SQE1 pass rates by provider: who actually has the best results? (2026)

This comprehensive analysis compares SQE1 pass rates across major prep providers including BARBRI (73%), QLTS School (94%), Law Drills (78%). BPP (83%), University of Law, the College of Legal Practice, and Devil’s Advocate don’t disclose pass rates. We examine these benchmarks for exam readiness and explore how provider transparency, engagement requirements, and practice methodologies impact student success rates. With national averages ranging between 41-59%, choosing the right provider and understanding engagement benchmarks becomes crucial for aspiring solicitors preparing for SQE1.

What are the current SQE1 pass rates by provider?

The SRA has promised to publish provider-level pass rates publicly, but has repeatedly delayed this, citing problems with the way it collects data. This makes the comparison below currently the only study of its kind on this point.

Important caveat on self-reported pass rates: Providers rely on students voluntarily reporting their results, as Kaplan and the SRA only publish the result directly to the student. Pass rates provided by providers therefore only reflect those students who chose to report their result, which tends to be skewed in favour of those who passed.

BARBRI publishes pass rate of 72% for engaged students who completed 90% of the course, while QLTS School reports 94% for candidates completing 25+ mock tests. BPP publish pass rates of 83% for first-time sitters (note: this is heavily weighted by their large cohort of magic-circle trainees with first class degrees), ULaw and COLP don’t publicly disclose their pass rates, making direct comparison challenging.

Latest data from the July 2025 SQE1 sitting shows the national average pass rate at a record low of 41%, with FLK1 at 51% and FLK2 at 48%. This is a significant drop from January 2025 (56%) and represents the lowest pass rate since the SQE was introduced.

Data from Law Drills, a supplementary intelligent question-bank for the SQE, shows that candidates scoring over 63% on the Law Drills MCQs have a 78% pass rate. Note: Law Drills is not a full-prep provider, it is a valuable add-on tool that all SQE1 candidates should use in addition to their prep provider to ensure they are ready for the exam.

Comparison of SQE1 prep provider pass rates for 2025

Provider	Pass Rate	Engagement Threshold	Notes
National Average	56%	Jan 2025 sitting	Baseline comparison
QLTS School	94%	25+ mock exams completed	63% with only 12 mocks
BPP	83%	First-time sitters	Skewed by magic circle trainees
Law Drills	78%	63%+ in practice MCQs	Supplementary tool
BARBRI	72%	90%+ study plan completion	Full engagement required
University of Law	Not disclosed	—	—
COLP	Not disclosed	—	—

What is Law Drills’ 63% guideline and why does it matter?

Law Drills’ 63% guideline recommends scoring at least 63% rigorously on our practice MCQs - as we see in our data that this maps to a 78% pass rates on the SQE1 based on the latest Jan 2025 results. This figure also creates a safety buffer accounting for exam pressure and question difficulty variations.

We developed this benchmark from analysis of historical SQE1 results and interviews with candidates who used Law Drills as part of their SQE1 exam prep.

Which are historical SQE1 pass rates and trends?

SRA data shows overall SQE1 pass rates fluctuating between 41-59% across different sittings from 2023-2025, with the July 2025 sitting reaching a record low of 41%. Providers consistently outperforming these averages demonstrate effective preparation methodologies worth considering.

Historical SQE1 pass rates by sitting:

• January 2023: 54% national average
• July 2023: 56% national average
• January 2024: 59% national average
• July 2024: 48% national average
• January 2025: 56% national average
• July 2025: 41% national average (record low; FLK1 51%, FLK2 48%)

How should candidates interpret SQE1 provider pass rates?

Pass rates reflect engaged student performance rather than all enrollees. Consider methodology transparency, sample size, and engagement requirements when evaluating providers. Higher reported rates often correlate with stricter completion requirements.

Higher pass rates for school also correlate heavily to variables related to cohort-intake - i.e. having strict criteria for what type of students a prep provider will accept in order to ensure high pass-rates, which often work at the detriment of non-traditional and diverse candidates.

Important considerations when comparing providers:

• Engagement thresholds vary: BARBRI requires 90% completion, QLTS requires 25 mocks
• Self-reported vs independently verified data
• Sample sizes and statistical significance
• Cost-benefit analysis of premium providers
• Support services beyond pass rate statistics

Key takeaways

Success depends more on engagement level than provider selection alone. Students completing extensive practice and achieving strong performance metrics consistently pass at rates 20-40% above national averages across all transparent providers.

Tools like Law Drills - with its data-led 78% pass rate for those scoring over 63% - are a valuable add-on that all SQE1 candidates should use in addition to their prep provider to ensure they are ready for the exam. Learn more about how our scoring benchmarks work in our 56% rule score guide, or explore how mock exam scores compare to real results across providers.