fbpx
School of Oriental and African Studies landing
School of Oriental and African Studies mobile

School of Oriental and African Studies

SOAS (formerly known as SOAS, University of London), established in 1916, is a world leading institution for the study of African, Asian and Middle Eastern languages and culture. SOAS is committed to interdisciplinary teaching and research toward the realization of lasting change. The three colleges—Development, Economics and Finance; Humanities; and Law, Anthropology and Politics—present comprehensive and integrative programs of study at the College level. A site of global scholarship, it was once the center of imperial learning but is now SOAS, a fount of decolonizing thought, equitable global partnerships and critical analysis of global issues. SOAS alumni are diverse in terms of their background and location, from diplomats and policymakers, through to artists and activists, with a global outlook and common commitment to making positive change.

Established Year: 1916
Institution Type: Public
Address: 10 Thornhaugh St, London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom

Go to Website

Courses Offered

Offers 0 Courses

** Fees mentioned here are approximate and are per year, Unless specified otherwise

Why Choose this School of Oriental and African Studies

International focus: At SOAS students are given the tools to confront some of the world’s most pressing problems: dramatic climate change, pervasive inequality, social polarization.

Diverse and Inclusive: SOAS is one of the most diverse student bodies in the UK, represented by more than 135 countries. The variety of all of these enriches the learning environment, which fosters intercultural dialogue and collaboration.

A Global Network: With more than 50,000 alumni around the world, joining SOAS connects you to a network of thousands. SOAS graduates regularly go on to hold significant roles in diplomacy, academia, activism and much besides.

Central London Location: SOAS is based in Bloomsbury, London, in one of the city’s most exciting cultural centers. The location augments the students’ academic and extracurricular experiences by offering the chance to visit, and explore, London’s world class museums, galleries and theatres.

Top Rankings: SOAS ranks among the Top 50 universities in the world for internationalism (QS World University Rankings, 2024) and welcomes students and staff from all parts of the world.

Careers Opportunities and Employability: SOAS offers a very clear focus on employability, provides academic subject expertise that translates for careers across sectors.

Take first step towards your Study Abroad Journey

Campus Facilities at School of Oriental and African Studies

Bloomsbury Central Location

  1. SOAS is in central London, in easy reach of great cultural landmarks like the British Museum and British Library on a vibrant campus.
  2. The campus is surrounded by cafes and parks and other social spaces that enrich both academic and extracurricular life.

Special Collections and Library

  1. There is one academic library in the world specialized in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, housed at SOAS.
  2. Extensive archives, manuscripts, rare books, photographs, and audio–visual materials are included in the library’s rich archive supporting advanced research and learning.
  3. Furthermore, the students are permitted to use libraries around: the British Library and Senate House Library to enrich their resource basis.

SOAS Gallery: The SOAS Gallery, a major feature of the campus, exhibits art and culture from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Unique Study Spaces: The SOAS Library is a quiet place to study, but there are similarly peaceful study spots around – the Senate House Library, the British Library and Welcome Collection Library all afford quiet places to work in.

Accessible Facilities: All are intended to be inclusive and accessible to the campus and its events. Campus services can cater towards specific needs if you get in touch with them.

Prospective students can explore SOAS through  virtual and campus tours.

Open Days and Campus Tours

  1. Prospective students are welcomed to explore SOAS through regularly held open days; to interact with faculty and students; and to discover more about academic, social and supported opportunities.
  2. SOAS campus tours offer a hands-on glimpse of life at SOAS, showcasing classrooms, libraries and common areas.

Student Services Offered by School of Oriental and African Studies

Student Engagement and Peer Support

  1. At SOAS we have a broad range of initiatives designed to help our students to settle into university life, be successful academically and personally.
  2. Collaborative Student Learning (CSL) and Peer Mentoring programs provide students with a sense of community and fosters collaborative and shared learning between students across year groups.

Student Engagement and Peer Support

  1. At SOAS we have a broad range of initiatives designed to help our students to settle into university life, be successful academically and personally.
  2. Collaborative Student Learning (CSL) and Peer Mentoring programs provide students with a sense of community and fosters collaborative and shared learning between students across year groups.

Student Advice & Wellbeing Services: The Student Advice and Wellbeing team are dedicated to provide comprehensive support to academic and personal issues, as well as health.

