SOAS University of London

10 Thornhaugh Street, London

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  • #=511 QS Global World Ranking
  • PublicStatus
  • Very HighResearch Output
  • 5,257Total Students
  • 385Faculty
  • 2,265Int'l Students

About

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Looking to the future
SOAS is a research-intensive institution, particularly in the areas of diplomacy, resources, governance and heritage. Consequently, SOAS students often end up working in careers that make a real difference to the world, shaping policy and public discourse on economic, political, cultural, security and religious matters.
 
Postgraduate programmes at SOAS are recognisable for their specialist focus, flexible learning, and international perspective. Some of these courses include:

  • Anthropology and sociology
  • Media studies
  • History of art and archaeology
  • Gender studies
  • Economics
  • Cultural, literary and postcolonial studies

Browse all postgraduate courses here.

Scholarships and funding
Scholarships at SOAS are awarded through a competitive application process, with the majority of deadlines in the January or February preceding the year of entry. Check here for any deadlines to watch out for.

Online and distance learning
As well as taught degrees on campus, SOAS runs a number of online and distance learning courses for more than 3,000 students based in 150 countries who wish to fit their studies around their professional and personal commitments.
 
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Weibo
LinkedIn
Youtube
Soundcloud

For a relatively small higher education institution, SOAS is fortunate to have outstanding facilities, both scholarly and practical.

  • The Brunei Gallery, opened in 1995, provides a 40-room conference venue at a convenient, central London location. These facilities are run by the SOAS Conference Office.
  • The SOAS Library - recognised as a collection of national importance - houses over 1.3 million items in more than 400 languages. It has significant archival holdings and a growing network of electronic resources.
  • SOAS has ranked in the top 5 universities nationally in terms of Library and IT expenditure per student.
  • There are eight Regional Centres that coordinate regional expertise and run programmes of seminars, workshops and conferences to provide up-to-date and in-depth knowledge.


SOAS Students’ Union is a bustling and diverse environment, which offers support and representation for all SOAS students. It is our role to make sure that all our students’ – be they international, home, part-time or full-time – voices are heard. We do this in two ways, first via the elected officers on the Union. We have four sabbatical co-presidents who work full time to represent you. They attend School committees and lobby management on issues raised directly by students. There are also ten part time officers who have various portfolios to work on.

Representation also occurs at a course level. SOAS has one of the best Class Representative schemes in the country (the model for a number of other Universities). Each class has a representative who attends departmental meetings and is a vital part of decision-making processes on the lowest level. Not only does this ensure students voices are heard on every level, but that more students can be involved democratically with the direction the Students’ Union chooses. We recognize that we can only be representative by getting people involved.

There are many other ways students can get involved with the Union. We have approximately two hundred clubs and societies, covering sport, dining, political debate, cultural issues and everything in between. We want to get students involved, and if the particular interest you have is not represented then it is easy to set up your own society. It is our job to make your life in London easier, more interesting and packed with things to do. The Union puts on plenty of events, both inside and outside of SOAS.

In addition to all of this the Union runs the bar in SOAS, a popular meeting place for students and a Café - convenience store which is the cheapest place to buy your pens and papers in the area. SOAS Union is your Union, we exist to give you a voice and to entertain you – and hopefully to help you get involved.  See the website for more information: www.soasunion.org

 

Admissions Policy

The nature of the School places diversity at the centre of life at SOAS.  As such we are committed to providing high-quality education to all, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, or national origin, gender, religion or belief, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or any other factor not relevant to academic achievement.  Further information about admissions is available on SOAS website, or by email:  study@soas.ac.uk

Undergraduate application

Postgraduate application

International Students FAQs

English Language Requirements 

Research degree admissions FAQS

We offer the following services to current students and recent graduates:

 · One-to-one careers advice on the application process, including CVs and covering letters as well as advice on how to decide on a career path

· Practice Interviews to help students prepare their upcoming recruitment process, including assessment centres

· A large selection of SOAS-specific events such as Careers Fairs, Alumni Workshops and Skills Sessions throughout the academic year

· Assistance with navigating both online and printed information resources, such as MySOAS Student, Assessment Day and GoinGlobal

· Access to CareersZONE, our online system for searching for jobs, internships, voluntary work and employers

For more information, visit us in SL62, Lower Ground Floor, Senate House North Block, SOAS University of London or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

About

Looking to the future
SOAS is a research-intensive institution, particularly in the areas of diplomacy, resources, governance and heritage. Consequently, SOAS students often end up working in careers that make a real difference to the world, shaping policy and public discourse on economic, political, cultural, security and religious matters.
 
Postgraduate programmes at SOAS are recognisable for their specialist focus, flexible learning, and international perspective. Some of these courses include:

  • Anthropology and sociology
  • Media studies
  • History of art and archaeology
  • Gender studies
  • Economics
  • Cultural, literary and postcolonial studies

Browse all postgraduate courses here.

