How to apply for undergraduate study

Here's everything you need to know to apply for an undergraduate degree at SOAS. Find out how to make your application via UCAS, the deadlines to remember, and what our admissions team is looking for.

Our entry requirements are different for every course, so please check individual course pages for the grades you'll need to study with us.

If your qualifications are not listed, please contact our course enquiries team at study@soas.ac.uk. Additionally, if you do not meet the standard requirements of the programme, please get in touch with course enquiries, as we may still be able to consider your application.

English language 

All international applicants must be able to show that their English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete their course at SOAS. Explore our course requirements on the English language requirements page.

Students with disabilities

We encourage applications from students with disabilities and consider all applications on academic grounds. If you have a disability that might affect your studies, please indicate this clearly on your application form. We make every effort to accommodate students with additional needs.  

The procedure for admission of disabled applicants is in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, and you may be invited for an interview to discuss whether any special arrangements or equipment you need can be provided. 

For more information, please visit our Disability Learning Support pages.

Widening participation

We understand that not all routes to university are equal. We are committed to ensuring students from a variety of underrepresented backgrounds can access the transformative nature of a SOAS education. 

All applications are considered holistically by our admissions team, who consider a wide variety of factors, including information provided in your UCAS application. If you have any questions or would like further information, please get in touch with our course enquiries team at study@soas.ac.uk. 

Accredited Prior Learning

SOAS may, at its discretion, permit students to enter a programme at an advanced stage on the basis of prior learning where a student has already completed certified learning elsewhere. This process is called accreditation of prior learning or APL.

To be considered for APL you will first need to submit an application via UCAS for the programme you wish to study. Along with your transcripts, you may wish to provide detailed module descriptors, where available, directly to the relevant admissions team to support your APL request.

Your application will be considered by the programme specific admissions tutor to ensure the prior learning meets requirements.

Year 2 transfer requests

If you are considering transferring to SOAS, you can apply for a transfer via UCAS and include Year 2 as the year of entry. Please note that it is not possible to transfer to Year 3 or beyond.

In order to be considered for Year 2 entry, you must:

• Meet the Year 1 entry requirements for the degree you wish to transfer to.
• Be on track to achieve/have achieved a 2:1 in your first year of studies. 
• Be covering/have covered the equivalent of the SOAS core modules of the degree you wish to transfer to.

You can explain the reasons for requesting a transfer in your personal statement. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by the academic department, and places are not guaranteed.

Please read the UCAS guidelines for information on how to proceed. 

For APL transfer requests of less than a full academic year

After submitting your UCAS application, you will then need to make your APL transfer request by emailing the relevant admissions team.

Your application will be considered by the programme specific admissions tutor to ensure the prior learning meets requirements. A decision will be communicated to you by the admissions team.

For further details regarding APL, please refer to our General Admissions Regulations.