Editorially reviewed 10 August 2026
Preparing for SQE1 can become expensive very quickly. But you do not need to spend thousands of pounds before you have even worked out what you know, what you need to learn and which type of preparation suits you.
There is now a surprisingly large collection of free SQE1 resources available online: official SRA questions, free MCQ banks, mock exams, video lectures, study planners, written guides, revision apps, livestreams, podcasts and free trials from commercial SQE providers.
This page brings the strongest of them together in one place.
The aim is not to tell you that one provider has everything you need. It is to help you build a sensible preparation strategy from the large amount of material already available for free.
Last reviewed: 10 August 2026.
Free offers and trial arrangements can change, so always check the provider's current terms before registering or supplying payment details.
#FreeSQEPrep
The short answer: where should I start with free SQE1 preparation?
If you are preparing for SQE1 in 2027 and do not know where to begin, start with five things:
- Read the current SRA SQE1 Assessment Specification and FLK1/FLK2 syllabus.
- Attempt some of the SRA's official SQE1 sample questions.
- Work out your starting level and identify your knowledge gaps.
- Create a realistic study plan covering the whole FLK.
- Build a repeating cycle of learning, MCQ practice, review and targeted revision.
The SRA should always be your primary reference point. Commercial courses, books, videos, AI tools and question banks are preparation aids: they do not define what is examinable.
The SRA currently provides 220 official SQE1 sample questions, divided between FLK1 and FLK2. Of these, 130 are pre-tested questions that have actually appeared in SQE1 assessments. The SRA also provides the assessment specification, guidance on single best answer questions and a demonstration of the Pearson VUE examination interface.
Important information for SQE1 candidates sitting in 2027
Candidates preparing for 2027 should make sure they are using the SQE Assessment Specification applicable from September 2026. The SRA's annual review introduced changes across FLK1 and FLK2 that apply to assessments taking place after 1 September 2026.
For January 2027 SQE1, FLK1 is scheduled for 11–15 January 2027 and FLK2 for 18–22 January 2027. The examinable law and practice cut-off date is 11 September 2026.
For July 2027 SQE1, FLK1 is scheduled for 12–16 July 2027 and FLK2 for 19–23 July 2027. The examinable law and practice cut-off date is 12 March 2027.
That cut-off date matters. SQE1 tests the law and practice applicable four calendar months before the first assessment in the relevant window.
1. Start with the official SRA SQE1 resources
Before buying an SQE course, subscribing to an app or working through somebody else's question bank, understand what the examination body actually expects.
SRA SQE1 Assessment Specification
The Assessment Specification identifies the Functioning Legal Knowledge that can be examined in FLK1 and FLK2.
SQE1 is a closed-book assessment testing whether you can apply fundamental legal principles and rules to realistic client-based and ethical situations at the level expected of a newly qualified solicitor. Each question has five possible answers and one single best answer.
Use the specification as your master checklist.
If a revision resource spends large amounts of time on material outside the specification, ask whether that is the best use of your limited preparation time.
220 official SRA SQE1 sample questions
These should form part of every candidate's preparation.
The current collection contains:
- 90 original sample questions;
- 130 pre-tested questions previously used in real SQE1 assessments;
- questions across FLK1 and FLK2;
- candidate performance data for the pre-tested questions; and
- online and PDF versions.
The SRA specifically warns that these questions are examples rather than a complete mock examination, but they remain the best available reference for understanding the style and structure of genuine SQE1 questions.
Pearson VUE exam demonstration
The SRA also provides access to a demonstration of the Pearson VUE SQE1 interface.
Do not leave interface familiarisation until exam day. SQE1 is taken under substantial time pressure: each 180-question FLK assessment is divided into two sessions of 90 questions, with 2 hours 33 minutes for each session.
2. A free starting ecosystem: #FreeSQEPrep with Dr Yannis
One problem with free SQE preparation is fragmentation.
You find some questions in one place, a lecture somewhere else, a spreadsheet somebody has shared online and an old Reddit post telling you what to revise. None of those things necessarily connect.
The Dr Yannis SQE Learning Hub was built around a different idea: connect the main stages of preparation so that candidates can move between learning, practising, planning and identifying weaknesses in one study flow.
