Uni firm decision

I have got offers back from Royal Holloway, SOAS, Queen Mary and Reading- all to study politics and international relations.

I will be commuting and I live near Windsor area

Does anyone have any advice/experieices from these unis which can help inform my decision.

Reply 1

PS Reviewer

What do you consider the pros and cons of each at the moment?

Reply 2

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I have got offers back from Royal Holloway, SOAS, Queen Mary and Reading- all to study politics and international relations.
I will be commuting and I live near Windsor area
Does anyone have any advice/experieices from these unis which can help inform my decision.

Hi there,

Congratulations on your offers to study Politics and International Relations! 🙂 Whilst I have not specifically studied this course, I study International Development which has a few cross overs, so hopefully my insights will be helpful!

I don't commute to Reading, however from experience with friends who do, it is very commuter-friendly! There are great transport routes across Reading, from a huge train station, to lots of regular busses which run straight to the university campus. The campus is around a 15 minute bus journey from the town centre or a shorter cycle, making it great for accessibility from town. There is also parking on campus for students with a permit, which may be useful if you were planning to drive.

As for studying at Reading, I have really enjoyed my past two years! There is lots of student support available and the modules are really interesting, informative and allow you to engage in real-world discussions. I have loved getting involved in all of the different opportunities available to students, such as societies/clubs, committee's for societies etc! These have been amazing ways to make friends/connections and have given me a really great experience so far. Reading is a very welcoming community, with so many opportunities available to meet new people and gain new experiences. One of my favourite aspects is the amazing campus, especially Whiteknights Lake which is so lovely to walk around on my commute into campus! 🙂

Do let us know if you have any more questions about your course/student life at Reading, we are happy to help! If you have any commuter specific questions, you may wish to ask one of commuting ambassadors which can be accessed here.

All the best,
Millie 🙂
BSc International Development

Reply 3

Royal Holloway, University of London

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I have got offers back from Royal Holloway, SOAS, Queen Mary and Reading- all to study politics and international relations.
I will be commuting and I live near Windsor area
Does anyone have any advice/experieices from these unis which can help inform my decision.

Hi there,

We're delighted that you have received an offer from us to study Politics and International Relations!

You can find out more about our course here: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/politics-and-international-relations/politics-and-international-relations/ including course content.

Get answers to the questions that matter to you by chatting with our students and staff! You can chat to a current student to find out what life is really like at Royal Holloway: www.royalholloway.ac.uk/chat and sign up for more information about us here: https://royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/sign-up-for-more-information/

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Royal Holloway, University of London

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 4

Ereza_SOAS

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

I have got offers back from Royal Holloway, SOAS, Queen Mary and Reading- all to study politics and international relations.
I will be commuting and I live near Windsor area
Does anyone have any advice/experieices from these unis which can help inform my decision.

Hi,

Congratulations on all your offers! I studied International Relations at undergraduate level at SOAS so I can give you an informed insight:

I thoroughly enjoyed the course and my time at SOAS (I am currently doing my Masters here!) and was very happy with my choice of International Relations. I was torn between UCL and SOAS as my main choice and I’m so happy I went with SOAS as the curriculum is very unique and insightful compared to other universities. SOAS represents a non-Western approach to politics and international relations and I felt that the course and the content taught did really well in conveying this. I gained an insight to global politics from a lens I had previously not been exposed to during my years of education in my GCSEs and A-Levels. SOAS specialises in the regions of Africa, Asia and the Middle East which I found very informative and unique. You have the opportunity to pick modules like International Relations of the Middle East and International Relations of South Asia which cover a different country in that region every week so you are able learn about each country’s politics, historical backgrounds and economies. I think you’ll love the course here at SOAS - I have only have heard positive feedback from students regarding the content taught!

In terms of location, SOAS is well positioned in Central London with quick access to major tourist hotspots. We are in a convenient location within walking distance to places like Oxford Street, Kings Cross and Holborn so there’s always something to do near university. We are quite a small university with a small campus but students love this community vibe at SOAS and the tight-knit feel between students.

I would suggest booking yourself in for a campus tour at each university so you can see the different setting and vibe which may help influence your choice.

SOAS runs a campus tour every Friday with 2 of us having studied International Relations so it’s a great opportunity to speak to someone in person about SOAS and our experiences - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/soas-campus-tours-tickets-192255279717

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us on UniBuddy - https://www.soas.ac.uk/chat-students-and-staff . You can message students directly who have studied the same course as you 😊

Best of luck!