IT and Digital Support: The SOAS Services Portal offers one stop for IT support, including setup of email accounts, free Office 365 software (full list of useful downloads here) and help with Wi-Fi.

Services for people with disability and neurodiversity: The Disability and Neurodiversity Team supports an accessible learning experience for all students. During their time at SOAS they give specialist advice and tailor adjustments to meet individual needs.

Academic and Learning Support

  1. This runs on SOAS Moodle, which provides the virtual hub for learning, containing your module, assignments and discussion forums.
  2. Distance students have access to the world with collaborative tools and recorded lectures.

Practical Tips for Students: SOAS offers practical resources from advice on handling workloads to the best ways to make the most of holidays on a student budget to help students succeed academically and personally.

Course Finder

Search from 1500+ English taught programs offered by French Institutions.

its easy, search by program name of by stream, specialization & Education level

Course Finder Illustration
Search Now

Student Life at School of Oriental and African Studies

Community of Diversity and Inclusion

  1. India is perhaps most closely involved in the work of SOAS due to our possession of numerous Indian archives, books and manuscripts.
  2. An inclusive campus brings out the academic and social potential of a student by helping students connect with peers from a variety of cultural and academic backgrounds.

Accommodation Options: There are halls available for both undergraduates, postgraduates and families.

Studying in Central London

  1. SOAS is based in Bloomsbury, and like the majority of other Russell Group Universities, has access to the iconic study locations that Bloomsbury is home to, such as the British Library and Senate House Library.
  2. London’s cultural and social scene is open to students to explore on a budget, including gallery, cinema and theatre discounts.

Supportive Campus Environment

  1. Wellbeing programs, academic guidance and peer mentoring are some of the wide range of support services offered by SOAS.
  2. Participating in projects such as Collaborative Student Learning (CSL) is encouraged for students to better their academic life.
  3. While the LTC may, from time to time, invite you to participate in any Study Abroad and Exchange Opportunities, these will be rare.
  4. Over 70 global destinations are choices for students to study abroad or take part in academic exchanges and further enhance their academic and personal development.
  5. SOAS students experience a dynamic and stimulating student life which engages students in the work of the university as well as outside in the vibrant communities and societies that surround the student body.

Scholarships Offered by School of Oriental and African Studies

SOAS has a wide range of scholarships available to help its students financially or academically.

Scholarship in Academic Excellence

  1. Award Amount: £5,000 fee waiver.
  2. Eligibility Criteria: Aimed at international (overseas) students in good standing academically.

SOAS GREAT Scholarships

  1. Award Amount: The amount of tuition fee waiver varies depending on the scholarship.
  2. Criteria: Applicant must be of academic excellence and must meet residency requirements.

Felix Scholarships (India)

  1. Award Amount: Waiver of full tuition fee and a generous living stipend.
  2. Eligibility Criteria: Available to Indian nationals with excellent academic qualification planning to undertake a postgraduate degree at SOAS. Financial need and leadership potential is required of the applicants.

Dr. Mai Yamani Scholarships

  1. Award Amount: Scholarship amount varies.
  2.  Criteria: students Of India, Palestine, Iraq or Yemen origin as priority.

Allan and Nesta Ferguson Scholarships

  1. Award Amount: It covers full tuition fees to study in some select programs.
  2. Criteria: Available to students from all countries.

Undergraduate Financial Support Funds

  1. Award Amount: Specific grants and hardship funds.
  2. Eligibility Criteria: Financial hardship requirements apply to UK or EU students.

Internships and Placements at School of Oriental and African Studies

Internship and placement opportunities are widely provided by SOAS to help students get practical experience. These programs afford students the opportunity to learn via hands-on activity in different fields.

Summer Internship Programme.

  1. This program is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students and organizes 35 SOAS exclusive external internships each year.
  2. Internship sectors include NGOs, financial sector companies, tech companies, consultancies, African and Asian art galleries and so on.
  3. This program was designed for undergraduates to take on 25 internal internships each spring term.
  4. The latter has collaborators from various SOAS departments working as interns across collaborative projects.

Key Benefits: During internships they work with learning professors, conduct independent research, and learn the professional field.

Postgraduate Work Placements: SOAS postgraduate degrees offer the option of a placement year for professional experience in various fields, including:

Creative Sector Internships: Unique internships within the creative industries are part of the support that SOAS provides for its students looking for careers in those industries.

