SOAS Master’s Scholarships (International) — Master's Scholarship

SOAS University of London funds more than 150 tuition fee waivers worth £8,000 each for international students entering a taught master’s programme in the 2026/27 academic year. The award is a reduction on the tuition invoice, not a cash payment.

It goes to overseas fee-paying applicants who already hold an offer for a full-time, on-campus postgraduate taught programme and who meet a UK 2:1 academic standard. Selection rewards academic performance; there is no research proposal or interview stage described.

SOAS was founded in 1916 in Bloomsbury, central London, and specialises in the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East across languages, law, development, politics, economics and the arts. All three rounds for 2026/27 entry have closed; SOAS runs the scheme again for the following entry year.

Benefits & funding

£8,000 tuition fee waiver per award.
More than 150 awards available for 2026/27 entry.
On two-year programmes the waiver applies to the first year of tuition only.
The award reduces tuition fees. It does not provide living costs, travel or a stipend.
It cannot be combined with any other SOAS scholarship or discount, including alumni, family and partnership discounts. An applicant who wins more than one must take the highest-value option.
Accepting the award requires payment of the £4,000 CAS deposit.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold an offer for a full-time, on-campus postgraduate taught programme at SOAS.
Applicants must be classified as overseas fee-paying students; those assessed at the UK home fee rate are not eligible.
Applicants must hold a minimum UK upper second-class (2:1) bachelor’s degree or an international equivalent.
Applicants must not hold any other SOAS scholarship, or a full-fee scholarship or sponsorship from any other source.
Joint partnership programmes are not eligible.
No nationality, age or work-experience requirement is set. Part-time and distance-learning study falls outside the scheme.

Can you apply?

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Education required
Bachelor

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Application process

1
Choose an eligible full-time, on-campus taught master’s programme and submit a complete SOAS admission application by the round deadline.
2
Sign in to the SOAS admissions portal with the login details issued after the course application.
3
Submit the separate scholarship application in the portal by the same round deadline.
4
Await the result, issued within 10 working days of the round deadline.
5
Accept the award and pay the £4,000 CAS deposit as a condition of the offer.

Program timeline

November 2025 to January 2026
SOAS scholarships for 2026/27 entry open.
first-round deadline.
28 February 2026, 23:59 GMT
second-round deadline.
30 April 2026, 23:59 BST
third and final round deadline.
30 June 2026, 23:59 BST
Within 10 working days of each deadline
results issued; third-round results by 14 July 2026.
21 September 2026
2026/27 academic session begins, with teaching from 28 September 2026.