The previous route for foreign qualified lawyers to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales.
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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:
QLTS School’s preparation courses cover each of the two elements of the assessment:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Our preparation course for the OSCE includes the following:
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):
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.
