SQE Scholarships 

The College is pleased to offer SQE scholarship places to students to support their progress to becoming a solicitor.

The College is deeply committed to increasing access to the solicitor profession and we recognise the increasing financial pressures that students are facing when considering and taking the SQE. We know that many students face multiple barriers to taking the SQE and progressing their legal career, due to either their background, experiences, discrimination or lack of funding.

The College currently has 21 scholarship students studying for the SQE with us.

This commitment is in addition to scholarship places offered within the Law Society Diversity Access Scheme, Bristol Law Society and Birmingham Law Society Diversity Schemes. The students eligible for a SQE scholarship need to meet a specific criteria and demonstrate through an application process their commitment to becoming a solicitor.

The College is also a recipient of the SRA’s Access and Reinvestment Fund for 2025-26. Exam place funding for 2025-26 is awarded to some of our existing scholarship holders.

SQE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD SCHEME 2026

Scholarship Scheme 2026 - Background information

The College of Legal Practice offered 4 fully-funded scholarships for our SQE preparation programmes.

These scholarships were aimed at individuals who:

• Faced financial hardship and multiple barriers to entry in the legal profession
• Had a strong and demonstrable commitment to qualifying as a solicitor
• Applied for a course that started between 1st August 2025 - 31st July 2026

Who could apply

Students who were not already studying at The College of Legal Practice for either SQE1 or SQE2. They had to be planning to start one of the following courses with the College between 1st August 2025 and 31st July 2026:

• Solicitors Legal Knowledge (SQE1 preparation course)
• Solicitors Legal Skills (SQE2 preparation course)
• LLM in Legal Practice

Please note: The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) is not eligible for these scholarships.

Scholarship criteria for 2025

We will assess applications based on the following:

A. Financial Need

Applicants must:

• Have no access to employer sponsorship, familial loans, or financial gifts
• Demonstrate low household income and provide supporting financial documents
• Explain how the scholarship would help you pursue the SQE route

B. Representation & Barriers to Access

We especially welcome applications from individuals who face one or more of the barriers to entry to the profession below:

• Attended a state school and are the first in their family to attend university
• Come from low-income backgrounds (e.g. received free school meals aged 11–16)
• Identify as part of a racial minority group
• Are/have been a refugee or asylum seeker
• Live with a disability or long-term health condition
• Identify as LGBTQ+
• Have spent 3+ months in local authority care or are estranged from their family
• Have a high level of caring responsibilities
• Face other significant barriers to qualification

C. Academic Achievement & Commitment

We will also consider:

• Your academic performance, particularly in legal studies
• Your commitment to becoming a solicitor (e.g. legal work experience, voluntary roles, involvement in legal networks)

General Eligibility Criteria

To apply you must:

• Meet the entry requirements for your chosen course
• Be ready to take up a place and sit the next available SQE assessments after your course
• Not have previously studied an SQE prep course with the College

Additional Notes

• Scholarships are highly competitive and limited in number
• Applying for a course before scholarship results are announced will not affect your application
• We are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback or further information during the application period

Scholarship Spotlight