How much does the SQE actually cost in 2026
How much does the SQE actually cost in 2026 is a question some candidates answer with a single number. The exam fees are only the starting point. Prep course prices vary by thousands of pounds for the same two exams, exam fees rise in September 2026, and qualifying work experience shapes your finances more than either exam does. None of what follows is meant to put you off. The SQE journey takes a minimum of two years and for most people it takes longer, so the point of laying this out is simple, the earlier you see the full picture, the better you can plan for it.
Section One, SQE Exam Fees
These are fixed by the SRA and apply regardless of which provider you train with. Fees rise for assessments from September 2026 onwards, so if you're booking from that point, the higher figures are your figures. Both sets come directly from the official SQE cost page.
You must book both FLK1 and FLK2 in a single payment at the same sitting, and SQE2's written and oral assessments are booked and paid together.
Resit, Cancellation, And Appeal Fees
These are the fees nobody budgets for, and they're where a plan built around a perfect run falls apart.
| Item | Up to September 2026 | From September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Resit one FLK | £967 | £1,003 |
| Resit both FLKs | £1,934 | £2,006 |
| Resit SQE2 (full) | £2,974 | £3,086 |
| First stage appeal | £350 | £350 |
| Final appeal | £850 | £850 |
Resits are charged at full price, there's no reduced rate for a retake. Appeal fees are refunded if your appeal is upheld. Cancellation charges depend on when you cancel, the SRA doesn't publish a flat figure, the detail sits in Part D of the SQE Assessment Terms and Conditions, and requests must be made in writing.
If you're budgeting around a single clean attempt, build in a buffer anyway.
Section Two, Prep Course Fees By Provider
This is where the real spread sits, and where most candidates spend the least time before committing. All figures are drawn directly from each provider's own pricing page at the time of writing.
| Provider | SQE1 prep | SQE2 prep | Prep subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Legal Practice | £2,200 | £2,700 | £4,900 |
| QLTS School | £1,990 to £2,990 | £1,990 to £2,990 | £3,980 to £5,980 |
| BARBRI | £2,999 to £5,499 | from £3,499 | £6,498 to £8,998 |
| University of Law | from £5,250 | from £5,000 | from £10,250 |
| BPP | from £5,900 | from £4,600 | from £10,500 |
Sources: College of Legal Practice, QLTS School SQE1 and SQE2, BARBRI SQE1 and SQE2, University of Law SQE1and SQE2, BPP SQE1 and SQE2.
Some providers offer scholarships, alumni discounts, or bundled LLM routes that change the total, and BPP's SQE2 price rises to £4,900 for the 2026/27 academic year. Check each provider's site directly before booking, prices move.
Section Three, The Combined Picture
Add the SQE exam fees to each provider's prep subtotal and this is what qualifying actually costs, start to finish, before resits, travel, or QWE. The exam fee column uses the September 2026 rate of £5,092, since anyone reading this and booking from here forward pays the new fees.
| Provider | Prep subtotal | SQE exam fees | Grand total |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Legal Practice | £4,900 | £5,092 | £9,992 |
| QLTS School | £3,980 to £5,980 | £5,092 | £9,072 to £11,072 |
| BARBRI | £6,498 to £8,998 | £5,092 | £11,590 to £14,090 |
| University of Law | from £10,250 | £5,092 | from £15,342 |
| BPP | from £10,500 | £5,092 | from £15,592 |
The gap here is the story. College of Legal Practice and BPP prepare candidates for the exact same two exams, and the grand total difference between them is over £5,500. Neither choice is automatically wrong. Self study and lower cost providers demand more independent discipline. The larger providers add structure, tutor access, and in some cases pass rate guarantees.
Qualifying Work Experience, The Quiet Cost
QWE doesn't show up on an exam fee schedule, but two years of it shapes your finances more than either exam does. Paid QWE at a firm is a different financial position than unpaid or underpaid experience taken because it was available. Neither is wrong, but candidates rarely plan for the months of reduced income this stretch can involve, and it's worth mapping out before you commit to a particular route.
Travel and The Day Of The Exam
The exams happen at test centres, not at your kitchen table, and SQE2 includes oral assessments run at a limited number of centres. Depending on where you live, that can mean train fares, a hotel the night before, meals, and time off work for each sitting. It's a small line next to a £3,086 exam fee, but it's real money, and for candidates sitting multiple assessment days across SQE1 and SQE2 it adds up. Price it in when you pick your sitting rather than discovering it the week before.
Opportunity Cost, The Biggest Number Nobody Writes Down
Every hour you spend preparing for the SQE is an hour you're not doing something else. For most candidates that means months of evenings and weekends, and for some it means reduced hours, a paused career move, or income given up entirely to study full time. This is the largest cost on this list and it never appears on an invoice, which is exactly why it gets ignored in most budgeting. Be honest with yourself about what your study period will actually displace, and decide in advance whether the sitting you're aiming for is realistic alongside it. A delayed sitting you're prepared for is cheaper than a resit.
The Be An Adult Section
None of this is written to discourage you. It's written because the SQE journey takes a minimum of two years, and for most people, between work, resits, QWE, and life, it takes longer. Over a timeline like that, a vague budget doesn't survive contact with reality. A specific one does. If you're deciding whether to sit SQE 1 this cycle, wait a sitting, or choose between providers, knowing the real number is worth more than another study tip.
You're not behind if this is the first time you've seen the full picture. Most people don't see it until they're already in it. Seeing it now, before you've committed, is the advantage.
Prices listed above are correct at time of writing (23rd August, 2026). All prices are subject to change. Please check the relevant website before making any decisions.
