LPC vs SQE
The Legal Practice Course was the old route to qualification; the SQE replaced it on 1 September 2021. Whether you can still choose the LPC depends on when you started.
Who can still use the LPC route
Under the SRA's transitional arrangements, if you had started — or accepted an offer for — a qualifying law degree, a conversion course (GDL/CPE), the LPC or a period of recognised training before 1 September 2021, you can choose to qualify through the old route until 31 December 2032. Everyone else qualifies through the SQE.
How the routes compare
| LPC route | SQE route | |
|---|---|---|
| Academic stage | Qualifying law degree, or degree + GDL | Any degree or equivalent |
| Vocational stage | Legal Practice Course (a taught course) | SQE1 and SQE2 (centrally set assessments) |
| Work experience | Two-year period of recognised training (training contract) with one firm | Two years' QWE, with up to four organisations |
| Who assesses you | Each LPC provider | The same exam for everyone, set for the SRA |
Which should you choose?
If you are eligible for both, compare the cost and your firm's preference: many firms now train new joiners through the SQE. If you are not eligible for the LPC, the SQE is your route — start with what SQE1 covers.
Questions
Is the LPC still available?
Only to candidates covered by the transitional arrangements, who can qualify through the old route until 31 December 2032.
Is the SQE harder than the LPC?
They test differently: the LPC is a taught course assessed by its provider, the SQE a common exam with a pass rate that has ranged roughly between 40% and 60% per sitting.
Exam rules, fees and dates come from the SRA and change over time — sqe.sra.org.uk is authoritative. Last reviewed October 2026.