SQE2 pass rate climbs once again to 80% in latest January 2026 sitting
updated on 22 May 2026
Dimitar Dimitrov is a content and engagement coordinator at LawCareers.Net
Reading time: two minutes
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released the results of part two of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) for the January 2026 sitting, revealing an overall pass rate of 80%. This marks a small jump of 2% from the previous SQE2 results released in October 2025.
The SRA’s statistical report revealed that 1,141 candidates sat the fourteenth round of SQE2 assessment between 27 January and 6 February. SQE2 tests both skills and application of legal knowledge across 16 stations, including 12 written assessments and four oral exercises.
Find out everything you need to know about the SQE and what to expect from the SQE assessments.
The latest SQE2 results continue a trend of relatively strong performance since the assessment’s introduction. However, this time around, candidates who completed the assessment for the first time performed slightly worse compared to the entire cohort of candidates, achieving a 79% pass rate.
As previously seen, the SRA’s diversity data continues to show attainment gaps between demographic groups. White candidates recorded an 88% pass rate, while Asian and Black candidates achieved 66% and 53% respectively. Language also appeared to affect outcomes: candidates whose first language is English achieved an 84% pass rate, while those for whom English isn’t a first language recorded a 61% pass rate.
The report also revealed a correlation between academic background and pass rates. Candidates holding a first‑class undergraduate degree achieved an 92% pass rate. This dropped to 81% for those with a 2:1 and 53% for candidates with a 2:2. Meanwhile, candidates who attended independent or fee-paying schools had a pass rate of 87%, slightly higher than the 83% recorded for those from state schools. However, candidates from selective state schools achieved the highest pass rate overall, at 88%.
Other notable findings from the report relate to qualifying work experience (QWE). Candidates who had completed QWE experience achieved a higher pass rate of 81%, compared with 75% among those who hadn’t completed QWE. In addition, the report revealed that qualified lawyers – who made up only 7% of the cohort – recorded a 63% pass rate, compared with 81% among candidates who aren’t yet qualified.
