SQE1 Preparation Course

You’re completely free to set your own study hours. The learning resources are there for you 24/7, all year round, so you can drop in and study anytime.

Guide to typical hours

• To complete this course within three months, plan for 35-40 hours per week of study time.
• To complete the course over a longer period (9-12 months), plan for 8-10 hours per week.

This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes.

Activities at fixed times

There may be some activities scheduled at a fixed time, such as optional online meetings. But otherwise, you can access and work through the course at your convenience.

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your coordinator via email, MyAberdeen and Microsoft Teams. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

• Careers and Employability Service
• Disability support
• IT support
• Library support
• Student Support Service – help with finances, stress, wellbeing and non-academic issues
• Student Learning Service – study support, with advice sessions available via phone or Skype
• Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
• Toolkit – clever apps and free training that can make your study life easier

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

Entry requirements

This course is designed for graduates with an LLB qualification intending to practice as a solicitor in England in the UK.

Check the entry guidance above to understand the purpose of this course, the level of teaching delivered, and to decide if this course is right for you.

Visa requirements

You do not need a visa to study online with us.

English language requirements

Teaching is delivered in English.

You do not have to provide proof of your English language skills to join this course. But we want to make sure that you can use English well enough to study successfully.

Recommended level of English

This course uses our Postgraduate Higher level of English language proficiency.

These are our Postgraduate Higher requirements, and these are minimum scores.

IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, and IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)

• 6.5 overall
• 5.5 for listening and speaking
• 6.0 for reading and writing

TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition

• 90 overall
• 17 for listening
• 21 for reading
• 20 for speaking
• 21 for writing
• TOEFL DI code is 0818

Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency

• 176 overall
• 162 for listening and speaking
• 169 for reading and writing

LanguageCert Academic/LanguageCert Academic SELT

• 70 overall
• 60 for listening and speaking
• 65 for reading and writing

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken) – Online / In-centre

• Overall High Pass
• 33 for listening, reading and speaking
• 38 for writing

Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online

• 7.0 overall
• 5.0 for listening and speaking
• 6.0 for reading and writing

PTE Academic (online test not accepted)

• 62 overall
• 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing

Duolingo – tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward

• 120 overall
• 95 for listening and speaking
• 105 for reading and writing

University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)

• Pass
• Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date

Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities

• Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1)
• B2 in all four skills
• Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

For more information about language qualifications see our English Language Requirements page.

You will need access to:

A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on either:

• Windows 10 or later
• macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.

Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.

Reliable internet access

We recommend:

• a wired connection
• a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.

Speakers or headphones

• We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
• A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.

Software

We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your studies each week:

• Be realistic
• Create a weekly schedule as a guide

If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.

Fee payment

Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.

We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.

Ways to save

You may be able to get help funding this course via:

• discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
• employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors.

Find out more about funding options.

Student card

All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.

Learning resources

Access to all the books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.

Printing

You may wish to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.