Preparing for the SQE? We've brought together members' advice on revision, choosing resources and fitting study around work, along with their experiences of SQE1 and SQE2.
Free SQE books and mocks
ReviseSQE are giving away a set of four practice assessment books every week and a set of all 18 SQE1 books every month.
To enter, start a thread in our
SQE forum and share updates as you study. That's it! We announce winners every Monday in the
giveaway thread, where you can also find the full details.
Preparing for SQE1
- SQE1 advice: study methods, resources and exam preparation — Abbie Whitlock
A detailed guide to how Abbie prepared for her January 2026 exams alongside work. She covers flashcards, practice questions, using the specification and what she would do differently. If you're looking for somewhere to start, this is a good one.
- Memory tips and a subject-by-subject revision checklist — Denisa, shared by Jaysen
Practical ideas for remembering the material, testing yourself and keeping revision manageable, followed by the topics Denisa found challenging in each subject.
- Choosing a question bank — Abbie Whitlock
Abbie compares her experience of LawDrills and The Devil's Advocate, including what she found useful and why she checked answers against her manuals.
- Studying while working full-time — Susan Desfontaines
Susan's account of preparing for the November 2021 exams alongside work and family commitments. Particularly useful for seeing how she organised her week and protected time for studying.
Preparing for SQE2
- What I wish I'd known before SQE1 and SQE2 — Dana Altunisi
Dana's SQE2 advice covers structuring answers, starting timed mocks before you feel ready and handling the feeling that an assessment went badly.
- What I would change after seeing my SQE2 results — average_jo123
Two useful takeaways on checking your legal knowledge against the specification and understanding the marking criteria. The rest of the thread goes into much more detail on preparation and individual skills.
- Official SQE2 sample tasks and answers — SRA
Written tasks, sample answers and commentary, alongside videos of oral assessments and the criteria used to assess candidates.
Members' SQE diaries
- Jaysen does the SQE
Jaysen writes about preparing for SQE1, the advice he gets from other candidates and the study techniques he tries along the way.
- The Diary of an SQE Student — Joey green
Joey's ongoing account of studying with BARBRI, including getting used to mixing subjects in his revision and adjusting his approach to note-taking.
- BPP SQE Journey - My current approach to the January 2027 Exam — Stepzinlaw
Stepzinlaw shares preparation for BPP’s City Consortium programme, tracking mistakes in practice questions and what the first week of inductions is like.
- SQE and Me — Boating
Boating writes about starting at BPP, using active recall and building a study planner, with updates as the course gets going.
- SQE1 diary: starting prep in September, sitting January 2027 — Louis_Litt
Louis_Litt follows the run-up to January 2027, from refreshing academic law and mapping the specification to starting the ULaw materials.
- Crt1s v SQE — crt1s
crt1s is starting the SQE at ULaw while working two days a week, sharing early preparation and plans for balancing the two.
- Ella’s SQE journey — Ella thopliss
Ella shares her preparation for ULaw, revisiting academic law and using practice questions before the course starts.
- Scarlett’s SQE Journey — SM2001
Scarlett has started a diary to share her progress and hear from others who are studying for, or have completed, the SQE.
- My SQE1 Journey: January 2027 – Can I Do It? — h.reena
h.reena shares what is and isn’t working in her revision, from moving away from copying notes to finding a routine she can maintain.
- Rainy Day Realisations: A Serial Procrastinor’s SQE Journey (Sep 26) — Test_Account
An honest starting point for anyone feeling unprepared: getting organised for BPP, taking small steps and using a diary for accountability.
- SQE1 Study With Me: High-Yield Triage Method — Laurelle
Laurelle shares her approach to self-study for January 2027, using practice questions to identify what to focus on and condensing her notes.
- A fully digital, data-driven approach to SQE self-study — Polaranu
Polaranu explains a digital approach to self-study using Obsidian, Anki and a spreadsheet to track progress towards a planned July 2027 sitting.
- SQE Journeys / Tips (July 2026 Exam) — WillKitchen
WillKitchen documents preparing for the July 2026 exam with BARBRI, including flashcards, memorable study techniques and discussions with other candidates.
You can ask questions, find more diaries or start your own in the
SQE forum. For general questions and updates, join the
2026–27 SQE discussion thread.
Exam information and free resources
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