Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
020 7898 4034
study@soas.ac.uk
www.soas.ac.uk
Open day: October 27; February 10, 2010; June 16

PERFORMANCE

Sunday Times ranking 38 (33)
Student satisfaction 73.4%
Head teacher ranking 41 (107=)
Peer ranking 29= (46=)
Research quality 64.9%
A-level/Higher points 365
Unemployment 5.7%
Firsts and 2:1s 73.2%
Student/staff ratio 10.8:1
Dropout rate 15.6% (11.1%)
World ranking 253

VITAL STATISTICS

Multimedia

• The Times University Guide table

Undergraduates 2,693 (84)
Postgraduates 1,493 (461)
Teaching staff 234
Applications/places 4,688/891; 5.3:1 (-2.2%)
Clearing entry 4.1%
Live in 30% £121-£167
Bursaries 40%: £420-£860
Scholarships None

SOCIAL MIX

EU/overseas 14.8%/13.8%
Mature 23.7%
State school 75.4%
Lowest social classes 19.7%
Low-participation areas 3.3%

The only higher education institution in Europe to specialise in the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Soas offers more than 350 degree options to approximately 2,700 undergraduates, of whom more than a quarter start aged 21 or older. Including postgraduates, about 45% of students are from outside the UK. Tutors are accessible, with a member of staff for every 11 students.

The library, which is stocked with more than 1.2m items and electronic resources, is among the facilities due a revamp as part of an ambitious 10-year development plan. A new building on the main campus at Russell Square will provide more teaching, seminar and social space. Vernon Square is the other site, a 20-minute walk away and next door to student rooms.

Soas has three faculties: arts and humanities, languages and cultures and law and social sciences, and more than a quarter of degree courses offer the opportunity to spend a year studying overseas. New courses starting this term include BAs in Tibetan and Chinese, Islamic studies and southeast Asian studies with a year abroad.

Graduates are in demand. Within six months of leaving Soas, only 5.7% are unemployed.

The students’ union has more than 100 societies, which, in keeping with the institution’s areas of study, include a number of political, cultural and campaigning groups.

The union hires external facilities for sports and students also have access to the University of London Union’s sports facilities.

Bursaries start at £420 for those on a partial maintenance grant.

STUDENT VIEW

Marya Ahmed, students’ union officer:

First impressions There’s such a buzz, it’s a real global community.
Worst feature Being a central London university we are short of space.
Facilities Even though we are small, we have one of the best research libraries in the country.
Deal clincher Learning doesn’t finish when you leave the lecture hall. You will pick up so much from your fellow students.

Rated excellent (8)
Anthropology; east and south Asian studies; history of art, architecture and design; law; Middle Eastern and African studies; music; politics; theology and religious studies.

Student satisfaction
Law 78.6; History and Archaeology 77; Politics 76.8; Other Languages and Area studies 74.5; Philosophy, Theology and Religious studies 71.9; Economics 68.1; Sociology, Social Policy and Anthropology 67.4

Times recommends

• Students face big rise in university fees
• Students to rate lecturers online
• Lord heads team to look at raising tuition fees