A semiconductor light-emitting element comprising a lower clad layer that is provided on a substrate; an active layer that is provided on the lower clad layer; and an upper clad layer that is provided on the active layer, wherein the active layer includes: a first quantum well layer provided on a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer provided on the first quantum well layer, a plurality of quantum dots provided on the second barrier layer,, a third barrier layer provided on the plurality of quantum dots a second quantum well layer provided on the third barrier layer, and a fourth barrier layer provided on the second quantum well layer, characterised in that: thicknesses of the first and second quantum well layers (54a, 54b) are different from each other, a distance between each quantum well layer and the plurality of quantum dots is 1/2 of an average of distances between centers of the plurality of quantum dots, and thicknesses of the barrier layers between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots are thicknesses in which a tunnel current does not flow between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots. a lower clad layer that is provided on a substrate; an active layer that is provided on the lower clad layer; and an upper clad layer that is provided on the active layer, wherein the active layer includes: a first quantum well layer provided on a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer provided on the first quantum well layer, a plurality of quantum dots provided on the second barrier layer,, a third barrier layer provided on the plurality of quantum dots a second quantum well layer provided on the third barrier layer, and a fourth barrier layer provided on the second quantum well layer, characterised in that: thicknesses of the first and second quantum well layers (54a, 54b) are different from each other, a distance between each quantum well layer and the plurality of quantum dots is 1/2 of an average of distances between centers of the plurality of quantum dots, and thicknesses of the barrier layers between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots are thicknesses in which a tunnel current does not flow between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots. a first quantum well layer provided on a first barrier layer, a second barrier layer provided on the first quantum well layer, a plurality of quantum dots provided on the second barrier layer,, a third barrier layer provided on the plurality of quantum dots a second quantum well layer provided on the third barrier layer, and a fourth barrier layer provided on the second quantum well layer, characterised in that: thicknesses of the first and second quantum well layers (54a, 54b) are different from each other, a distance between each quantum well layer and the plurality of quantum dots is 1/2 of an average of distances between centers of the plurality of quantum dots, and thicknesses of the barrier layers between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots are thicknesses in which a tunnel current does not flow between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots. thicknesses of the first and second quantum well layers (54a, 54b) are different from each other, a distance between each quantum well layer and the plurality of quantum dots is 1/2 of an average of distances between centers of the plurality of quantum dots, and thicknesses of the barrier layers between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots are thicknesses in which a tunnel current does not flow between the quantum well layers and the plurality of quantum dots.