study abroad in England with IFSA
London
, England

SOAS, University of London Partnership

Program Overview

Prestigious SOAS is the UK’s only university to specialize in the study of Asia, Africa, and the Near and Middle East. The perks keep coming. Students get access to libraries throughout the University of London network. And with half the student body from beyond the UK, being here is almost like taking a world tour. Then there’s location. SOAS is in heart of the city, near Oxford Street, Covent Garden, and the West End, so exploring is easy.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Fall: April 15
Academic Year: April 15
Spring: Oct. 15

Minimum GPA

3.00

Credit load

16

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory

Instruction language

English

Prerequisites

None

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Academics

Looking for specific classes? Explore CHART, our exclusive class database — if the SOAS Program is pre-approved at your institution, you’ll find classes recently taken by other IFSA students.

To view available courses at SOAS, visit the university's online course catalog.

A full course load for academic year students is 120 SOAS credits, comprised of any combination of 15- or 30-credit modules. Semester students at SOAS take exactly 4 modules (classes) whether attending in Spring or Fall. Semester students are permitted to take half of a year-long course and earn half of the credit for the course, so the typical semester course load is 60 SOAS credits.

  • 30 SOAS credits (usually full year courses only) = 8 U.S. semester credit hours
  • 15 SOAS credits = 4 U.S. semester credit hours

Lab & Field Trip Fees

Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

Students should consult the SOAS course finder for specific course restrictions, which are listed by department.

  • Fourth-year (400 level) courses and higher are part of a postgraduate degree (masters or Ph.D.) and are not available to undergraduate study abroad students.
  • Departments that have only graduate courses (including Gender Studies and Media Studies) are not open to undergraduate students.
  • Independent study projects, dissertations and extended essays are also closed to study abroad students.
  • History majors should note that H300 courses are capped at 15 students, and registration is on a first come, first served basis.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least one (1) semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the semester program or one (1) year of study at your home institution before the beginning of the year program.

Recommendation Letter
Your application to this program will require one (1) academic letter of recommendation.

Visa Requirement

  • A visa is not required for U.S. or Canadian citizens for the semester program.
  • A visa may be required if you are a citizen of another country.
  • A visa is required if you are participating in the year program.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects courses taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

  • London Pandemics–Past and Present: This event will engage you with both an historic overview and a contemporary look at concepts of community health and global health, with a particular focus on London and the pandemic. You will attend a guest lecture at the IFSA London Flagship, followed by the John Snow Cholera Tour. This tour will take you to the nearby streets of Soho to visit important sites in the story of Dr. Snow and the cholera outbreak in 1854.
  • London Statue Walk: This walking tour includes stops at some of London’s most iconic statues as well as some of its most obscure, weaving in historical, cultural, literary, and political threads as it seeks to put the past into dialogue with the present.
  • Homelessness in London–A Dialogue: This event will explore the realities of homelessness in London from three perspectives. First, you will participate in a dialogue with guest speakers followed by a tour of Central London developed, curated, and delivered by vulnerably housed individuals through Unseen Tours.
Excursions
  • The Square Mile Tour: The City of London, also known as the Square Mile, is just over one mile of the capital city. But what a mile it is. The Square Mile is the oldest part of London, dating back to 43 A.D. when the Romans christened it Londinium. From St. Paul’s Cathedral to Borough Market, the Bank of England to Tower Bridge, this walking tour will give you an exclusive glimpse into the London of old and new.
  • London Graffiti and Street Art Tour: Get ready to experience the very best London has to offer in street art and graffiti during our urban street art adventure through the amazing painted streets of Shoreditch, East London and the surrounding areas. See work by some of the world’s most famous street artists including Banksy, Ben Eine, Obey, Roa, C215 and 100s more. We introduce you to all the various types of street art from street sculpture to stencils, wheat pastes and stickers. In addition to schooling you in graffiti art and explaining the different styles of lettering and techniques used in street art, the tour will really open your eyes to the graffiti/street art around you, as well as the meaning behind the graffiti.
  • Stonehenge and Bath Visit: Stonehenge has stood on Salisbury Plain for around 5,000 years and it’s still unknown how the prehistoric monument came to rest there! Make up your own mind during this visit and discover the fascinating theories behind these rocks. You’ll learn about Stonehenge from the fascinating exhibits and be able to enjoy a virtual sunrise as it rises over the prehistoric stones! Afterward, travel to the Roman city of Bath for a walking tour of this World Heritage city once home to Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Gainsborough, Lord Nelson, and Beau Nash. Then prepare to travel back 2,000 years to the Roman era with a visit to the Roman Baths.
  • Piers and Queers Brighton Trip: Since the 18th century Brighton has become a cosmopolitan place of recreation, escape, and freedom. A destination for people who didn't conform. With an LGBTQ+ population now estimated at 15%, Brighton celebrated England's first civil partnerships, and hosts the UK’s largest Pride event as well as Europe's first Trans Pride, rightly earning its title as the LGBTQ+ Capital of Britain. Peers and Queers is a tour of Brighton from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer perspective, in a colorful 90-minute walk along the beach and historic city center taking in more than 200 years of history including Regency Dandies, 1950s lesbian and gay life, and political activism. Afterward, there’s time for a walk on the pier and fish and chips, just watch out for seagulls!
  • Windsor Castle and Eton College Tours: Take a full-day tour to the beautiful Berkshire towns of Windsor and Eton. Visit the king’s home at Windsor Castle which has more than 900 years of royal history and is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. After lunch it will be on to Eton, home of the world-famous Eton College founded in 1440. Eton has educated generations of British and foreign aristocracy and members of the Royal family including Princes William and Harry, and British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory

Meals

Self-Catering

Details

All accommodations are self-catered. No meal plans are available.

Dates and Fees

Term

Term begins

Term ends

Program costs

Application deadline

Spring 2024

January 4, 2024

June 15, 2024

$30,995

Oct. 15

Fall 2024

Mid-Sept. 2024

Mid-Dec. 2024

$24,995 (estimated)

April 15

Academic Year 2024-2025

Mid-Sept. 2024

Mid-June 2025

Contact IFSA

April 15

Term

Spring 2024

Term begins

January 4, 2024

Term ends

June 15, 2024

Program costs

$30,995

Application deadline

Oct. 15

Term

Fall 2024

Term begins

Mid-Sept. 2024

Term ends

Mid-Dec. 2024

Program costs

$24,995 (estimated)

Application deadline

April 15

Term

Academic Year 2024-2025

Term begins

Mid-Sept. 2024

Term ends

Mid-June 2025

Program costs

Contact IFSA

Application deadline

April 15

Get Started

Apply Now
schedule time to talk
Kevin Cañas

Kevin Cañas

Admissions Counselor

Kevin Cañas

Kevin Cañas

Prearrival Counselor

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