Skip to content

SRA announces further SQE fees increase

Avatar photo

By Legal Cheek on

5

£2,006 for SQE1, £3,086 for SQE2

Graduation hat on piggy bank with stack of coins money on natural green background, Saving money for education concept
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has announced a fourth fee increase for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), to cover inflation and translating the exams into Welsh.

Alongside the publication of its annual report, the SRA has confirmed that from September 2026, SQE fees will rise to £2,006 for SQE1 and £3,086 for SQE2, totalling £5,092. This amounts to a total increase of 3.7%.

This marks the fourth fee increase since the SQE’s inception in 2021, following a significant 11% rise in July 2023. As with the most recent increase last March, the SRA has cited inflation and the translation of exams into Welsh as the driving factors behind the latest adjustment.

The SRA said that “making sure that the quality of the SQE is maintained, and that it remains a valid, reliable, secure and fair assessment which meets the regulator’s accessibility commitments, is a priority.”

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE
guest

5 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No More Fees!
No More Fees!
1 hour ago

Absolutely ridiculous
I thought the LAST lot of fee increases were for the translation of the papers into Welsh?
The SQE was designed to be cheaper and more accessible than the LPC, and now with all of these fee increases, I would’ve been far better off doing the LPC instead.
Sincerely, an already struggling law student.

Last edited 1 hour ago by No More Fees!
Greenock
Greenock
1 hour ago

No doubt SRA executive management will conveniently be announcing another salary increase for them with this additional money

Robert B
Robert B
47 minutes ago

Seems they’re finally doing away with any pretense this is a massive money making scheme for the SRA.

SQE HATER
SQE HATER
44 minutes ago

How is SQE accessible and affordable to everyone. GAME OF GREED!!!

Japan:£145

China: £70

Singapore: £1,000 

Malaysia: £850

California: £500

Washington: £440

Canada: about £580

Australia:£2,500

South Korea: £115

India: about £30

New York: £185

Chloe
Chloe
31 minutes ago

This is an outrage!!

Related Stories

news SQE Hub

The SQE isn’t perfect but some of the criticism crosses a line

Law student Scott McCulloch puts his head above the parapet to defend the new solicitor exam regime

Apr 14 2026 8:52am
35
news SQE Hub

80% of SQE students say route ‘not fit for purpose’ as junior lawyers group calls for urgent review

Concerns around delivery, affordability and impact on wellbeing

Apr 9 2026 8:39am
26