Last month’s ‘IT issue’ left some students unable to sit first assessments
Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) candidates who were unable to sit their assessments due to an “IT issue” have been offered refunds, Kaplan has confirmed.
Legal Cheek reported that around 100 aspiring lawyers were unable sit the first of two ‘functioning legal knowledge’ assessments due to take place at a test centre in Hammersmith, West London, last month.
Students reported waiting around for up to five hours before eventually being told by invigilators that the assessment had been cancelled.
Concerned the “IT issue” would not be resolved in time, Kaplan then cancelled the second exam which was scheduled for the following week. The assessments have been rescheduled for 4 August and 8 August.
Kaplan has confirmed students have now been offered refunds.
“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”, a spokesperson for Kaplan said. “Any candidates choosing not take the rescheduled assessment will receive a voucher to cover the cost of a future SQE1 booking.”
They continued:
“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. Pearson VUE will refund out of pocket expenses in relation to the assessments that were cancelled at Hammersmith.”