Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) update

Summary of changes

The Legal Services Board has approved the SRA's proposed amendments to the QLTS

Regulations.

A summary of the amendments is as follows:

• Remove the need for QLTS candidates, other than those with exemption

from part of the exam, to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the SRA prior

to sitting the QLTS assessments

• Remove the requirement for non-EEA/EU candidates to provide separate

evidence of standards of English language skills as a condition of eligibility to

take the QLTS assessment

• Remove the requirement to complete the QLTS assessments within a 5 year

period

• Remove the maximum number of assessment attempts available to a QLTS

candidate

Registering for the assessment

If you already have a Certificate of Eligibility you should:

Register for the assessments with Kaplan QLTS in the usual way. Further

information for those with existing certificates about matters other than

registration is given below.

If you do not have a Certificate of Eligibility and you are seeking any exemptions

from assessment against the Day One Outcomes* you should:

Complete the QLTS 1 application form and submit this to the SRA with the

completed relevant assessment table and supporting evidence. A fee of £400

is payable with the application. The application form may be obtained by

emailing pre-admission@sra.org.uk. You will not be able to register with

Kaplan QLTS until this process has been completed and your exemptions

have been assessed.

* EU, EEA, Intra-UK and Swiss applicants only may apply to the SRA for exemption

from assessment against one or more of the Day One Outcomes.

If you do not have a Certificate of Eligibility and do not intend to apply for

exemption from assessment in any of the Day One Outcomes* you should:

1. Check on our website here that you are entitled to seek admission as a solicitor of

England and Wales via the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme. This means that:

• you hold the correct professional qualification in a jurisdiction that we

recognise. You can check here

• you meet our requirements as to character and suitability. You should

check these requirements here. You will be subject to a full check on

character and suitability when you apply for admission. This means that

amongst other checks we will require a certificate of good standing from

your home bar/professional/regulatory body. If you are aware of anything

which might prevent you from meeting our requirements and would like an

early check on any character and suitability issue you can apply to us.

Please contact us at pre-admission@sra.org.uk. Please note that it may

take us up to 6 months to assess your application

2. If you are an LPC graduate and are consequently claiming an exemption from the

MCT this will need to be checked by the SRA. Please contact us at

pre-admission@sra.org.uk for further information. You will not be able to register

with Kaplan QLTS until this process is complete.

3. Although we have removed the requirement for non-EU/EEA candidates to

provide separate evidence of their English language skills, you should ensure that

your standard of written, spoken, reading, and listening English is appropriate for the

assessment otherwise you are unlikely to pass it. There is more information here

Candidates should be aware that even if you pass the QLTS assessment you will not

be entitled to be admitted as a Solicitor of England and Wales unless you hold the

correct professional qualification in a recognised jurisdiction and satisfy our

requirements as to character and suitability. It is therefore in your own interests

to make these checks prior to embarking on the QLTS assessment.

Candidates who have Certificates of Eligibility including candidates with

exemptions and those who have already sat some of the QLTS assessments

1. There will no longer be any restriction on the number of permitted assessment

attempts or the time period within which the different elements of the assessment

must be passed.

2. Any exemptions granted under your certificate will remain valid.

3. The SRA will not refund fees for Certificates of Eligibility already issued.

4. You have an on-going obligation to meet the requirements of the Suitability Test.

5. If you have passed the MCT but have failed the QLTS assessment as a whole your

MCT pass will be "banked" and you will be allowed to recommence the QLTS

assessment by taking the OSCE. You will not be required to retake the MCT.

6. If you are a transitional candidate and have passed the MCT and either the old

OSCE or the old TLST but not both, you will be allowed to exhaust your entitlement

to 3 attempts during the 5 year validity period of your Certificate of Eligibility by

sitting either OSCE Part 1 or OSCE Part 2 alone, but if you are still unsuccessful

thereafter you will have to sit the OSCE as a whole. You will not be required to re-

take the MCT.

Consequential Changes to Kaplan QLTS Assessment Regulations and Policies

The changes outlined above are effective immediately. Consequential changes will

be made to Kaplan QLTS assessment regulations and policies as soon as possible.

The SRA is in the process of updating the QLTS information it has on its website to

reflect these changes. If you have any queries please contact the SRA at pre-

admission@sra.org.uk