New analysis shows strong diversity in SQE candidates and highlights factors shaping exam outcomes
A new report examining the first four years of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination has highlighted strong diversity among candidates while identifying education and prior academic achievement as the most significant factors affecting performance.
The report, The SQE: Four Years On, has been published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and brings together candidate data alongside two recent performance analyses by Kaplan, which delivers the assessments.
According to the findings, more than 19,000 candidates have now passed SQE1, with over 10,000 successfully completing SQE2 since the examination was introduced in 2021. The overall pass rate stands at 66.1% for SQE1 and 84.5% for SQE2, measured as the proportion of candidates who have passed having taken each assessment at least once.
The data shows that the SQE is attracting a diverse pool of candidates. Thirty-five per cent of candidates identified as Asian, Asian British, Black or Black British, compared with 14.5% of the working population. In addition, 38% of candidates were from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds.
The report also highlights the performance of solicitor apprentices, who have generally achieved higher pass rates than the wider cohort. Around 71% of apprentices who have taken SQE1 and 93% who have taken SQE2 have passed, compared with overall pass rates of 66% and 85%.
Julie Swan, Director of Education and Training at the SRA, said the findings demonstrate that the SQE is supporting diversity and social mobility within the profession. She also noted that Kaplan’s analysis showed neurodivergent candidates performing well, suggesting that reasonable adjustments are helping to remove potential disadvantages in the assessments.
Kaplan’s performance analysis, published in November 2025, indicates that previous education and past academic achievement have the greatest impact on SQE1 performance. Together, these factors account for around 23% of the variance in SQE1 scores. The ranking of the university attended accounts for 11.9% of variance, while degree classification explains 10.6%. Performance at SQE1 also accounts for 23.5% of the variance in SQE2 results.
Most demographic factors were found to have a limited individual impact on performance. Gender, age, disability and socio-economic background each accounted for less than 1% of variance. Ethnicity had a greater effect, accounting for 8% of variance at SQE1 and 4% at SQE2, though this remains less influential than educational background. The analysis suggests that 67% of variance in SQE1 scores is unexplained by recorded data, indicating that factors such as preparation methods may play a significant role.
A separate Kaplan report on neurodivergent candidates found that 5.6% of candidates assessed between September 2024 and July 2025 had a reasonable adjustment plan, with this group achieving slightly higher scores and pass rates than other candidates.
The report also notes that fluctuations in pass rates between sittings are largely explained by differences in cohort composition, including the proportion of resitting candidates, overseas-qualified lawyers, and those qualifying through transitional arrangements.