Key Information
- Duration
- Full-time: 36 months
- Part-time: 72 months
- Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting September 2027
- Apply before Jun 2027
- Language: English
- Delivered: On Campus
- Campus Location: London, United Kingdom
- Disciplines: Middle Eastern studies
Overview
All students register in year 1 of the programme as MPhil students. The upgrade from MPhil to PhD takes place at the end of the first academic session for full time students (or at the end of the second academic session for part time students).
Career opportunities:
Graduates of the Near and Middle Eastern Studies programme from SOAS University of London leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with skills in written and oral communication, analysis and problem solving.
Recent graduates have been hired by:
- Africa Matters
- Amnesty International
- Arab British Chamber of Commerce
- BBC World Service
- British High Commission
- Council for British Research in the Levant
- Department for International Development
- Edelman
- Embassy of Jordan
Programme Structure
- In the first year, students prepare for research by following a research training seminar series (RTS) convened at the Faculty level by the Associate Dean for Research and supported by the generic training on offer in the Academic Development Directorate (ADD).
- The second year (or part-time equivalent) is normally spent engaged in research. This may be by any combination of fieldwork and research in libraries and material collection as agreed between the student and the supervisor(s).
- The third year (or part-time equivalent) is devoted to writing up research for the PhD thesis. During this time, students will normally give a presentation in a research seminar organised by the Departmental Research Tutor, comprising a select number of staff members with special expertise in the topic and other research students.
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
GPA: Upper Second Class
English requirements
TOEFL iBT: 100 (or 5 on the new TOEFL iBT 1-6 score, CEFR-aligned)
PTE Academic: 70
IELTS: 6.5
Other requirements
General requirements
We normally require a 2.1 bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) plus a Masters degree in appropriate subject area plus one reference. In exceptional cases we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Masters degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
International: 44,552 AUD / year (≈ 23,390 GBP / year)
Domestic: 9,628 AUD / year (≈ 5,055 GBP / year)
Living costs
London, United Kingdom: 2,166-4,109 AUD / month
Funding
Scholarships
- Tibawi Trust Award – Grant: 1300 GBP, Deadline: Not specified, SOAS University of London
- Kamran Djam Scholarships – Grant: Various benefits, Deadline: 19 Jun 2027, SOAS University of London
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program – Grant: Various benefits, Deadline: 07 Oct 2026, U.S. government
- ServiceScape Scholarship – Grant: 1000 USD, Deadline: 30 Nov 2026
- ACES Scholarships – Grant: 3500 USD, Deadline: 15 Nov 2026
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility – Grant: Various benefits, Deadline: Not specified, OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
- Scholarships for PhD Students – Grant: 19000 GBP, Deadline: Not specified, Junhua Li
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship – Grant: Various benefits, Deadline: 28 Feb 2027, Boustany Foundation
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship – Grant: 1000 USD, Deadline: 31 Oct 2026, IvyPanda
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship – Grant: 1000 USD, Deadline: 01 Mar 2027, Voice Talent Online
- Women Scholarship for International Students – Grant: 5000 USD, Deadline: 28 Aug 2026, educations.com
- The PhD Prep Fellowship – Grant: 10000 USD, Deadline: 01 Sep 2026, Admit Lab
- Dream Chaser Scholarship – Grant: 1000 USD, Deadline: 13 Jan 2027, Salvado Law
- Scholarship for students with disabilities – Grant: 3000 USD, Deadline: 31 Dec 2026, Anonymous Hope Fund
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids – Grant: 22500 GBP, Deadline: Not specified, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship – Grant: 1500 USD, Deadline: Not specified, IELTS from 6 to 9
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme – Grant: 12000 USD, Deadline: 11 Jan 2027, The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme