SQE in Singapore
The SQE in Singapore: what it does and does not do
The SQE makes you a solicitor of England and Wales, and that title is not a route to the Singapore Bar. Admission in Singapore turns on your degree: 11 UK universities are on the approved list, and the rules name degrees, not professional titles. What the English title does give you in Singapore is registration as a foreign lawyer, practising English law through a licensed law practice. Singapore is on the SRA’s list of places where it aims to offer SQE1 and the SQE2 written papers.
- 11
- UK universities whose law degrees count towards the Singapore Bar (SILE list, updated 9 October 2025)
- 8
- UK universities cut from that list in 2015, closed to anyone admitted to the degree from 1 October 2015
- 1,400
- foreign lawyers in Singapore, in around 150 foreign law practices (official committee report, October 2025)
- 18
- months of post-qualification work the SRA asks a Singapore advocate and solicitor to show for an SQE2 exemption
Does the SQE let you practise law in Singapore?
Facts checked against the regulators’ own pages. Last updated .
- Not Singapore law. The English solicitor title is not a route to the Singapore Bar. Admission as an advocate and solicitor needs you to be a "qualified person", which depends on your degree, on citizenship or permanent residence, and on the Singapore Bar Examinations.
- If your UK law degree is not from one of the 11 approved universities, or is a University of London external LLB, qualifying in England does not fix that. You would still need an exemption from the Minister for Law, and the Ministry says those are granted sparingly.
- What the title does give you is registration with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority as a foreign lawyer, practising English law through a licensed law practice in Singapore. The Ministry of Law says no course or examination is needed for that.
- A Singaporean with an approved degree who is admitted in England, and has two years of relevant legal practice, work or training, can apply for exemption from Part B and the practice training period. It is decided case by case and is not automatic.
- Singapore advocates and solicitors have no agreed SQE exemption. You can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption with 18 months of post-qualification work, or 12 if you qualified with an overseas degree. SQE1 is sat.
- Singapore is on the SRA’s list for SQE1 and the SQE2 written papers, confirmed only when booking opens. The SQE2 oral assessments are held only in England and Wales.
Which UK law degrees Singapore recognises
For the Singapore Bar, the university decides whether your degree counts at all. This is the list kept by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE), on a page last updated on 9 October 2025.
| Group | Universities | What it means for the Singapore Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Approved (11) | Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge (B.A. Law), Durham, King’s College London, London School of Economics, Queen Mary University of London, University College London, Nottingham, Oxford (B.A. Jurisprudence), Warwick | The degree counts, with at least lower second class honours. |
| Removed in 2015 (8) | Exeter, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, SOAS, Manchester, Sheffield, Southampton | The degree counts only if you were admitted as a candidate for it before 1 October 2015 and it was conferred before 1 January 2025. |
| Not on either list | Every other UK law school, and the University of London LLB taken as an external or distance degree | The degree does not count. The only way forward is an exemption from the Minister for Law. |
The Ministry of Law announced the cut on 24 February 2015, accepting SILE’s recommendation, for intakes from the 2016/17 academic year, with protection for citizens and permanent residents who had already secured a place. Sources: SILE, qualified person and Ministry of Law, 24 February 2015.
- The London entries are the internal degrees of King’s, LSE, Queen Mary and UCL. In a written answer of 28 February 2012 the Minister for Law told Parliament that external law degrees are not recognised for the Singapore Bar, and that 11 exemptions had been granted to external degree holders since 1994. Those figures run to 2011 only. Source: Ministry of Law, written answer.
- An approved degree is one of four conditions. An overseas graduate must also be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, pass Part A of the Singapore Bar Examinations, and complete six months of relevant legal training, practice or work.
- Check before you enrol. The Ministry’s advice is to confirm recognition before starting a degree and, if the degree is not recognised, to apply for an exemption before accepting the university’s offer. Source: Ministry of Law, applying for an exemption.
Singapore Bar or the SQE with a UK law degree
These are two routes to two different titles, and only one of them leads to practising Singapore law. The table is for a Singapore citizen or permanent resident who holds a UK law degree.