Law Clinics and Placements

  1. SOAS Law programs provide students the opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience through clinics and placements.
  2. They allow students, through theory and practice, to be ready for legal careers.
  3. SOAS internships and placements are transformational experiences which help students to gain the skills and networks needed to meet their career goals.

Get Expert Guidance

Study in UK with Expert Guidance

With over 8+ years of experience and 30+ UK Counsellors, We can get admission into your dream French Institution.

Entry Requirements for School of Oriental and African Studies

Academic Requirements

  1. a wide range of qualifications, including A levels, BTEC and International Baccalaureate. Program specific A-level or equivalent requirement varies.
  2. For select programs Mathematics Requirement comes into play.
  3. BSc Economics: A grade B in either A-level or GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent).
  4. Other Economics, Accounting, and Finance programs: Grade 6/B or better in GCSE Mathematics.

English Language Proficiency

  1. IELTS Academic: Score of 6.5 in overall and 6.0 in all the sub scores.
  2. TOEFL iBT: 22 points in writing and 20 in another sub score. Overall score of 95.
  3. Alternative Qualifications
  4. International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programmed (IBCP), and Extended Project Qualifications are examined on a case-by-case basis.
  5. BTEC qualifications are considered for applicants and may be used instead of another level 3 qualification. However, in some cases additional criteria may need to be met.

Postgraduate Applicants

Academic Requirements

  1. A UK equivalent 2: A bachelor’s degree is needed.
  2. North American GPA: 3. Minimum of 3.0 with strong motivation.
  3. Norwegian grades: Predominantly B and C.

English Language Proficiency

  1. IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and PTE Academic have the same requirements as for undergraduate applicants.
  2. Language skills can be improved before the start of the program on pre sessional courses.
  3. Some programs may have additional conditions, for example, the minimum of professional experience, portfolio submission or letter of recommendation.

Pre-sessional English Courses

  1. The courses are available in 4-week (£2,920) and 8-week (£4,680) formats.
  2. Academic English instruction designed to prepare students for language entry into degree programs.

Entry requirements for foreign nationals: Standard XII: At least, AAA equal to 85% (CBSE, CISCE, & few of the State Boards) or 90% (rest of the State Boards).

Rankings and Awards of School of Oriental and African Studies

A world class status was granted to the university for Academic Excellence. SOAS’s strong interdisciplinary approach is reflected in a ranking in the top quartile of Arts and Humanities.

National and Regional Achievements

  1. Politics is ranked 18th in the world, fourth in the UK by QS rankings.
  2. The Times Higher Education Subject Rankings ranked us 12th in the UK for Arts and Humanities.
  3. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are supported in the 8-week Impact Rankings as SOAS is 7th in the UK for Gender Equality.
  4. Commitment to Climate Action
  5. The 8-week Impact Rankings 2024 for initiatives addressing climate change and sustainability saw Oxford ranked 20th in the UK and 79th in the world.

Research Excellence: Following Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, over half of SOAS’s disciplines include disciplines that are ranked among the top ten for research excellence.

Institutional Recognition

  1. In The Times Good University Guide 2024, SOAS has broken into the top 30 UK universities.
  2. Ranked globally in the top 50 for internationalism, an indication of the University’s international appeal and mix of students.

Apply Today

Gallery

School of Oriental and African Studies 1
School of Oriental and African Studies 2
School of Oriental and African Studies 3
School of Oriental and African Studies 4

Similar Institutions

University of Suffolk logo
University of Sunderland
University of Nottingham logo
University of Nottingham
University of central lancashire logo
University of Central Lancashire
Robert Gordon University logo
Robert Gordon University

Written By

Get in touch with us Today

Register Now
Register Now
AOEC India Logo White

AOEC India-Ardent Overseas Education Consultants

2Nd floor, 11-13-879/2, Green Hills Colony Rd Number 3, polkampally, Dwarka Nagar, Kothapet, Hyderabad, Telangana 500035

Phone : +91 9966614569

Email :  [email protected]

Facebook Instagram Linkedin Youtube

Why AOEC India

We have transformed the scenario of many students across India in the past six years by dedicating our services into the domain of overseas education with more than Successful visas. AOEC core competency lies in assisting students to make the right choice with regards to pursuing higher education from top universities across the world. Services provided by us makes us one of the Best Overseas Education Consultants in India.

© 2025 Powered by AOEC India |  Privacy Policy