RHUL vs. SOAS for study abroad
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
Reply 1
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
EDIT: The comment below isn't of any use - I misread the opening post, sorry.
I have taught law at QMUL and done some external examining for RHUL. QMUL attracts a student group of higher ability than RHUL. QMUL applies more rigorous academic standards and has a better academic reputation than RHUL. To use a sports analogy, QMUL is in the middle of the Premier League; RHUL is near the lower end of the Premiership or the top end of the Championship.
Egham is a quiet commuter town. Mile End is grittily urban (but not, as some suggest, New York in the 70s). RHUL is pretty. Nobody could say that of QMUL.
Reply 2
Egham is a quiet commuter town. Mile End is grittily urban (but not, as some suggest, New York in the 70s). RHUL is pretty. Nobody could say that of QMUL.
I think the OP was asking about SOAS, not QMUL?
Reply 3
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
Hi there,
It's great to hear you're considering studying at Royal Holloway!
One of the best things I would advise to help make your decision is to chat to one of our current students or a member of staff here: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/chat/. You can filter by 'Area of Study' to find a student on your chosen course and ask them any questions you may have about university life, your course, accommodation and more!
Hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Royal Holloway, University of London
Reply 5
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
Hi! I’m in my final year studying International Relations and Arabic at SOAS, so I can share some insights.
The Politics courses at SOAS are taught from non-Eurocentric perspectives and take a balanced approach to theories. We look at politics through the regular mainstream lenses like liberalism and realism, but also give the same level of attention to critical frameworks like feminism and post-colonialism which are sometimes brushed over. This means that we cover a lot of interesting issues and regions that are often overlooked in traditional Political Science programs. This approach also pushes students to think critically and, that, alongside original thought, are key parts of the marking criteria.
Another great thing about SOAS is the location. SOAS is located in the heart of London, in Bloomsbury, which is within walking distance or a short Tube ride from popular areas like Camden, Soho, and Covent Garden. London is also packed with events—from gallery exhibitions and theatre performances to political talks and food markets—so there’s always something to do. Bloomsbury itself is filled with pockets of green spaces so great for a stroll and a nice haven from the bustle of the city.
In terms of the general vibes, I’d describe SOAS as a vibrant and diverse place. Around half of the student body is made up of international students, representing over 135 countries. This diversity is reflected in the 100+ societies available, which cover cultural groups, sports, academia, and the arts. Some examples include the Chinese percussion ensemble, the Maki Munda - Indigenous Studies Society, the Daf society (Kurdish frame drum) and the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu society.
With around 5,000–7,000 students, SOAS also has a small, communal feel, making it easy to get to know the students and staff. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet students from other London universities, since lots of societies host inter-university events. Plus, most London universities allow students to use each other’s libraries, so there’s the opportunity to vary your study spaces.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Reply 6
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
I would go with RHUL. The campus is absolutely gorgeous, and the area is affluent. You have got places like Windsor and Central London that are a short train journey away. SOAS marginally has the better academic reputation, and is based in Central London next to other universities. But London is expensive to live in, and you would probably have to commute in via the tube, or bus. With SOAS it will feel like deja vu every day, tube, class, library, tube, home etc. It won't be much of a uni experience beyond the course at SOAS. At RHUL it tends to be quiet on weekends, and during the holidays. But at SOAS a lot of students commute from their family home in London, so it doesn't feel quite like the full uni experience.
Some things I'm considering:
•
Academics – How rigorous/challenging are the courses?
•
Campus vs. City – RHUL seems to have a beautiful campus but is outside of London, while SOAS is right in the city. Pros and cons of each?
•
Social Life – How’s the student life, extracurriculars, and general vibe?
•
Reputation – How are both viewed in the UK?
•
Overall experience – If you studied abroad at either, what was it like?
Academically I imagine they would be similar in terms of rigour for politics. If you're going to SOAS I'd suggest looking into taking advantage of their language offerings.
Big difference is location - RHUL being in Egham as opposed to central London. T his has upsides and downsides of course, but if your goal was that you wanted a "London experience" this might be a little removed at RHUL (although I think it's easy enough to get into central London from RHUL. Really a personal preference depending on what your goals for the year abroad are, and your budget (honestly I don't think living costs in Egham are going to be significantly different for a student as it's still going to be expensive there I expect).
Social life is what you make of it. You'll find things to do and people to do them with at any uni, it just may require more or less effort to engage in.
Reputationally they're similar in the UK. SOAS has a better reputation in countries speaking the languages it specialises in as I understand.
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