The hub currently brings together expert videos, written guides, validated SQE-style MCQs, personalised planning and knowledge-gap support. Much of the ecosystem is free, with optional low-cost material for candidates who want additional depth.
It is part of the #FreeSQEPrep project developed by Dr Ioannis (Yannis) Glinavos through GlinTiss Ltd.
It is independent of the SRA and should be used alongside, rather than instead of, official SRA materials.
Free SQE1 video lectures
The Dr Yannis YouTube channel contains video material covering the full Functioning Legal Knowledge syllabus, together with focused revision videos, MCQ sessions and recordings of SQE1 livestreams.
This can be particularly useful if you are:
- starting SQE preparation and want an overview before reading;
- a non-law graduate encountering an area for the first time;
- an overseas-qualified lawyer trying to identify gaps in English law;
- self-studying and need somebody to explain difficult concepts; or
- revising a weak area identified through MCQ practice.
You do not need to watch everything.
A better approach is to use video selectively: identify a weak FLK topic, learn or refresh it, then immediately test whether you can apply it through MCQs.
Free SQE1 Study Planner
The interactive SQE1 Study Planner creates a structured plan for FLK1 and FLK2 based on your preparation period and examination sitting. It has already been updated to include 2027 sittings.
For self-prepping candidates this is important because the greatest initial challenge is often not understanding a particular legal rule. It is understanding the scale of the syllabus and allocating sufficient time across it.
A planner gives you the skeleton. Your MCQ performance should then determine where you add extra revision time.
Free SQE1 MCQ Bank
The Dr Yannis MCQ Bank provides SQE-style questions drawn from the weekly SQE newsletter.
The questions and answer feedback are reviewed and validated by Dr Yannis before publication.
Use the bank for application rather than memorisation. When you answer incorrectly, ask:
What rule did I not know? What fact did I miss? Why was the tempting alternative wrong?
That analysis is more valuable than simply recording your percentage score.
SQE Prep Check and knowledge-gap support
The SQE Learning Hub also includes a Prep Check designed to help candidates identify what they already know and where further work is needed. The aim is triage: avoid spending equal amounts of time on areas where your starting knowledge is very different.
This can be particularly useful before committing to an expensive preparation course. First establish whether you need comprehensive teaching, targeted revision, intensive MCQ practice or simply better organisation.
Free weekly SQE newsletter
The free SQE newsletter provides a continuing stream of:
- SQE-style MCQs;
- detailed answer feedback;
- links to relevant teaching resources;
- preparation tips; and
- occasional discounts and additional resources.
The newsletter questions are also archived online and increasingly appear through the Dr Yannis Substack.
Free SQE livestreams
Regular livestreams and recorded sessions provide another way to practise questions with explanation rather than simply clicking through a question bank.
The Dr Yannis channel includes dedicated SQE1 livestream playlists and subject-based MCQ sessions.
These are particularly useful when you want to hear the reasoning process behind choosing the single best answer.
3. Written SQE1 guides on Substack
Videos are useful for understanding. Written material is often better for consolidation and revision.
The Dr Yannis SQE Substack therefore sits alongside the video library rather than duplicating it.
It contains a mixture of free material, newsletter MCQs, shorter explainers and more extensive topic guides. Current material includes areas such as Business Law and Practice, Contract Law, Criminal Liability, Land Law, Property Practice, leases, taxation and focused examination traps such as Part 36 offers.
For a self-prepping candidate, a useful study pattern is:
Watch → Read → Practise → Review
Watch an explanation of the topic.
Read a written summary to consolidate the rules.
Attempt SQE-style questions without your notes.
Then return only to the areas you could not correctly apply.
That is usually more productive than repeatedly rereading a textbook from beginning to end.
Some of the deeper Substack guides require a subscription, but there is a substantial free archive to explore before deciding whether you need additional written support.
4. Free SQE podcast and flashcards
Candidates who commute, exercise or simply need a break from screens can also use the Functioning Law Podcast, which covers SQE Functioning Legal Knowledge.
Free flashcards accompany podcast material and provide another form of retrieval practice.
Audio should not replace MCQ practice, but it can turn otherwise unused time into useful low-intensity revision.