Scholarships and funding
Scholarships at SOAS are awarded through a competitive application process, with the majority of deadlines in the January or February preceding the year of entry. Check here for any deadlines to watch out for.

Online and distance learning
As well as taught degrees on campus, SOAS runs a number of online and distance learning courses for more than 3,000 students based in 150 countries who wish to fit their studies around their professional and personal commitments.
 
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Weibo
LinkedIn
Youtube
Soundcloud

For a relatively small higher education institution, SOAS is fortunate to have outstanding facilities, both scholarly and practical.

  • The Brunei Gallery, opened in 1995, provides a 40-room conference venue at a convenient, central London location. These facilities are run by the SOAS Conference Office.
  • The SOAS Library - recognised as a collection of national importance - houses over 1.3 million items in more than 400 languages. It has significant archival holdings and a growing network of electronic resources.
  • SOAS has ranked in the top 5 universities nationally in terms of Library and IT expenditure per student.
  • There are eight Regional Centres that coordinate regional expertise and run programmes of seminars, workshops and conferences to provide up-to-date and in-depth knowledge.


SOAS Students’ Union is a bustling and diverse environment, which offers support and representation for all SOAS students. It is our role to make sure that all our students’ – be they international, home, part-time or full-time – voices are heard. We do this in two ways, first via the elected officers on the Union. We have four sabbatical co-presidents who work full time to represent you. They attend School committees and lobby management on issues raised directly by students. There are also ten part time officers who have various portfolios to work on.

Representation also occurs at a course level. SOAS has one of the best Class Representative schemes in the country (the model for a number of other Universities). Each class has a representative who attends departmental meetings and is a vital part of decision-making processes on the lowest level. Not only does this ensure students voices are heard on every level, but that more students can be involved democratically with the direction the Students’ Union chooses. We recognize that we can only be representative by getting people involved.

There are many other ways students can get involved with the Union. We have approximately two hundred clubs and societies, covering sport, dining, political debate, cultural issues and everything in between. We want to get students involved, and if the particular interest you have is not represented then it is easy to set up your own society. It is our job to make your life in London easier, more interesting and packed with things to do. The Union puts on plenty of events, both inside and outside of SOAS.

In addition to all of this the Union runs the bar in SOAS, a popular meeting place for students and a Café - convenience store which is the cheapest place to buy your pens and papers in the area. SOAS Union is your Union, we exist to give you a voice and to entertain you – and hopefully to help you get involved.  See the website for more information: www.soasunion.org

 

Admissions Policy

The nature of the School places diversity at the centre of life at SOAS.  As such we are committed to providing high-quality education to all, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, or national origin, gender, religion or belief, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or any other factor not relevant to academic achievement.  Further information about admissions is available on SOAS website, or by email:  study@soas.ac.uk

Undergraduate application

Postgraduate application

International Students FAQs

English Language Requirements 

Research degree admissions FAQS

We offer the following services to current students and recent graduates:

 · One-to-one careers advice on the application process, including CVs and covering letters as well as advice on how to decide on a career path

· Practice Interviews to help students prepare their upcoming recruitment process, including assessment centres

· A large selection of SOAS-specific events such as Careers Fairs, Alumni Workshops and Skills Sessions throughout the academic year

· Assistance with navigating both online and printed information resources, such as MySOAS Student, Assessment Day and GoinGlobal

· Access to CareersZONE, our online system for searching for jobs, internships, voluntary work and employers

For more information, visit us in SL62, Lower Ground Floor, Senate House North Block, SOAS University of London or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Available programs

University highlights

QS World University Ranking

  • 2012
    #294
  • 2014
    #337
  • 2015
    #=331
  • 2016
    #=275
  • 2017
    #=252
  • 2018
    #=296
  • 2019
    #288
  • 2020
    #309
  • 2021
    #=346
  • 2022
    #=391
  • 2023
    #=443
  • 2024
    #=511

Student & Staff

Total students
5,257

37%
63%

International students
2,265

53%
47%

Total faculty staff
385

216
169

Total students
5,257

37%
63%

International students
2,265

53%
47%

Total faculty staff
385

169
216
QS Stars is a rating system that helps you select the right university based on your interests. It provides a detailed look at an institution, identifying which universities rate highest in the specific topics that matter to you, like facilities, graduate employability, social responsibility, inclusiveness, and more.

Scholarships

Yes
The Scholarships above offer some form of financial aid to prospective students. Please always check the specific requirements and restrictions on scholarship availability.

Campus locations

SOAS University of London,

10 Thornhaugh Street , London , United Kingdom , WC1H 0XG

English language requirements

SOAS University of London EN