SOAS University of London

SOAS University of London, a specialist research university, concentrates its study on Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Founded as the School of Oriental Studies, it was established under royal charter in 1916, took in its first students in 1917 and incorporated African studies into its name in 1938. SOAS belongs to the federal University of London as one of its member institutions, and its Bloomsbury campus is centred on Russell Square, with facilities such as the Paul Webley Wing and the Brunei Gallery.

Of roughly 6,400 students, about one in three is a postgraduate, and the academic community spans more than 130 nationalities. SOAS is especially known for anthropology, development studies, history, the history of art, law and human rights, linguistics, and politics and international relations, and it teaches an exceptionally broad selection of languages from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its library, with more than a million volumes, has been designated as one of five National Research Libraries in the UK and ranks among the foremost academic collections for its regions. Among its alumni are the rugby player Maro Itoje and the politician David Lammy.

Information for International Students

Reflecting its strongly international community, SOAS offers visa and immigration guidance on the Student visa, requesting a CAS, travelling overseas, arriving in the UK and working after graduation, including the Graduate Route. Direct entry to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees alike requires IELTS 6.5 overall with a score of 6.0 in each component. Applicants who fall below this may be offered a SOAS pre-sessional English course of either four or eight weeks, both of which have a lower IELTS threshold for entry, and the university's language centre runs further English language programmes and short courses.

For those who need preparation before a degree, the SOAS Foundation College, located on the Bloomsbury campus, provides foundation-year routes in business, management, economics and law, in arts and humanities, and in the social sciences, together with an international summer programme and summer courses in academic English. SOAS has a range of halls located from five to 45 minutes away from campus, with options for postgraduates, undergraduates, students with families and anyone requiring an accessible room. Scholarships and awards, each with its own residency and eligibility criteria, are offered for undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research study.