Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
SOAS is a small, specialist university in the middle of Bloomsbury, right by Russell Square. It focuses on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, so if you want to study a language like Korean, Swahili or Arabic, or look at politics, law, economics or history from a non-Western angle, there are few places like it. Students and staff come from more than 130 countries.
With about 6,400 students, it feels much more intimate than most London universities, and the students' union is known for being political and outspoken. The catch is London itself: halls start at about £185 a week, and many rooms cost well over £300.
Known for
SOAS University of London is 114th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 37, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Newman University | 37.3 |
| 113 | University of Suffolk | 37.2 |
| 114 | SOAS University of London | 37 |
| 115 | University of Central Lancashire | 36.9 |
| 116 | Middlesex University | 36.2 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
37th of 124 · Nightlife Score 56.2
64th of 124 · Sustainability Score 51.8
65th of 124 · Social Score 49.1
68th of 124 · Inclusion Score 55.4
88th of 124 · Innovation Score 48.7
91st of 124 · Societies Score 43.6
109th of 124 · Safety Score 24.2
114th of 124 · Employability Score 18.2
116th of 124 · Balance Score 26.5
115th of 122 · Careers Score 17.6
118th of 123 · Happiness Score 20.7
121st of 124 · Value Score 21
121st of 124 · Affordability Score 6.6
122nd of 124 · Freshers Score 29.4
122nd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 17.7
London as a student city
Ranked 72nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 32.
SOAS University of London appears in 8 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Management | 30th | of 114 | 182 |
| International Relations | 34th | of 71 | 108 |
| Law | 49th | of 97 | 120 |
| Linguistics | 14th | of 27 | 59 |
| Anthropology | 13th | of 24 | 63 |
| Economics | 48th | of 85 | 109 |
| Politics | 50th | of 78 | 97 |
| PPE | 23rd | of 31 | 51 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
SOAS life is shaped by its size and its location. The campus is compact, so you'll quickly get to know faces, and the Students' Union runs the SOAS Bar, a coffee shop, societies, sports teams, student campaigns and liberation caucuses. The SU has a long reputation for activism. Because SOAS is part of the University of London, you can also use shared facilities like Senate House Library, and live in intercollegiate halls alongside students from other London colleges. The British Museum, the West End and King's Cross are all walkable.
University halls cost £185–£431 per week (2026/27 undergraduate halls, 38–51-week contracts; standard rooms from £185 to about £330) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
SOAS doesn't publish a hall guarantee. Its how-to-apply page says it 'will aim to offer housing from one of your three choices', and if that isn't possible the accommodation office will contact you with alternatives. To apply you must be a full-time SOAS student who has firmly accepted a conditional or unconditional offer (rooms aren't offered to students holding SOAS as their insurance choice). For 2026/27 the portal opened to new students on 20 April 2026, with no closing date, but earlier applicants have a better chance of their preferred options.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Green Hall | Wood Green, north London | standard single, shared facilities | £185/wk | The cheapest option, run with Mezzino: £185 a week on a 51-week contract or £198 a week on the limited 40-week contract. Bills included. About 19 minutes to Russell Square on the Piccadilly line. Refurbishment works are scheduled from June 2026 to September 2027. |
| Cordwainers Court | London Fields, Hackney | single room, shared bathroom (4-person flats) | £204/wk | Run by the not-for-profit AA4S. 50-week contract (£10,200 a year). About 40 minutes to SOAS by Overground, tube or bus. |
| International Hall Catered | Bloomsbury (Lansdowne Terrace) | shared bathroom (female-only small single is the cheapest) | £218/wk | University of London intercollegiate hall, about 5 minutes' walk from SOAS. Breakfast and dinner daily. The cheapest mixed shared-bathroom single is about £302 a week. |
| Nutford House Catered | Marble Arch | catered | £238/wk | Intercollegiate catered hall; 40-week contract. Prices run to about £294 a week. |
| Dinwiddy House | Pentonville Road, King's Cross | en-suite | £248/wk | First-year undergraduate hall with 523 en-suite rooms, managed by Sanctuary Students. 38-week contract £9,414.97. About 20 minutes' walk or 10 minutes by bus to SOAS. Studios cost up to £404 a week. |
| Connaught Hall Catered | Bloomsbury | small single, shared bathroom | £282/wk | University of London intercollegiate catered hall on a 40-week contract. En-suite singles cost about £380 a week. |
| Garden Halls | Cartwright Gardens, Bloomsbury | mostly self-catered en-suite (one catered room type) | £319/wk | Large modern University of London intercollegiate hall, about 8 minutes' walk from SOAS. Rooms run up to about £431 a week. |
| College Hall Catered | Malet Street, Bloomsbury | small single, shared bathroom | £326/wk | Intercollegiate hall directly opposite SOAS (a 2-minute walk), run by the University of London. Breakfast and dinner daily; 40-week contract. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Busy, well connected and walkable to Bloomsbury, but among the pricier places to rent.
Markets, gigs and a lively night scene, a short bus or tube ride from campus.
Multicultural north London with good shops, and a straight Piccadilly line run to Russell Square.
Creative east London, with parks, markets and bars; expect an Overground or bus commute.
Top tip
Firm SOAS as your first choice, then use the accommodation code (usually emailed within 3 working days) to apply as soon as the portal opens in April. You pick three options you're willing to accept, and the deadline to accept an allocated room is short, so check your email daily. Expect to pay a deposit or advance rent of £250–£500 to secure a room.
London is the most expensive place in the UK to be a student, and SOAS doesn't publish its own budget figure. As a guide, the Home Office expects international students in London to show £1,529 a month for living costs. Rent is the big one: halls start at about £185 a week, while central Bloomsbury rooms cost £280–£430. Walking, a Student Oyster card and cooking at home make a real difference.
Getting around
SOAS is a few minutes' walk from Russell Square (Piccadilly line), and Euston, King's Cross St Pancras and Goodge Street are all close. Several halls are walkable. A London bus fare is £1.75 (rising to £1.85 on 1 November 2026), and the 18+ Student Oyster card gives 30% off adult Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
SOAS University of London is 114th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 37. Its strongest results are for nightlife (37th).
Not formally. SOAS says it will aim to offer you a room from one of your three choices, and will contact you with alternatives if it can't. You need to have firmed SOAS (not as insurance) to apply. Apply as soon as the portal opens in April to give yourself the best chance.
They're halls run by the University of London and shared by students from its member colleges, including SOAS. College Hall, Connaught Hall, Garden Halls, International Hall and Nutford House are on SOAS's 2026/27 list. Most are catered, with breakfast and dinner daily, and several are a few minutes' walk from campus.
For 2026/27, Wood Green Hall in north London starts at £185 a week on a 51-week contract, with bills included, followed by Cordwainers Court in Hackney at £204 a week. Both mean a 20 to 40-minute commute. Central Bloomsbury halls cost roughly £218 to £430 a week.
The nearest tube is Russell Square on the Piccadilly line, a few minutes' walk away. Euston, King's Cross St Pancras and Goodge Street are also close. Buses cost £1.75 a ride (£1.85 from 1 November 2026), and an 18+ Student Oyster card saves 30% on Travelcards.
SOAS doesn't publish a single figure, but the Home Office asks international students in London to show £1,529 a month for living costs, which is a sensible benchmark. Rent will be your biggest cost: £185–£431 a week in SOAS-listed halls for 2026/27.
Yes. SOAS is a member institution of the University of London, which gives you access to shared facilities like Senate House Library and the intercollegiate halls.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
