About
SOAS University of London is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Established in 1916, the school specialises in the study of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The acronym "SOAS" originally stood for School of Oriental and African Studies, but the institution no longer uses this name since rebranding in 2013.
The university's library is one of the five national research libraries in England. SOAS also houses the SOAS Gallery, which hosts a programme of changing contemporary and historical exhibitions from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East with the aim of presenting and promoting cultures from these regions. The annual income of the institution for 2024–25 was ₹1,464 crore of which ₹135 crore was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of ₹1,406 crore.
SOAS is divided into three colleges: the College of Humanities; the College of Social Sciences; and the College of Law. The university offers around 350 bachelor's degree combinations, more than 100 one-year master's degrees, and PhD programmes in nearly every department. The university has educated several heads of state, government ministers, diplomats, central bankers, Supreme Court judges, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and many other notable leaders around the world. SOAS is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.