Latest SQE1 pass rates drop to below half
updated on 04 October 2024
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The latest sitting for part one of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) was passed by fewer than half of candidates – down from the 56% pass rate for the January 2024 sitting.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) most recent statistical report provides insights into the pass rates of candidates who took SQE1 in July 2024, highlighting that – out of the 5,006 candidates who completed both parts of SQE1 – only 44% of them passed.
As well as collecting data on the overall pass rate, the SRA also highlights the pass rates for those from different backgrounds to better understand discrepancies in performance.
In terms of ethnic groups, the pass rate for white candidates, who made up 44% of the proportion of all candidates, was 57% – the highest of all ethnic groups. Just over 50% of candidates from a mixed/multiple ethnic background passed (they made up 5% of candidates); while 42% of Asian/Asian British candidates passed (they made up 29% of candidates). Elsewhere, Black/Black British candidates made up 8% of all candidates, with the SRA reporting that just 28% of them passed.
In terms of education, those with a first-class degree were more likely to pass (71%) than those with a 2:1 (47%) or a 2:2 (22%). Plus, the pass rate for candidates who’d attended an independent or fee-paying school, where they’d received a bursary covering 90% or more of their tuition, was 65% (these candidates made up 1% of the 5,006 candidates) compared to the 47% pass rate of candidates who’d attended a non-selective, state-run or state-funded school and made up 29% of all candidates. Interestingly, the pass rate (54%) for those who’d attended an independent or fee-paying school, without a bursary, wasn’t too dissimilar to the 47% pass rate of those who’d attended a state-funded school.
Meanwhile, there was a slight difference in the pass rates between candidates who said they were from a professional background (53%) and those from an intermediate background (43%) and a working-class background (42%).
The next SQE1 sitting is in January 2025.
For more information about the SQE, including preparation courses, the assessments and more, head to LawCareers.Net’s SQE hub, sponsored by The University of Law.
