Which Route Should You Choose?

Deciding between the LPC or SQE isn’t really black and white. It ultimately comes down to what your personal needs, career goals, time, cost, and preference are.
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‍The SQE route will be considerably more cost-effective than the LPC, and it will take you a lot less time to qualify. However, it is expected that there will be a low pass rate for the SQE assessments, which might make the SQE route to qualification more challenging than the LPC.

For students who have, or expect to obtain a training contract, the LPC is the appropriate choice of course. Students who choose to sit the SQE will have to complete two years of QWE, so the key question for them is - will I be able to obtain QWE? At the moment, a lot of students studying for the SQE have already obtained some form of legal employment, which will count towards their QWE, so the SQE will be an appropriate choice for them.

Another factor to consider are the differences in the assessments: for example, the SQE has far more skills assessments than the LPC (16 tasks in total).

Finally, the other key factor students are considering is how long it takes to study for the LPC and the SQE. The LPC typically lasts for one academic year when studied full time. It is possible to study for the SQE in a shorter time than this, but this is because there is no elective content in the SQE syllabus.

Both the LPC and SQE preparation courses are available in online and attendance mode and can be studied full or part-time. This means both routes have built-in flexibility for students who have work or caring responsibilities.

‍The shorter timeframe for SQE and the fact that QWE can be started before, during and after sitting the SQE may make it a more flexible option for certain students, particularly those with work that will amount to QWE.