| Point of comparison | Singapore Bar route | England and Wales via the SQE |
|---|---|---|
| Title at the end | Advocate and Solicitor (Singapore) | Solicitor of England and Wales |
| Who can start | Singapore citizens and permanent residents only | The SRA’s admission criteria contain no nationality or residence condition |
| Degree | A law degree from one of the 11 approved UK universities, at lower second class honours or above | A degree in any subject. It need not be a law degree or come from a listed university. |
| Examinations | Part A: five open-book papers and an online ethics quiz. Then the Part B course and examinations. | SQE1 (the FLK1 and FLK2 papers), then SQE2 |
| Training | Six months of relevant legal training, practice or work, then a 12-month practice training period, normally with a Singapore law practice | Two years of qualifying work experience, which can be gained in Singapore and must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales |
| Examination fees | Part A: S$3,815 with the preparatory course for citizens (S$4,142 for permanent residents), or S$1,744 for the examinations alone. Part B: S$5,450 for citizens (S$6,322 for permanent residents). All include GST. | £2,006 for SQE1 and £3,086 for SQE2, for assessments from September 2026 |
| Where you sit | Singapore | SQE1 and SQE2 written at a test centre (Singapore is on the SRA’s list, confirmed at booking). SQE2 oral in England or Wales. |
| In Singapore afterwards | Admission to the Singapore Bar | Registration as a foreign lawyer, practising English law through a licensed law practice. Not Singapore law. |
SILE describes Part A as a conversion examination for graduates of the listed overseas universities. It runs twice a year, with examinations indicatively in April and October, and the preparatory course is optional. The five examined subjects are Company Law, Criminal Law, Evidence Law, Land Law and the Singapore Legal System, and the ethics quiz needs a score of 100%. SILE’s Part A page publishes no pass rate, so this page gives none. Sources: SILE, Part A, SILE, Part B and SILE, practice training period.
What an English solicitor can do in Singapore
Singapore regulates foreign-qualified lawyers separately from its own Bar. A foreign lawyer is someone authorised to practise law in another state or territory by the authority responsible there, and an admitted solicitor of England and Wales fits that definition.
| Status in Singapore | What it lets you do | What it takes | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered foreign lawyer (section 36C) | Practise foreign law only, which for an English solicitor means English law | Registration with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA), applied for through a licensed law practice. No course or examination. | Open. Registration runs for one, two or three years. |
| Registered foreign lawyer (section 36B) | Practise foreign law, and Singapore law in the permitted areas. SILE’s examples are banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, and intellectual property. | A pass in the Foreign Practitioner Examinations, or an exemption from them | Closed for now. SILE is reviewing the examinations and is not taking applications. |
| Advocate and solicitor, with an exemption from Part B and practice training | Admission to the Singapore Bar | An approved degree and the other qualified person requirements, admission in a common law jurisdiction, and at least two years of relevant legal practice, work or training. Part A as well, unless separately exempted. | Decided by the Minister for Law on the merits of each case. Not automatic. The Ministry’s page was last updated on 6 June 2018. |
| Advocate and solicitor, on the English title alone | Nothing. There is no such route. | The qualified person requirements name degrees, not professional titles | Anyone outside the listed degrees must ask the Minister for an exemption, which the Ministry says is granted sparingly. |
- You register through an employerThe application is signed by you and by the managing partner or director of the law practice applying for you. An individual cannot register alone, so the title is useful in Singapore only with a licensed practice behind it. Source: Ministry of Law, register an individual.
- The fees we can cite are oldA Ministry of Law table dated May 2018 lists an application fee of S$110 and a certificate fee of S$50 for each year of registration. Check the current amounts with the LSRA.
- The Foreign Practitioner Examinations are shutSILE says it is carrying out a comprehensive review, that applications are closed, and that dates for future sessions will follow. Its page still sets out the entry rules: at least three years of relevant legal practice or work in the five years before applying, and a job, or a job offer, as a foreign lawyer in Singapore.
- English practice counts towards the six monthsActive practice as a legal practitioner outside Singapore is "relevant legal practice" for the qualified person rules. That helps a Singaporean whose degree is already on the list. It does nothing for a degree that is not. Source: SILE, relevant legal training.
The market for that foreign-law work is large. An official committee report dated 16 October 2025 puts Singapore’s sector at around 150 foreign law practices and 1,400 foreign lawyers, up from about 70 practices and 300 lawyers in 1999. Sources: committee report, 16 October 2025 and Ministry of Law, alternatives for working in the legal field.
SQE exemptions for Singapore advocates and solicitors
From the SRA’s list of exemptions by jurisdiction, last updated on 24 September 2026. Singapore has no agreed exemption, so every application is assessed individually.
| How you qualified | SQE1 | SQE2 | Evidence the SRA asks for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate and Solicitor | Sit both papers | Individual exemption, on application | Proof of the qualification, a reference showing at least 18 months of legal work after qualifying as a Singapore advocate and solicitor, and proof of your referee’s own qualification |
| Advocate and Solicitor who qualified with an overseas degree | Sit both papers | Individual exemption, on application | Evidence of the overseas degree and a reference showing at least 12 months of post-qualification experience |
- The SRA describes SQE1 exemptions as very rare and says it has granted one since 2021. A Singapore lawyer should plan to sit FLK1 and FLK2.
