QLTS Assessments - Becoming an English Solicitor

What is the QLTS?

Important note: the QLTS has been discontinued and replaced by the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). If you are a foreign qualified lawyer, you must now take the SQE assessments. This page is provided for information purposes only. 

The Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) provides an opportunity for lawyers from various countries around the world to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales. The scheme is administered by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the regulatory body of the Law Society of England and Wales.

The QLTS came into force in 2011 and replaced the previous regime, the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) exams.

Watch this video presentation to learn more about the QLTS assessments:

Format

The QLTS comprises two assessments:

Part I – Multiple Choice Test (MCT) – this tests the knowledge and understanding of 11 legal practice areas (known as SRA Outcomes A1-A11) on English law. The MCT consists of 180 multiple choice questions, each with five possible answers. The assessment is divided into two periods of two hours and 45 minutes each, with 90 questions on each part.

To pass the MCT, you need to show to the SRA that you are able to apply fundamental legal principles to given fact patterns (not esoteric topics or the ability to cite cases or isolated facts), and find a single best answer of five alternatives.

While knowledge can be acquired by reading through MCT textbooks, application of knowledge can be achieved by practicing multiple choice questions and mock tests in a similar format to the formal assessments.

Part II – Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) – the second part of the QLTS tests five skills: Interviewing and Advocacy/Oral Presentation (known as OSCE Part I), and Online Legal Research, Legal Drafting and Legal Writing (known as OSCE Part II). The assessment runs across several days. The OSCE is conducted in the context of three legal practice areas: Business Law and Practice, Litigation (Civil and Criminal) and Property Law (Conveyancing, Wills and Probate).

The skills are assessed through various simulated legal environments known as OSCE ‘stations’ using different techniques, including actors as interviewed clients and professional legal databases and keyboard skills.

There is a single pass mark for OSCE Parts I & II combined, and you must take the two parts at the same sitting.

Assessment Rules

• You must first pass the MCT before attempting the OSCE.
• There is no restriction on the number of attempts you may take, nor a time limit for completing the two assessments within a certain time period (this is subject to the introduction of the SQE in 2021 and the cut-off date to apply for admission with the SRA)
• There is no experience requirement or training to complete, nor an English language test to take
• The assessments are closed-book – you cannot bring with you any supporting materials into the examination centre
• The SRA may consider exemptions from either the full MCT, the full OSCE or both. It is not possible to request partial exemptions from the MCT and/or OSCE.

Eligibility Criteria

There are no formal steps you need to follow in order to be eligible to sit the QLTS assessments (there was previously a requirement to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the SRA, but this was removed in March 2015).

Candidates should, however, hold the correct professional qualification in a recognised jurisdiction and satisfy the SRA requirements as to character and suitability before they apply for admission as solicitors.

A list of Recognised Jurisdictions is published on the SRA website. The list includes among other countries most of the jurisdictions in the USA, Australia, all EU countries, Turkey, Nigeria, Canada, South Africa, Japan, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil and Israel.

Questions about your eligibility should be addressed to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN, UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 121 329 6800 Email: contactcentre@sra.org.uk Web: https://www.sra.org.uk

Sitting the Assessments

The assessments are administered by a sole assessment provider, Kaplan QLTS, which has been appointed by the SRA. Kaplan is not authorised to offer preparatory courses for the assessments. All the assessments are held in London, UK. The MCT is also be delivered online (computer-based assessment) in conjunction with Pearson VUE in New York, Singapore, Australia, China, Russia, Brazil, Turkey, India, Dubai, Johannesburg and other locations in the UK and mainland Europe. Spaces are subject to availability.

QLTS Courses and Training

Important Note: the MCT will no longer be offered in the future. Candidates should now take SQE1 to qualify as English solicitors. This page is presented for information purposes only. 

QLTS School offers comprehensive, affordable and flexible courses to prepare for the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) assessments. Our course programmes are based on professionally written textbooks, video tutorials, online resources, mock exams and tutor support.

Our tutors and administrative staff attended the various SRA seminars that were held in London over the last several years. Accordingly, we have designed and developed our QLTS preparation courses, which reflect the SRA’s Day One Outcomes and the examiner’s requirements.

We have trained thousands of lawyers for the assessments and are strictly focused on QLTS training. We are the only provider that has been offering courses for the QLTS since its introduction in 2011.

We have therefore gained valuable experience which greatly benefits our candidates.

Why should You Take a Course for the QLTS Assessments?

