SQE1 vs LLB: What's the Difference?

The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) launched in September 2021 as the new route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. It sits alongside the LLB as a pathway — not a replacement — and the two are very different in what they test and how.

The LLBis a three-year undergraduate degree covering seven Foundations of Legal Knowledge (FLK): contract, tort, criminal, constitutional & administrative, land, equity & trusts, and EU law. The degree develops analytical writing, mooting, and research skills. It does not guarantee a training contract or qualify you as a solicitor — it is the academic stage only.

SQE1tests functional legal knowledge across two multiple-choice papers: FLK1 (Contract, Tort, Legal System, Constitutional, Criminal) and FLK2 (Property, Equity & Trusts, Wills, Business, Dispute Resolution). 180 questions per paper, single best answer format, sat at Pearson VUE test centres. No essays — purely applied knowledge under time pressure.

Key differences:The LLB rewards depth and argument; SQE1 rewards breadth and speed. SQE1 covers areas the LLB does not require (e.g., Wills & Administration, Business Law) and vice versa (the LLB gives you dedicated EU law and jurisprudence modules). If you hold a qualifying law degree, you are exempt from nothing in the SQE — you still sit both papers.

SQE2 tests practical legal skills (client interview, advocacy, legal drafting, legal research). It follows SQE1 and two years of qualifying work experience (QWE). The entire SQE route is significantly cheaper than the old LPC route for many candidates. Practice with our SQE1 FLK1 and FLK2 quizzes.