Success for SOAS Foundation Year 2019/20

28 May 2020

In September 2019, SOAS welcomed its first ever cohort of Foundation Year (FY) students. With an initial target of around 20-30 students, the total number of enrollments ended up being over 300 students. Of those who enrolled, 97% are still registered.

The Foundation Year prepares students for entry onto undergraduate studies. During the Foundation Year, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge required for undergraduate study.

The FY is excellent preparation for students who may benefit from an additional year of study before beginning an undergraduate degree, including students who do not have the required grades for direct entry onto an undergraduate programme or who have not previously studied the relevant subjects.

SOAS FY students attend regular meetings to review their academic profile, discuss upcoming submissions and their final degree choice and share any other questions or concerns.

In addition to this support, the FY team have been referring students to other services available at SOAS, for example Student Advice and Wellbeing, to ensure they receive the necessary help and guidance, especially in these challenging times. They've also been working with academic departments to provide special events for FY students, such as guest talks.

A 1:1 Online Progression Clinic was also offered to all FY students, to help leave each student with a firm understanding of whether they are on track to progress into year 1.

Following the Progression Clinic meetings, all FY students were asked to state their final degree choice. The students have been supported throughout the year in making this decision and engaged with other academic departments as well as their lecturers and Academic Advisors. So far, 95% have indicated that they would like to continue their studies at SOAS.

Kasia Brys, Acting Head of Foundation Year, said:

"We are delighted that so many students chose to enrol on the Foundation Year programme at SOAS. It has been a fantastic experience seeing them thrive in a university environment. We've seen that this year's cohort is keen, engaged and looking forward to joining SOAS programmes in the next academic year.

"Many have already made SOAS their home and this speaks to the success of the SOAS Foundation Year in fostering a sense of belonging to the institution."​

Find out more about our Foundation Year courses: Foundation Year Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities and Foundation Year Business, Management, Economics & Law