5. BPP free SQE1 resources
BPP provides a useful free sample package for candidates who want to see what a major law-school SQE course looks like before considering paid preparation.
Its current free resources include:
- a sample Criminal Law online workbook;
- 50 SQE1 MCQs;
- an SQE1 mock examination with feedback; and
- two recorded lectures covering Contract offer and acceptance and an introduction to Criminal Law.
Best use: sample the teaching style, gain some additional question practice and compare BPP's explanations with other resources.
6. QLTS School free SQE sample material and mocks
QLTS School offers one of the broader commercial-provider taster packages.
Its free sample materials include examples of:
- textbooks;
- summary notes;
- digital flashcards;
- practice questions;
- video material;
- podcasts; and
- SQE1 mock testing.
QLTS also currently advertises free FLK1 and FLK2 mock access without payment details or commitment. The exact format and availability of its free mocks can change around examination periods, so check the current offering when you register.
Best use: experiencing a more intensive commercial mock environment and testing whether QLTS's preparation style suits you before purchasing anything.
7. University of Law free SQE Revision App
The University of Law provides a free version of its ULaw SQE Revision App.
Candidates who are not enrolled at ULaw can access a limited selection of questions and materials, while ULaw students receive much wider access to the full question bank.
Best use: mobile SQE1 question practice and exposure to questions from another major SQE training provider.
8. BARBRI SQE Edge
BARBRI provides SQE Edge, a free registration-based resource intended to introduce candidates to the format and demands of SQE1.
BARBRI describes the resource as a way of understanding how SQE assessment differs from the types of examinations many undergraduate students have previously encountered.
Best use: candidates who are new to the SQE and want an introduction to single best answer assessment before considering a full BARBRI course.
9. Law Drills free access and free SQE1 MCQs
Law Drills is an adaptive SQE practice platform built around MCQs, performance analysis and AI-supported explanations.
Candidates can currently start free with 30 credits and access to selected subjects.
Law Drills also maintains free SQE practice and mini-mock material. Its free-resource guide describes practice questions and FLK1/FLK2 mini-mocks alongside its paid adaptive question bank.
Best use: candidates who want to experiment with adaptive question practice and data-driven identification of weak areas.
10. Future Solicitor free seven-day SQE1 trial
Future Solicitor currently offers a particularly substantial free trial.
Its August 2026 trial includes:
- seven days of access to its Contract Law module;
- five mini-mock examinations; and
- 168 mock questions.
The full commercial platform contains videos, diagrams, notes and a much larger question bank, but the free trial is enough to decide whether the teaching format works for you.
Best use: testing what a more complete structured online SQE course feels like without immediately buying one.
11. AllAboutLaw SQE1 Taster Course
AllAboutLaw currently offers free access to an SQE1 Taster Course.
Its previous free full SQE1 mock is being redesigned, with a replacement advertised as coming soon.
AllAboutLaw is also useful more broadly for information on training contracts, legal careers and the qualification route.
Best use: early-stage candidates who are still learning how SQE preparation connects with the wider route into the profession.
12. Revise SQE sample questions
Revise SQE publishes dedicated SQE1 revision books and practice assessments, with 2027 editions now available.
Candidates wanting to sample its question style before buying a book or full mock can access a short 12-question sample mock through Law Drills.
Best use: deciding whether the Revise SQE style works for you before buying its books or complete mock assessments.
13. Kinnu SQE free trial
Kinnu offers SQE preparation through an app incorporating questions, study notes, flashcards, mock examinations, analytics and an AI tutor.
The current mobile-app offer includes a seven-day free trial before a subscription is required.
Best use: candidates interested in app-based learning, spaced repetition and analytics.
Remember to check subscription and cancellation terms before beginning any free trial that can convert automatically into a paid subscription.
14. Devil's Advocate free SQE sessions
Devil's Advocate is primarily a paid revision platform offering question banks, notes, flashcards and live teaching.
It also periodically runs free SQE1 sessions and taster events alongside its paid programme. Its current events schedule, for example, includes a free SQE1 preparation and MCQ session.
Because these events change with each exam cycle, check the current timetable rather than relying on an old recording or event listing.
Best use: sampling live teaching and intensive revision sessions before deciding whether you want paid crash-course support.
