How to apply for postgraduate study

Begin your application to study a postgraduate taught course at SOAS. Explore our range of subjects and find out what you’ll need to apply.

What we offer

We offer a range of courses, with options for full-time or part-time study. These include: 

• Postgraduate taught MA degree
• Postgraduate taught MSc degree
• Certificates and diplomas

What you'll need to apply

Make sure you've got the relevant documents ready before you apply, which include:

• Academic qualifications - certificates and/or transcripts to show you have met, or are expected to meet, the entry requirements. If they are not in English, you must provide certified English translations in addition to the documents in their original language.
• Proof of your English language level is not needed at the time of applying, but it will help with the processing of your application if you can provide this.
• A copy of your passport.
• Supporting statement - Your statement should be around 1000 words in length, covering your skills and experience relevant to the programme you are applying for.
• Your CV

When to apply

You can apply for taught postgraduate courses from early November to 31 July each year. If you require a student visa or are applying for a scholarship or sponsorship, we recommend applying as soon as possible. We aim to process an application within a 4-week time frame.

If you require a student visa to study in the UK, SOAS can only sponsor you for Full Time studies.  If you are considering applying for a scholarship or sponsorship to fund your studies, it is advised that you submit your masters application as early as possible.

We typically expect an undergraduate degree of 2.2 and above in a subject related to the course being applied to. However, our admissions team will consider relevant work experience in the field as part of your application. 

We also have international and EU qualification guidelines available. Please remember to check individual degree programme pages for any subject-specific entry requirements.

Support for international students

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements this year, we offer a range of programmes at IFCELS to prepare international students for study at SOAS. This includes programmes designed to improve academic English skills, Pre-Masters courses, and short courses on various subjects across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

English language

The English language requirements for our courses are provided on individual course pages. Find out more about English language requirements.

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.

SOAS has a number of global partnerships with institutions across the world that students from our partners are eligible to apply for. If you are coming to SOAS to study a Masters through our Global Partnerships programme, as well as completing all the steps in the ‘How to Apply’ section above, you will also need to:

• Indicate the partner institution you are applying through in the application form.
• Make reference to the Global Partnership programme you are applying for in your personal statement, and show your interest in studying through the partnership route.
• Upload a nomination letter OR an equivalent official document from your institution confirming your current student status and programme of study in the relevant section of the application form. 

For any queries on our Global Partnerships or how to apply, please contact the Global Partnerships team globalpartnerships@soas.ac.uk