SQE2 pass rates: the recent sittings and what they mean
The SQE2 pass rate is not a single number — it is set for each sitting and has ranged from 64% to 82% overall. Here are the most recent sittings the SRA has published, with the source for each.
SQE2 pass rate by sitting
The SRA has run 13 SQE2 sittings since November 2021 — the most recent are shown below. All figures are the SRA's own, accessed July 2026.
| Sitting | Overall | First attempt | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | 78% | 79% | 1,342 |
| July 2025 | 76% | 79% | 959 |
| April 2025 | 82% | 84% | 2,753 |
| January 2025 | 75% | 77% | 1,134 |
| October 2023 | 64% | see below | — |
April 2025's 82% is the highest of the sittings shown here.
First-attempt vs overall pass rates
The overall rate includes resits; the first-attempt rate is the cleaner read of how prepared candidates performed. Across all sittings, 79.6% of candidates pass on the first attempt, and of everyone who eventually passes, 94.2% did so first time (SRA, “SQE four years on”).
How SQE2 pass rates compare to SQE1
SQE1 is the harder filter: across eight sittings to July 2025, 66% of SQE1 candidates have passed (first-time rates 46–60%), versus 85% cumulative for SQE2. By the time you reach SQE2 you have already cleared the bigger hurdle (SRA).
Why the October 2023 sitting was an outlier
October 2023 was 64% overall — the lowest to date — because it was the last sitting for qualified lawyers under transitional arrangements, who made up 34% of the cohort and passed at 49%. Non-qualified-lawyer candidates that same sitting passed at 80%. The headline is misleading without that context (SRA).
What the pass rate does and doesn't tell you
A cohort average tells you nothing about your own readiness on any one of the 16 stations. Kellys grades your written answers against the SRA's published Performance Indicators, so you can see where you actually stand, station by station.