They also have 6 more assessments within the mock exams – which again they will receive individual feedback. In addition there are strategy sessions each week where students can attend to ask questions of tutors about the course/the assessment and workshops where tutors will review the self practice activities to provide guidance and answer questions. There will be 3 workshop tutor calls with other students and the tutor, and 1 individual call between the tutor and the student.
Yes, the 20 week course requires about 7-10 hours per week study for SQE2 (and any time the student needs to revise SQE1 content) so is designed as a part time course. Written course works must be submitted by a set time to be marked, but are available for over a week before that time so can be done when convenient for the student. The Tutor calls are held during work hours but students can choose the day of the call (subject to availability). There are 2 oral PFAs which must be held at a set time, students get to book their own appointment so can choose a convenient time – again on a first come first served basis. For the mocks they have a choice of days for the fixed oral appointments (including weekends) and the writtens are released on a Friday for submission the following Monday, but can be submitted ahead of time.
Yes, there is a mock for each skill – so 6 in total.
There are 16 assessments in total, the scores for all are averaged out to come up with a composite mark, if that mark is below the pass mark, all 16 must be sat again.
The 16 pieces of individual personal feedback that they receive on exam level assessments.
Yes, you must provide BARBRI with your SQE1 results within 1 week of receiving these. If they are not the results you hoped for, BARBRI will postpone your SQE2 studies for a fee of £999. You can then return to a BARBRI SQE1 Prep, provided you are entitled to a BARBRI guarantee. The SQE2 Prep fees, will be placed on hold until you return to prepare with BARBRI for SQE2 after a successful SQE1 result.
Exemptions are approved by the SRA directly, visit their exemptions page here.
The SQE2 oral and written assessments are held in person, this will take place in London, Manchester or Cardiff.
The oral assessments take place over two consecutive half-days. There is a choice of 4 sittings.
Visit the UK Government website here to check if you need a UK visa for your stay.
As a BARBRI SQE1 Alumni, students will receive a £500 Alumni discount off SQE2. We do not offer any scholarships for the SQE2 at this time.
New student loan programme coming soon.
You can submit an enrolment form via the ‘Bill My Employer’ link on the BARBRI webpage. If your employer is not on the drop-down list, email ukstudentservices@barbri.com and the team will add you to the list.
The SQE is replacing the traditional training contract qualification route in England and Wales, however many firms are still offering training contracts for full or part fees following the SQE qualification route.
All of the SQE2 is closed book.
Check out sample SQE2 Prep course materials
Thinking about enroling in the BARBRI SQE2 Prep course? Download sample course materials and receive a step-by-step guide to your study process on the SQE2 Prep.
Download our Funding Guide
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is split into two stages: SQE1 and SQE2. The second stage of the SQE costs £2,493 (VAT exempt). As with the first stage, this is paid directly to the exam provider, Kaplan, upon booking the exam.
Please note that from September 2023, this will rise to £2,766. More information on this is available on the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) website here.
Download the guide for an overview of the support you can secure to help fund your SQE2 Prep studies.
Don't need a full prep course? Try out SQE2 Mocks instead.
The SQE2 Mocks are an additional study aid for students who are planning to sit an SQE2 assessment soon, and who are:
- not enrolled in the full BARBRI SQE2 Prep course, or
- self-studying with lots of practice experience, or
- preparing for SQE2 with another provider, or
- would like a refresher if you have had a long break between your SQE2 Prep course and the assessment
SQE2 Mocks provide the practical mock assessments in as close to exam conditions as possible. You will also receive feedback and an indication of grade.
Please note, for students with limited or no practice experience, we would strongly recommend a full BARBRI SQE2 Prep course, which includes SQE2 Mocks as one of the study elements.