Kaplan QLTS, the sole assessment provider, is not allowed by the SRA to offer preparation courses for the assessments. The syllabus, however, is comprehensive and covers the entire corpus of English Law, which is taught in the UK over several years.

Therefore, it is essential that you prepare for the assessments with a course provider that understands your needs and will provide you with the right guidance, so that you can pass the assessments on your first attempt.

Key Information about QLTS School’s Courses

QLTS School’s course enables you to study in your preferred environment, at your own pace, and at the most suitable and convenient time for you – whether at home, in the office or elsewhere.

Our training programmes are designed for busy lawyers who have a limited time to devote to preparation. Whether you are qualified in a common law or civil law jurisdiction, have little or extensive legal experience, and whether English is your first or second language – you’ll benefit from our professional guidance and many years of experience of preparing foreign lawyers for the QLTS assessments.

Here are some key elements of our courses:

• Flexible, comprehensive and cost-effective course programmes for the two parts of the QLTS assessment
• A series of professionally written textbooks covering all subject areas required by the SRA
• Summaries of the main legal concepts and key areas of each subject
• Digital flash cards with short questions and answers
• Extensive online resources
• Periodic updates for the course material
• Dozens of mock tests simulating exam conditions
• A video library with online tutorials and professional presentations, available to watch on your computer, iPad, iPhone or Android devices
• Expert tutors and legal skills trainers, with many years of experience in teaching international candidates for the QLTS assessments
• Legal skills video and live workshops
• Remote access to Lexis Library and West Law databases, exclusively offered to our candidates – no need to go to any physical library
• Special arrangements and unique programmes for international candidates based outside the UK
• Personalised consultations and step-by-step study plans so that you can benefit from a structured and proven yet tailored study plan from the moment you begin your preparation
• Proven track record and video testimonials of numerous candidates who passed the assessments on their first attempt and are now dual-qualified English solicitors – we invite you to visit the Success Stories page on this website to learn more about the experiences of some of our former candidates

QLTS School’s preparation courses cover each of the two elements of the assessment:

MCT

Our MCT course gives you everything you need to pass the MCT – you do not need to buy any other material, and can study whenever and wherever you want.

What is Included in our Course?

• 11 comprehensive textbooks in a hard copy format – the books weigh over 2,000 pages in total and cover all areas of practice required by the SRA in Outcomes A1-A11: The English Legal System & EU Law, Constitutional Law & Judicial Review, Professional Conduct & Solicitors’ Accounts, Financial Regulation & Taxation, Property, Contracts Law, Torts, Criminal Law, Equity & Trusts, Business Law, and Human Rights. We are the only provider that publishes MCT textbooks in a hard copy format.
• QLTS Course Handbook explaining the fundamentals of the QLTS assessments, structure of the course programme, suggested study guide and test administration procedures, protocols and policies
• MCT Video Library with over 100 tutorials with professional presentations, spanning 35+ of lectures. You can watch the videos on your PC, iPad, iPhone or Android devices (see a preview below)
• Revision notes summarising the key points and main legal principles on each subject
• 2,500+ digital flash cards – short questions and answers on each of the topics covered by the syllabus
• 1,500+ multiple choice practice questions with detailed solutions
• 15 mock exams (with 90 questions each) that will enable you to test your progress and simulate a real test, with intermingled questions and a time limit similar to the formal MCT
• Free periodic updates for the course materials
• 2 hours of tutor support
• Initial guidance and customised study plan prepared by one of our MCT expert tutors

The practice questions, mock tests, flash cards, revision notes and updates to the course materials are available on our MCT Online Training System. Access to the MCT Online Training System is for 12 months commencing on your date of registration, or until you have passed the MCT, whichever is the earlier of the two.

There is no specific or pre-determined pass mark on the MCT. The pass mark is determined by a special ‘Standard Setting Panel’ convened by the SRA following the assessment. Your results are measured in comparison to the standards expected of a newly qualified solicitor. Therefore, you must obtain a high score in order to pass.

Note: The registration for the July 2021 MCT with Kaplan is now closed. You should only sign up for an MCT preparation course if you have registered with Kaplan. Foreign qualified lawyers who have not registered on time must now take SQE1 to qualify as English solicitors.

High Pass Rates

Candidates who prepare with QLTS School pass at more than double the rate compared to non-QLTS School candidates. To prove this claim, we have engaged ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI), an independent, third party research firm, that has analysed and validated our pass rates. The study, which covered three consecutive MCT sittings in 2013 and 2014, also shows that 3 out of 4 candidates who pass the MCT assessment study with QLTS School, and that the vast majority of QLTS School’s candidates pass on their first attempt. A full analysis is available on request.