- The SRA’s general conditions for an SQE2 exemption also ask for at least two years of professional legal work, which can include mandatory training before qualification, and at least one of the listed practice rights. Read the SRA’s SQE2 exemption page before asking for a reference.
- Apply before you book SQE2. The SRA will not exempt an assessment you have failed or are awaiting results for. The application fee is £265.
- As a qualified lawyer you do not need two years of qualifying work experience. If you are exempted from SQE2, you show your English separately when you apply for admission.
Our guide to SQE exemptions walks through the application, the exemption finder lists every jurisdiction, and the SQE for foreign lawyers covers the whole route. Source: SRA, SQE exemptions.
Sitting the SQE from Singapore
The SRA’s list of test locations is, in its own words, illustrative only. Treat Singapore as a place the assessment provider aims to offer, and check what is shown when booking opens for your sitting.
| Assessment | In Singapore | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| SQE1 (FLK1 and FLK2) | On the SRA’s list of places it aims to include | The SRA’s advice is to consider a neighbouring country or city. Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong are on the same list. |
| SQE2 written | On the same list, with the same caveat | Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong or a UK centre, subject to what booking shows |
| SQE2 oral | Not offered outside England and Wales | London, Cardiff, Manchester or Birmingham |
- The SQE2 written and oral parts have to be taken in the same assessment window, and the oral sitting runs over two consecutive days. A Singapore candidate either sits the written days at home and flies in for the oral days, or does both on one trip.
- Start times vary at international test centres. Your booking confirmation gives the reporting and start times. Booking and payment deadlines are in UK time, so work them out in Singapore time before the day.
- The fees are charged in pounds, and the SQE cost page shows no separate fee for an overseas centre.
- Whether you need a visa for the oral assessments depends on your nationality. The general position is on our SQE from outside the UK page.
Sources: SQE1 and SQE2 written locations, SQE2 oral locations and SQE costs. The dates for each sitting are on our SQE1 and SQE2 exam dates page.
What the SQE costs from Singapore, in Singapore dollars
The assessment fees are set in pounds and are the same in Singapore as in London. A Singapore advocate and solicitor who obtains the SQE2 exemption pays for SQE1 and the £265 exemption application. Everyone else should add one trip to England or Wales for the SQE2 oral assessments.
In pounds, with Singapore dollarsSGDPaid to the SRA, the same wherever you sit
- SQE1 assessment feeFLK1 and FLK2, paid to the SRA’s assessment provider when you book£2,006S$3,420
- SQE2 assessment feeWritten and oral, paid when you book SQE2£3,086S$5,260
- Both assessments£5,092S$8,680
Preparing with FQPS
- FQPS SQE1 RevisionA month, no minimum term, cancel anytime£79S$135
- FQPS SQE2 PreparationA month, includes 6 live 1:1 mocks with a solicitor£189S$322
SRA fees are for assessments from September 2026. FQPS prices include VAT. SGD figures are a guide at the European Central Bank rate of 12 November 2026: you pay in pounds, and your card provider sets the final rate.
Preparing for the SQE from Singapore
An FQPS plan is entirely online, so it runs the same in Singapore as in London. The gap to plan for is English law itself: the SRA says the law of every jurisdiction it has reviewed differs significantly from that of England and Wales.
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Qualifying work experience can be gained in Singapore and need not involve English law. If no solicitor of England and Wales works where you gained it, one outside the organisation can confirm it after reviewing your work.
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- of those students paid with a card issued outside the UK
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When the SQE is the wrong route in Singapore
We would rather you chose the right route than our course.
- You want to practise Singapore law and your degree is on the approved list. Take the Singapore Bar route: Part A, Part B and the practice training period. The SQE is not a shortcut to it.
- Your degree is not on the list (a University of London external LLB, or one of the eight removed universities if you started after the cut-off) and you hope the English title will get you to the Singapore Bar. It does not cure the degree. You would still need a ministerial exemption, and the Ministry says those are granted sparingly.
- You are not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident and want to become a Singapore advocate and solicitor. Only citizens and permanent residents can become qualified persons. With the English title, the foreign lawyer route is the one open to you.
- You plan to use the title in Singapore without an employer. Foreign lawyer registration is applied for through a licensed law practice, which signs the form with you.
- You are counting on the Foreign Practitioner Examinations to move into Singapore-law work. Applications are closed while SILE reviews the examinations, and it has given no date for the next session.
- You are a Singapore advocate and solicitor expecting an automatic exemption. There is none: SQE2 is an individual application, and SQE1 has to be sat.
The SQE in Singapore: common questions
Your situation not here? A free 30-minute call with our team goes through your route and your dates.
Book a free callCan I take the SQE in Singapore?
