Qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales: a guide for overseas and UK lawyers
updated on 24 April 2026
QLTS versus SQE route explained
The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) has been replaced by the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE). As a result, SQE2 can no longer be used as an equivalent to the QLTS Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Anyone who didn’t complete their qualification under QLTS must now qualify via the SQE.
Like the QLTS, the SQE enables lawyers who qualified in jurisdictions outside of the UK to qualify and practise as solicitors in England and Wales. Depending on your prior qualifications and experience, you may be eligible for SQE exemptions.
Are you a qualified lawyer from overseas? Bookmark this page for your research on how to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales via the SQE.
Do the transitional arrangements for the QLTS still apply?
No. To qualify under the QTLS transitional arrangements, admission to the roll of solicitors should have been made by 31 March 2024 (inclusive). As this deadline has now passed, you’ll need to qualify via the SQE route.
For more detailed guidance, visit LawCareers.Net’s SQE hub, sponsored by The University of Law.
Note: Bar course graduates can no longer use the previous transfer routes qualify as solicitors and must now sit the SQE. There’s more information on this below.
“How do I qualify via the SQE route?”
Qualified overseas solicitors
The QLTS has been replaced by the SQE. To become a solicitor of England and Wales, qualified lawyers no longer need to be in one of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) recognised jurisdictions. To qualify as a solicitor of England and Wales, qualified lawyers must:
- have a degree (law or non-law) that’s equivalent to a UK degree or other qualification and/or equivalent experience;
- pass SQE1 and SQE2 (unless exempt); and
- meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements.
The SRA recognises existing legal qualifications and experience, meaning qualifying work experience (QWE) isn’t required in most cases for qualified lawyers.
Qualified barristers of England and Wales
To apply for admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales, qualified barristers of England and Wales must:
- have a UK degree or equivalent level 6 qualification;
- pass SQE1 and SQE2 (exemptions are available based on previous qualifications and experience*); and
- meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements; and
- apply for admission.
*Barristers are eligible to apply for an individual SQE2 exemption if they can provide evidence of work experience and/or other qualifications “over and above” their barrister qualification.
Scottish solicitors
Scottish solicitors applying for admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales must:
- validate their degree (law or non-law) or other level 6 qualification (level 9 or above in Scotland), or apply for an equivalence using other qualifications/experience;
- pass SQE1;
- apply for the agreed SQE2 exemption ;
- apply for screening and retrieve results;
- apply for admission; and
- apply for a practising certificate.
Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland solicitors
If a Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland solicitor wants to apply for admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales, they must:
- meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements;
- apply for admission; and
- apply for a practising certificate.
According to the SRA, these solicitors are exempt from the SQE and its QWE requirements. However, if an application has previously failed an SQE assessment, they must retake and pass these to be eligible to apply for admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales. You must let the SRA know whether you’ve failed an SQE assessment in the past.
CILEX practitioners or chartered legal executives
If a CILEX practitioner or chartered legal executive wants to apply for admission to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales, they must:
- have a UK degree or equivalent (law or non-law);
- pass SQE1 and SQE2*;
- meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements; and
- apply for admission.
*Those with a CILEX qualification are eligible to apply for an individual SQE2 exemption if they can provide evidence of work experience and/or other qualifications “over and above” the CILEX one.
Swiss lawyers
From 3 January 2025, Swiss lawyers can qualify as solicitors in England and Wales through one of the following routes:
- Aptitude test route: this involves passing SQE1 and SQE2; however, if you have 24 months’ legal work experience, the SRA will take this into account and you’ll be exempt from SQE2.
- Adaptation period route: this involves registering with the SRA as a Swiss lawyer and completing three years of supervised practise in English and Welsh law.
- SQE route: for those without 24 months’ legal work experience, you’ll need to qualify via the SQE route – you can find out more about the requirements involved via LawCareers.Net’s SQE hub, sponsored by The University of Law.
- Registered European lawyer route: this route is available for existing registered European lawyers who registered on or before 31 December 2024 or anyone who applied by this date and then become registered.
“I passed April 2022’s OSCE, what happens now?”
For those who passed the OSCE in April 2022, the deadline to apply for admission to the roll of solicitors has now passed. The SRA asks anyone in this position to contact them directly to discuss next steps.
Other qualification circumstances
The SRA also welcomes applications for admission from qualified lawyers who are in jurisdictions where there’s political unrest. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
If you fall within this category, the SRA’s education team is on hand to offer more information and discuss your personal situation so they can provide advice on your next steps. Visit the SRA website to find out how to get in touch.
For other qualified lawyers with various qualifications, including the Legal Practice Course, head to the SRA’s website to discover your qualification options.
Admission to the roll of solicitors
The SRA will carry out a full financial check and require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) standard disclosure at the point of admission, so it can check whether the applicant has a criminal background.
The SRA will also conduct a character and suitability check and require a Certificate of Good Standing from the applicant’s home professional body or regulator in which they’re registered. This must have been issued no more than three months before the SRA receives the application for admission.
Once the SRA has received a satisfactory result from these checks, it can process the application for admission to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales and the applicant will receive their certificate of admission and can apply for a practising certificate.
If an applicant doesn’t intend to practise in England and Wales following successful completion of the assessments, they can still maintain their name on the roll.
More information on the changes taking place, the SQE, exemptions and steps required to qualify can be found on the SRA’s website.
