New SRA research shows employers warming to the SQE as candidates raise fairness and cost concerns
Confidence in the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is increasing among employers but has fallen sharply among candidates, according to new research commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
The study, carried out by IFF Research, assessed how stakeholders view the SQE nearly four years after its introduction. Participants were asked to rate their agreement with 10 statements about the exam on a scale from 1 to 5, where 3 represented a neutral position.
Legal employers reported an improvement in confidence, with average scores rising above 3. Among law firms specifically, confidence increased from 2.9 in 2022 to 3.4 in 2025. Employers were more likely to agree that the SQE is meeting its objectives and helping ensure consistent standards at the point of qualification.
By contrast, candidate confidence declined over the same period. Candidates’ combined confidence score fell from 3.1 in 2022 to 2.7 in 2025. The drop was most pronounced among candidates who had already passed the assessments.
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Perceptions of fairness showed the sharpest divide. A little over a third of employers and just under half of training providers agreed that the SQE is a fair assessment. Among candidates, only 28% considered it fair, while 63% disagreed. This marked a significant deterioration compared with views expressed in 2022.
IFF said that most criticism focused on the wording and structure of questions in SQE1. Candidates raised concerns that some questions were overly dense or difficult to interpret and that answers appeared designed to mislead. Others questioned the fairness of the multiple-choice format itself, arguing that fine margins between passing and failing meant outcomes could hinge on guessing.
The SRA acknowledged that multiple-choice questions have not traditionally been used in professional legal assessments in England and Wales, although they are common in other high-stakes exams and in legal assessments overseas. It said it could have done more initially to explain the rationale for the format and confirmed that it issued detailed guidance on single-best-answer questions in September.
Despite candidate concerns, the SRA said evidence showed the assessments were functioning as intended. It has now commissioned a technical review to examine the validity, fairness and reliability of the SQE, including its format and design.
Costs remain a major issue for candidates. Only 17% agreed that SQE training options were affordable, and just 10% considered exam fees reasonable. However, 59% of candidates reported spending less than £5,000 on SQE training and materials, reflecting the availability of lower-cost and flexible study routes.
Qualifying work experience emerged as the strongest aspect of the reforms. Eighty-seven percent of candidates were satisfied with their QWE, and 78% were positive about supervision. The solicitor apprenticeship was widely viewed as a highly beneficial route to qualification.
Julie Swan, director of education and training at the SRA, said the regulator recognised candidate concerns about costs and was supporting a diverse training market while ensuring the assessment remains fair, secure and reliable.