Singapore is on the SRA’s list of places where it aims to offer SQE1 and the SQE2 written assessments. The SRA calls that list illustrative, and the locations for a sitting are confirmed only when booking opens. The SQE2 oral assessments are held only in London, Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham.
Is an English solicitor qualification recognised in Singapore?
Not for admission to the Singapore Bar. The rules for becoming a qualified person in Singapore name law degrees, not professional titles. An admitted solicitor of England and Wales can register with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority as a foreign lawyer and practise English law through a licensed law practice in Singapore.
Is my UK law degree recognised in Singapore?
Only if it is from one of 11 universities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, King’s College London, LSE, Queen Mary, UCL, Nottingham, Oxford or Warwick, with at least lower second class honours. Degrees from Exeter, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, SOAS, Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton count only for those admitted to the degree before 1 October 2015 and awarded it before 1 January 2025.
Is the University of London LLB recognised in Singapore?
Not for the Singapore Bar. The University of London external LLB is not on the approved list, and the Minister for Law told Parliament in 2012 that external law degrees are not recognised, with exemptions in a limited number of cases. For the SQE the position is different: the SRA asks for a degree in any subject, and the LLB is a UK honours degree at level 6.
Can a Singapore lawyer get an SQE exemption?
For SQE2, possibly. The SRA has no agreed exemption for Singapore, but an advocate and solicitor can apply for an individual SQE2 exemption with a reference showing at least 18 months of post-qualification legal work, or 12 months for those who qualified with an overseas degree. SQE1 exemptions are very rare, so plan to sit SQE1.
Can an English solicitor skip Part B of the Singapore Bar exams?
Only by exemption, and only with an approved degree. A person who holds an approved law degree, is admitted in a common law jurisdiction and has at least two years of relevant legal practice, work or training can apply to the Minister for Law for exemption from Part B and the practice training period. It is not granted automatically, and the Ministry page that sets this out was last updated on 6 June 2018.
Can a foreign lawyer practise Singapore law?
Only in the permitted areas, and only after passing or being exempted from the Foreign Practitioner Examinations. The Singapore Institute of Legal Education is reviewing those examinations and applications are closed, with no date given for the next session. Until then a registered foreign lawyer practises foreign law only.
What is the pass rate for the Part A bar exam in Singapore?
The Singapore Institute of Legal Education, which runs Part A, publishes no pass rate on its Part A page, and we found no official figure. We do not quote one. Treat any percentage you see elsewhere with care unless it links to an official source.
Does work experience in Singapore count as QWE for the SQE?
Yes. The SRA says qualifying work experience can be gained overseas and does not need to cover English and Welsh law. It must be confirmed by a solicitor of England and Wales or a compliance officer for legal practice, not by a Singapore-qualified lawyer who is not also an English solicitor.
Other routes to the English title
SQE in Malaysia, and the CLPWhat the Qualifying Board’s list says about English solicitors, the CLP compared step by step, and sitting in Kuala Lumpur.
SQE in Hong KongSQE or PCLL, PCLL places by provider, the foreign lawyer register, and the OLQE route from English to Hong Kong solicitor.SQE after a University of London LLBWhat each country’s regulator does with the external LLB, and where you can sit the SQE from there.All 15 international guidesWhere you can sit, what has to be done in the UK, and a guide for each country.Sources for this page (30)
- SILE: the Singapore Bar admission overview
- SILE: qualified person (overseas graduates)
- SILE: Part A of the Singapore Bar Examinations
- SILE: relevant legal training
- SILE: Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations
- SILE: practice training period
- SILE: Foreign Practitioner Examinations
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: Government accepts SILE recommendations on the overseas universities list (24 February 2015)
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: written answer on external law degrees (28 February 2012)
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: applying for an exemption
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: alternatives for working in the legal field
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: types of individual registration (May 2018)
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: register an individual
- Ministry of Law, Singapore: committee report of 16 October 2025
- SRA: SQE exemptions by jurisdiction
- SRA: applying for an SQE1 exemption
- SRA: applying for an SQE2 exemption
- SRA: qualified lawyers
- SRA: English or Welsh language proficiency
- SRA: degree or equivalent
- SRA: qualifying work experience
- SRA: Authorisation of Individuals Regulations
- SQE: assessment locations
- SQE: SQE1 and SQE2 written locations
- SQE: SQE2 oral locations
- SQE: SQE2 assessment days
- SQE: booking windows
- SQE: costs and fees
- University of London: LLB, with its teaching centre finder
- University of London: LLB programme specification 2026-27
Each source was read on or before 12 November 2026. Rules change: check the regulator's own page before you act on anything here. This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. FQPS Academy is an independent SQE preparation provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or Kaplan. The SQE and SOLICITORS QUALIFYING EXAMINATION trade marks are the property of and are used under licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
