The Salespersons Qualifying Examination, better known as the SQE, is the licensing exam set by Hong Kong’s Estate Agents Authority. It runs to 50 multiple-choice questions over a six-part syllabus, split into two separately graded sections, and costs HK$650 to sit.
What is the SQE?
The SQE is a 50-question multiple-choice exam administered on behalf of the Estate Agents Authority. It is split into two parts on one paper: Part I has 40 stand-alone questions worth 80 marks, and Part II has 10 case-analysis questions worth 20 marks, built on one or two shared case studies rather than isolated facts. Candidates get 2 hours 30 minutes to complete both parts.
Who sets and administers the SQE?
The Estate Agents Authority (EAA) sets the syllabus and the licensing requirement, while PEAK, part of the Vocational Training Council, runs the exam itself. The EAA publishes the syllabus as Appendix 2 of its Handbook for Candidates, currently the December 2024 edition, and it reviews the exam’s requirements, including the 60% pass mark applied to each part, from time to time, announcing any change on its own website.
What does the SQE syllabus cover?
Six parts, with 229 numbered entries in total, of which 178 are leaf-level knowledge points and the rest are section headings that group them. The six parts are:
- Part 1: Introduction to the real estate agency industry in Hong Kong
- Part 2: The Estate Agents Ordinance and estate agency practice, including licensing, a salesperson’s statutory duties, estate agency agreements and the prescribed forms, and the Code of Ethics. This is the heaviest part of the paper.
- Part 3: Laws governing estate agency practice and conveyancing procedures
- Part 4: Land registration, land search, and property information systems
- Part 5: Building-related knowledge, property classification, and property management
- Part 6: Leasing and tenancy matters
Part II of the paper, the 10 case-analysis questions, draws on all six of these parts through its scenarios rather than standing as a separate syllabus part.
How is the SQE different from the EAQE?
The SQE syllabus is narrower than the EAQE’s. It does not include the property valuation part or the estate agency business management part that the Estate Agents Qualifying Examination (EAQE) covers, and the two exams differ in question count, time limit and mark allocation as well. Anyone deciding which exam applies to them should check with the EAA directly; a candidate preparing for the fuller exam can see our EAQE exam guide for that syllabus.
What language can I take the SQE in?
Candidates choose English or Chinese at registration, according to the EAA’s candidate handbook.
How can I prepare for the SQE?
Because the syllabus runs to six parts and the paper is marked in two separately passed sections, a preparation plan built around a single question bank without a topic breakdown risks leaving weak spots that only show up on exam day. The RiverMap Learning SQE app organises 311 original practice questions across the six syllabus parts, plus a dedicated 40-question case-analysis bank for Part II, 351 in all, alongside a timed mock that scores the two parts separately, matching how the real exam is graded. Every question names the ordinance or syllabus point it rests on, so a candidate can check the source directly. The app is available in English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. The full syllabus is published by the Estate Agents Authority at eaa.org.hk. This app is an independent revision aid and is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the Estate Agents Authority, PEAK, or the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.