MCT course packages: The basic package for the MCT costs £990 (with 5 mock tests). You can also get access to the MCT Video Library for £1,390, 15 mock tests and 2 hours of tutor support plus a customised study plan prepared by one of our tutors for £1,790. Shipping is free within the UK, £50 to Europe and the US and £90 to other destinations.

OSCE Course

Important Note: the OSCE will no longer be offered in the future. Candidates should now take SQE2 to qualify as English solicitors. This page is presented for information purposes only. 

QLTS School’s course for the OSCE features a very unique approach for the practical assessment. Our course combines selected LPC books, online resources (including interactive exercises with video and audio material), flash cards, legal skills video workshops, and mock exams for self-assessment with suggested solutions.

You will be tested on five skills – Interviewing, Advocacy/Oral Presentation, Legal Writing, Legal Drafting and Online Legal Research, in the context of three main areas of legal practice: Business Law, Litigation (Civil and Criminal), and Property Law (Conveyancing, Wills and Probate).

You should be able to know and understand the relevant legal principles and foundation law, to explain those to the client using accurate and timely advice, know which documents to use and also to draft various documents yourself when needed. These skills are assessed in 15 simulated stations through six days with short breaks between each station.

What is Included in our Course?

Our preparation course for the OSCE includes the following:

• Course Guide – covering the structure, methodology and marking criteria of the practical assessment, study guides, and test administration procedures, protocols and policies
• Practice area summaries – the essential elements of the law and practice areas are summarised and divided into sections covering each main topics tested on the assessment
• 2,000+ digital flash cards that cover the legal practice areas
• OSCE Video Library with 80+ online tutorials, spanning 20+ hours of lectures which cover the substantive and procedural law you will be assessed on
• OSCE practice questions – each question includes multiple exercises which are based on a single scenario/case study common to that practice area
• 15 English writing tasks which are intended to help you improve your writing skills in a professional capacity
• Up to 250 mock exams with suggested solutions for self-assessment
• Legal research guides for effectively conducting legal research on both LexisLibrary and Westlaw
• Free periodic updates for the course material
• Access to QLTS Skills Online – an innovative and interactive online tool to prepare for the OSCE assessment
•  Legal Skills Video Workshops – the workshops contain a suite of more than 100 videos (spanning nearly 20 hours in total), and summaries with key notes (about 70 pages). The videos on interviewing, advocacy and oral presentation include role-play scenarios and expert tutor’s commentary and tips for success. The legal research presentations provide a detailed walkthrough of attempting a legal research task, from understanding the parameters of the task through, conducting research on LexisLibrary and Westlaw, to a research letter of advice or memo.
• Initial consultation and a tailor-made study plan prepared by a tutor (Advantage or Premium Courses)
• Mock practice stations with one-to-one tutor feedback in the client interviewing and in advocacy/oral presentation assessments. The mock stations will be conducted via Skype, Facetime or telephone, and be personally marked by one of our tutors, who will provide you with feedback based on the SRA marking criteria (Advantage or Premium Courses)
• Live workshops in London on interviewing, advocacy and oral presentation skills (optional)
• Networking opportunities with other examinees and online peer review during the practical assessment

Do I Need to Come to the UK to Take the Course?

Study anytime, anywhere: You do not need to come to the UK to take the course – you can study from a variety of locations worldwide.

Our candidates will be using during the course selected textbooks with access to online resources of Oxford University Press, covering the five areas of practice.

We are pleased to announce that QLTS School and Oxford University Press have reached an agreement that provides QLTS School’s candidates with a 20% discount on all OUP titles required for the OSCE course.

There are three packages for the OSCE course (prices vary based on the number of mock exams for self-assessment and if you wish to receive personal tutor feedback):

• Basic – £1,590 (50 mock exams)
• Advantage – £1,990 (125 mock exams plus an initial consultation and a tailor-made study plan and two mock stations with tutor feedback)
• Premium – £2,390 (250 mock exams plus an initial consultation and a tailor-made study plan and four mock stations with tutor feedback)

There is an additional cost of LPC textbooks (approximately £150 plus shipping) and access to LexisLibrary and Westlaw (£200 for six months’ access for each of the databases).  The OSCE Live Workshops are offered for an additional charge on a one-to-one basis (£650 (4 hours)/£1,300 (8 hours)) or in small groups of 3-6 people (8 hours, £500). You must be a registered QLTS candidate to be able to sign up for the workshops.