October 2026 SQE2 Joining Instructions: Dates & Checklist

Last updated: 16 October 2026. Checked against the SRA news item of 15 October 2026 and the SRA's SQE2 assessment days page.

The SRA has confirmed that joining instructions for the October 2026 SQE2 will be emailed to candidates from 20 October 2026. The day yours arrives depends on your oral assessment dates. Here is the schedule, what the emails contain, and what to check in the fortnight before you sit.

When will you get your SQE2 joining instructions?

That is roughly two weeks before your oral assessments, in line with the SRA's guidance that oral joining instructions arrive approximately two weeks ahead.

Source: SRA, October 2026 SQE2 joining instructions, 15 October 2026.

The two emails you should receive

1. Oral assessment joining instructions

According to the SRA, this email includes your report time at the assessment centre, a candidate guidelines document, and details of the structure of the SQE2 oral assessments.

2. Written assessment joining instructions

This one is a reminder of the information in your original booking confirmation email, so it should hold no surprises. If anything differs from your booking confirmation, contact Candidate Services straight away.

Why your report time matters

The SRA is clear that if you are late you cannot enter the assessment, so your report time is the first thing to read.

Each oral assessment day runs between 8am and 8pm, and you attend for between 4.5 and 7 hours within that window. To offer more places, some candidates are randomly allocated a later report time of 12:35 or 12:40 and wait in a supervised area for about three hours before starting. If that is you, your joining instructions will say so, and it applies to both oral days.

If you have a 12:35 or 12:40 report time

• You will be at the centre for around seven hours and cannot be released early.
• If you leave, you will not be allowed back in.
• You can bring paper notes, books and magazines, but no phones, laptops or Bluetooth headphones.
• You cannot buy food during the wait, so bring a cold lunch. Light refreshments are provided.
• If this timetabling does not work for you because of a disability or other condition, the SRA says to apply for a reasonable adjustment as soon as possible.

Source: SRA, SQE2 assessment days, read 16 October 2026.

Your fortnight-before checklist

1. Look for both emails on the date in the table. Search your inbox for "SQE" and check spam and junk.
2. Note your oral report time and put it in your calendar for both days.
3. Plan travel for the whole day. You cannot leave early, and the SRA advises that if in doubt you travel the day after your orals finish.
4. Read the candidate guidelines document attached to the oral email.
5. Check your ID. You must show ID and pass security checks on each day.
6. Pack for the day. A small bag, business clothing, and a warm layer you can remove easily. You are given a calculator, black pen, writing paper and highlighter.
7. Re-read your written booking confirmation and compare it with the written joining email.
8. Confirm any reasonable adjustments are recorded. Medical or religious declarations, such as for security wanding, had to be made by the booking closing deadline.

What the SQE2 oral assessment day looks like

• You register, verify your ID, pass security checks, sign a Fit to Sit declaration and collect an ID badge to wear all day.
• You get preparation time in a preparation room, then an exam marshal escorts you to your assessment room.
• After the client interview you go to a base room to complete the attendance note or legal analysis by hand.
• You are expected to stand for the criminal litigation advocacy assessment, subject to any agreed reasonable adjustments.
• You do not need to shake hands with the examiner playing the client.
• Advocacy is assessed by experienced solicitors and interviewing by trained actors.
• The assessment is about two hours a day, but registration, security and moving groups between rooms mean there will be waiting. That is normal.

What the SQE2 written assessment days look like

• There are 12 written assessments over three days, four per day.
• Each day has two sessions: 1 hour 30 minutes, a 15 minute break, then 1 hour 45 minutes.
• They are computer based at Pearson VUE centres. No water, phones or watches in the room, and you cannot leave early.
• Unscheduled breaks, for water or the bathroom, do not stop the timer.
• Your start time is the same on all three days.

Using the last two weeks well

With logistics sorted, spend the time on what helps you perform. Do timed practice on your weakest stations, especially handwritten attendance notes and legal analysis under time pressure. Practise advocacy on your feet and out loud. Rehearse your day, from wake time and travel to food and a calm routine for any waiting period. And rest properly before each day: the SRA itself describes SQE2 as a rigorous assessment of a length many candidates will not have met before.

SQE2 joining instructions: FAQ

Keep reading

General information, not legal advice. FQPS is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SRA or Kaplan. Check the official SQE website and your own emails for your dates and instructions. The SQE and SOLICITORS QUALIFYING EXAMINATION trade marks are the property of and are used under licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.