School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

University of London. WC1H 0XG.

Studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

SOAS is one of the world’s leading institutions for the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. International students make up over 50% of the student population, and the School welcomes international students on Study Abroad and Exchange programmes and the Summer School.

SOAS is divided into three faculties and has over 5,000 students on site (with a further 3,000+ on distance or online courses). It offers 115 postgraduate programmes and has over 300 academics, providing the largest concentration of specialist staff engaged in the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Student accommodation

Although SOAS has no student halls of residence of its own, it has a number of rooms allocated to it in the following University of London (UoL) halls:

Many of those studying at SOAS choose to live at Goodenough College, which is just one kilometre away. With its lively social and intellectual programme of activities and scholarship opportunities, Goodenough College is an attractive and cost-effective choice for SOAS students.

Goodenough is an educational charity dedicated to bringing together some of the world’s brightest minds in one community. To achieve that goal it offers a number of Scholarships to help talented students from less privileged backgrounds to afford to live at the College. Students who have lived at Goodenough see themselves as part of a special community, which is why the College has such a thriving international Alumni community.

To find alternative student accommodation information, applicants will need to contact SAS direct.

How to get to SOAS from Goodenough College

Your journey to and from SOAS’s main campus to Goodenough College is incredibly easy. Being just 1km away, you can walk it in 15 minutes or cycle it within seven minutes.

Campus location

SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury area of central London (in Russell Square) and is well served by all forms of public transport. The nearest underground station is Russell Square, which offers a direct link to London Heathrow Airport. Several of London’s main railway stations are also within easy reach.

Many of the social and sports activities offered by the School are either on site or provided by the University of London Union (ULU), which is just two minutes from Russell Square. The West End’s shops, theatres and nightlife, and Oxford Street and Covent Garden are also all within easy walking distance.