By Gazette Reporter >>

(2 August 2022)

Candidates for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination whose test was cancelled after they had spent more than five hours in a test centre have been offered refunds – more than a week after the Gazette revealed the fiasco. 

Because of what was described as an ‘IT issue’, 111 people were unable to sit the FLK1 test at the Hammersmith test centre on Thursday, 21 July. Contractor Kaplan also cancelled the FLK2 paper that 139 candidates were due to sit at the same centre on 25 July. The exams have been rescheduled: FLK1 for 4 August and FLK2 for 8 August.

A spokesperson for US-based Kaplan Inc told the Gazette yesterday: ‘In light of the issues experienced by SQE1 candidates at the Pearson Vue test centre in Hammersmith, all those affected will have their fees fully refunded and will not need to pay for their rescheduled assessment. Any candidates choosing not take the rescheduled assessment will receive a voucher to cover the cost of a future SQE1 booking. 

‘Candidates who had been booked at Hammersmith for both 21 and 25 July will be refunded £1558. Candidates booked for just one part of SQE1 (ie FLK1 on 21 July OR FLK2 on 25 July) will be refunded £779.’

On the additional expenses caused by the cancellations, the spokesperson said: ‘Pearson VUE will refund out of pocket expenses in relation to the assessments that were cancelled at Hammersmith.’

(Courtesy: The Law Society Gazette)