Second provider reveals price for SQE preparation courses

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SQE prep: QLTS School entirely online

QLTS School has become only the second training provider to announce how much it will charge students to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) from next year.

It is offering a virtual course starting at £1,500 for a basic package, rising to £2,400 for SQE and £2,500 for SQE2 for premium, with an intermediate level in between.

For the SQE1, those choosing the basic package do not have access to a live tutor, or mock practicals on SQE2.

The fees set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for taking the exams are £3,980 in total.

Candidates can choose to prepare full-time or part-time and QLTS School recommends they allow nine to 12 months to prepare for the exams.

“A typical timeline that we could anticipate for the majority of candidates would be to commence studies five to six months before SQE1, devoting approximately 15 to 20 hours per week to this before preparing for and attempting SQE2. Some candidates may decide to extend their studies over a longer period of time of perhaps 12 to 18 months.

“For SQE2, we advise that candidates should study for approximately 15 to 20 hours per week over a three- to four-month preparation period. Some candidates may allow themselves more time to prepare for the SQE2 exam, typically this can be up to eight months.”

BARBRI is the only other provider to unveil its prices so far. Its course for SQE1 last 10, 20 or 40 weeks, with the SQE2 course eight or 16 weeks. Each costs £3,000.

The current average cost of qualifying of £16,680 for those with a law degree and £25,705 for those without.

QLTS School provides textbooks, practice questions, revision notes, digital flashcards, video tutorials, videos, mock tests and tutor support through an online training system which tracks the candidate’s activity.

Nir Chanoch, managing director of QLTS School, said its approach was developed with the benefit of having prepared students for the qualified lawyers transfer scheme, whose multiple-choice format and practical skills tests the SQE is modelled on.

He said being online meant “we are not tied down by the same costs as traditional brick and mortar LPC providers”.

While much of the focus at the moment is on cost, in time it will shift to content and quality as the SRA intends to publish pass rates.

QLTS School’s SQE1 preparation course will officially launch in January 2021.