15. Other free SQE1 apps and independent question banks
There are also smaller independent SQE resources that can add variety to your preparation.
For example, the SQE1 Test Prep mobile app currently provides two free practice tests, access to its first section and immediate question feedback before requiring a paid upgrade.
Other independent websites also provide small free banks covering multiple SQE subjects.
These can be useful for additional retrieval practice, but apply an important rule:
The further you move from official SRA materials, the more carefully you should verify disputed answers against the current SRA specification and reliable legal sources.
A large question bank is not automatically a good question bank.
16. Free sources for checking the law
SQE preparation resources simplify the law. Sometimes you need to check the underlying authority.
Legislation.gov.uk
Legislation.gov.uk is the official home of UK legislation and is managed by The National Archives on behalf of HM Government.
Use it when you want to check the wording or current status of an Act or statutory instrument rather than relying entirely on somebody else's summary.
Find Case Law
The National Archives' Find Case Law service provides free access to official judgments and tribunal decisions from courts in England and Wales, as well as UK Supreme Court and Privy Council decisions.
You do not need to read hundreds of judgments to prepare for SQE1.
But if a case is central to understanding a legal principle, reading the relevant part of the judgment can sometimes make the rule considerably easier to remember.
17. Free SQE communities and study groups
Self-preparation does not have to mean studying completely alone.
Active candidate communities exist on Reddit, Facebook, Discord and other platforms.
The Reddit communities r/SQE_Prep and r/SQE1_study, for example, contain discussions about resources, providers, revision strategies, study groups and upcoming sittings.
Law Drills also operates an SQE Prep Discord community with daily MCQ activity.
The Dr Yannis SQE community provides another free discussion space for candidates studying English law and preparing for the SQE.
Candidate communities are excellent for accountability and moral support.
They are not authoritative sources of law.
If somebody online says, “This definitely comes up in the exam” or “You don't need to revise that topic”, check the SRA specification yourself.
How to self-study for SQE1 using free resources
A common mistake in SQE preparation is collecting resources rather than studying.
You do not need six sets of notes, four video courses and ten question banks open at the same time.
You need a repeatable system.
Stage 1: Map the examination
Read the current SRA specification.
Understand FLK1 and FLK2.
Look at several official questions.
Use a study planner to map the syllabus against the time you have available.
If you are unsure of your starting point, use a diagnostic or knowledge-gap tool.
Stage 2: Learn the law
Choose one main source for explanation.
That might be a textbook, a commercial course, the Dr Yannis FLK video library, written Substack guides or a combination of video and reading.
Do not continuously switch sources simply because another set of notes looks attractive.
Stage 3: Practise immediately
After learning a topic, answer questions on it.
Start with carefully reviewed subject-specific questions.
As your preparation develops, mix subjects so that you must identify the legal issue rather than being told what topic is being tested.
Stage 4: Analyse errors
Your incorrect answers are a revision plan.
Separate them into:
Knowledge error: you did not know the rule.
Application error: you knew the rule but applied it incorrectly.
Reading error: you missed an important fact.
Technique error: you selected a true statement rather than the single best answer.
Timing error: pressure caused you to guess or rush.
Those problems require different solutions.
Stage 5: Move towards exam conditions
Later in your preparation, introduce longer mixed question sets and timed mock examinations.
The objective is not merely to increase your score.
You are training yourself to recognise legal issues, apply the correct rule and make a decision within approximately the time available in the real SQE1 assessment.
A sensible free SQE1 preparation stack
If I were starting SQE1 preparation without yet buying a course, I would combine resources rather than search for one magical platform.
For the syllabus: SRA Assessment Specification.
For exam calibration: the 220 SRA sample questions.
For planning: a free SQE1 Study Planner.
For learning: structured FLK videos plus written explanations.
For regular practice: several independently produced MCQ banks.
For mock exposure: free BPP, QLTS, Law Drills, Future Solicitor or other provider samples and trials.
For identifying gaps: diagnostic and performance-analysis tools.
For checking disputed law: legislation.gov.uk and official case law.
For motivation and support: candidate communities, newsletters and livestreams.
That gives you something much more valuable than a folder containing thousands of PDFs.
It gives you a study system.
