Student Advice Service
About the service
The Student Advice Service provides free, confidential immigration, finance and accommodation advice to applicants and enrolled students.
To find out more about how we offer advice please read our Conditions of Service (PDF, 122KB).
What can we help with
Immigration
- Applying for your Student or Standard Visitor visa, the eligibility requirements, application process and checking your supporting documents.
- Understanding the conditions of your visa including the work restrictions and other legal requirements.
- How enrolment changes will affect your Student visa such as taking a leave of absence, withdrawing, transferring programs or repeating part of your program
- Other immigration issues like replacing a lost or stolen BRP card and how to correct errors on your visa.
- General information about the EU Settlement Scheme and post-study work visas such as the Graduate Route.
Finance
- Applying for UK student loans from Student Finance including how to resolve issues with eligibility, assessments and payments.
- Budgeting and money management including accessing hardship funds.
- How enrolment changes will affect your UK student loans such as taking a leave of absence, withdrawing, transferring programmes or repeating part of your programmes.
- Eligibility for state benefits such as Universal Credit.
Accommodation
- Help with choosing and applying for SOAS halls of residence.
- Accommodation advice for students with partners and children.
- Advice for students who have specific accessibility requirements for their accommodation.
- Private accommodation options.
- Information about Right to Rent checks.
- Access to the University of London Housing Service for free legal advice.
How to access our service
Immigration and finance advice
We provide advice by email or you can request an in-person, online or telephone appointment. Our working hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. (excluding UK bank holidays and School closure days).
- Applicants: adviceservice@soas.ac.uk
- Current students: advice@soas.ac.uk
Accommodation advice
You'll find lots of useful information and guidance in our Accommodation pages.
