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 (59%), QLTS School (94%), Law Drills (90%), BPP (73%) and the University of Law (76%). 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 41-56% (all candidates), 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 in December 2025 it said it had not had confidence in the quality of the provider data and that publishing it would risk misleading candidates. 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 a pass rate of 59% for the July 2026 sitting among students who completed 90%+ of the course, while QLTS School reports 94% for candidates completing 25+ mock tests (July 2023, self-reported). BPP publishes a pass rate of 73% for first-time sitters in July 2026 (note: this is heavily weighted by their large cohort of magic-circle trainees with first class degrees). The University of Law reports 76% at first attempt for January 2026. COLP and Devil’s Advocate don’t publicly disclose their pass rates, making direct comparison challenging.

Latest data from the July 2026 SQE1 sitting shows the national pass rate at 42% of all candidates and 47% of first-time candidates, with FLK1 and FLK2 each at 50%. This is down from January 2026 (53% of all candidates, 58% first-time). July 2025’s 41% (FLK1 51%, FLK2 48%) remains 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 65-70% or above on the Law Drills MCQs passed at approximately 90%. 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 2026

Provider	Pass Rate	Engagement Threshold	Notes
National Average	42%	July 2026, all candidates (47% first-time)	Baseline comparison
QLTS School	94%	25+ mocks, July 2023, self-reported	63% with only 12 mocks
BPP	73%	First-time sitters, July 2026	Skewed by magic circle trainees
Law Drills	~90%	65-70%+ in practice MCQs	Supplementary tool
BARBRI	59%	90%+ course completion, July 2026	Full engagement required
University of Law	76%	First attempt, January 2026
COLP	Not disclosed

What is Law Drills’ 65-70% guideline and why does it matter?

Law Drills’ 65-70% guideline recommends scoring at least 65% consistently on our practice MCQs. Our data, most recently updated with the July 2026 sitting, shows that candidates at this level passed SQE1 approximately 90% of the time. See the Score Guide for the full data. 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 41-56% of all candidates (46-60% of first-time candidates) across the sittings from 2023 to 2026, 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: 51% all candidates, 54% first-time
• July 2023: 53% all candidates, 56% first-time
• January 2024: 56% all candidates, 59% first-time
• July 2024: 44% all candidates, 48% first-time
• January 2025: 56% all candidates, 60% first-time
• July 2025: 41% all candidates, 46% first-time (record low; FLK1 51%, FLK2 48%)
• January 2026: 53% all candidates, 58% first-time
• July 2026: 42% all candidates, 47% first-time (FLK1 50%, FLK2 50%)

Source: SRA SQE1 statistical reports. Our SQE1 pass mark guide has the full table, including candidate numbers and FLK1 and FLK2 pass rates for every sitting.

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 well above national averages across all transparent providers: the providers reporting on July 2026 put their students at 59% to 73%, against a national 42% (47% first-time).

Tools like Law Drills - with its data-led pass rate of approximately 90% for those scoring 65-70% or above - 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 score guide, or explore how mock exam scores compare to real results across providers.

Common questions

What are the SQE1 pass rates by provider?

QLTS School reports 94% for candidates completing 25+ mocks (July 2023, self-reported). The University of Law reports 76% at first attempt (January 2026). BPP publishes 73% for first-time sitters (July 2026). Law Drills data shows approximately 90% for students scoring 65-70% or above on practice MCQs. BARBRI reports 59% for students completing 90%+ of the course (July 2026). COLP and Devil's Advocate don't publicly disclose pass rates. The national average for July 2026 was 42% of all candidates (47% first-time), down from 53% in January 2026.

What is the national average SQE1 pass rate?

The national average SQE1 pass rate for July 2026 was 42% of all candidates and 47% of first-time candidates, with FLK1 and FLK2 each at 50%. This was down from 53% (58% first-time) in January 2026. The record low remains July 2025, at 41% of all candidates. Across the sittings from January 2023 to July 2026, the all-candidates rate has ranged between 41% and 56%.

Which SQE1 prep provider has the highest pass rate?

QLTS School reports the highest SQE1 pass rate at 94% (July 2023, self-reported), but this is specifically for candidates who completed 25+ mock exams. For candidates completing only 12 mocks, their pass rate drops to 63%. Each provider measures engagement differently, making direct comparison difficult.