Can you prepare for SQE1 completely for free?
Potentially, yes.
There is enough free material available to build a serious programme of SQE1 study without immediately buying a comprehensive preparation course.
But “there is enough free material” is not the same as saying that every candidate should self-study.
A structured commercial course may be worthwhile if you need teaching from the ground up, tutor feedback, externally imposed deadlines or a complete programme assembled for you.
Self-preparation places more responsibility on you to:
- interpret the SRA specification correctly;
- identify reliable materials;
- keep those materials up to date;
- monitor your own weaknesses;
- create your own timetable; and
- recognise when your preparation is not working.
That is one reason #FreeSQEPrep focuses on organisation and diagnosis as well as content.
The question is not simply:
“Where can I find free SQE notes?”
The better question is:
“What do I need to do next to become better prepared for SQE1?”
Frequently asked questions about free SQE1 resources for 2027
What are the best free SQE1 resources for 2027?
Start with the official SRA SQE1 Assessment Specification and the SRA's 220 sample questions. Then combine a study planner, reliable teaching material, additional MCQ practice and timed mock examinations.
Free resources are currently available from the SRA, Dr Yannis #FreeSQEPrep, BPP, QLTS School, the University of Law, BARBRI, Law Drills, Future Solicitor, AllAboutLaw and several other SQE providers.
How many free official SRA SQE1 questions are available?
The SRA currently provides 220 SQE1 sample questions across FLK1 and FLK2. Of these, 130 are pre-tested questions that have previously appeared in actual SQE1 assessments.
Are the SRA sample questions enough to prepare for SQE1?
No. The SRA itself explains that the sample questions illustrate the type of questions candidates can expect but do not cover all material in the FLK and are not designed to constitute a complete mock examination.
Use them as your benchmark for style and calibration, then obtain additional practice elsewhere.
Where can I find free SQE1 mock exams?
Free or trial mock material is currently available through providers including BPP, QLTS School, Law Drills and Future Solicitor, while AllAboutLaw is developing a new version of its free mock.
Offers can change, particularly around exam periods.
Where can I find free SQE1 videos?
The Dr Yannis YouTube channel provides free video coverage across the SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge syllabus, together with revision sessions, MCQ walkthroughs and livestream recordings.
Commercial providers including BPP and QLTS also make selected sample video material available for free.
Is there a free SQE1 study planner for 2027?
Yes. The Dr Yannis interactive SQE1 Study Planner supports 2027 assessment dates and generates a structured FLK1 and FLK2 preparation schedule.
What should a non-law graduate use first?
Do not begin by randomly attempting hundreds of MCQs.
First understand the SRA syllabus and establish how much foundational English law you already know.
A diagnostic or Prep Check followed by structured introductory teaching is likely to be more useful initially than repeated mock examinations.
Once you understand the basic rules, MCQ practice becomes much more valuable.
Can foreign-qualified lawyers use these resources?
Yes. The same SQE1 Functioning Legal Knowledge assessment applies to candidates taking SQE1, although individual qualification requirements and possible exemptions can differ.
For an overseas-qualified lawyer, a knowledge-gap assessment can be particularly useful because existing legal knowledge may be strong in some fields but not align neatly with English and Welsh law in others.
Always check your own qualification route and any exemption position directly with the SRA.
Is Dr Yannis an SQE training provider?
Dr Ioannis (Yannis) Glinavos is a law academic and SQE content developer. The #FreeSQEPrep ecosystem is independently produced through GlinTiss Ltd and is not affiliated with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The resources are designed to support SQE candidates rather than replace official SRA materials or, where a candidate needs one, a comprehensive SQE preparation course.
Start your free SQE1 preparation
If you are starting SQE1 preparation for January 2027 or July 2027, do not begin by buying everything you can find.
Begin by finding out what you need.
Read the SRA specification.
Try official SQE questions.
Check your starting level.
Build your study plan.
Learn the FLK.
Practise applying it.
Review your mistakes.
Then decide whether you actually need to pay for additional support.
That is the idea behind #FreeSQEPrep:
Learn. Practise. Plan. Improve.
Use the free resources available across the SQE community, find the combination that works for you, and spend money only when a paid resource solves a problem that your free preparation cannot.