Would a First in Politics & IR from SOAS make me a competitive candidate for Oxford o

Hi all,

I'm planning to study Politics and International Relations at SOAS, and I'm aiming to graduate with a First. I'm very interested in applying later for a postgraduate course at Oxford or Cambridge — particularly programmes like the MPhil in Global and Area Studies, MPhil in International Relations, or MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy.

I know these are highly competitive, so I’m wondering:
– Is a First from SOAS considered a strong enough academic background for these kinds of applications?
– Do Oxford and Cambridge admit students from SOAS for these programmes?
– Would my undergraduate institution affect my chances, assuming I perform strongly and submit a good proposal and references?

Any insight from current or former students, or anyone familiar with the admissions process, would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

I’m planning to study History and Politics at SOAS and also want to apply postgraduate course at Oxbridge or maybe America. Would love to know if SOAS makes us a competitive candidate!

Reply 2

triangular-couns

Hello!

Your undergraduate performance is one part of your overall application. As well as your grades, your proposal, references, movitation and other academic / professional activities (you've got three years -- who knows what you might get up to in that time?) will all be important.

If you achieve a First, especially if combined e.g., with some excellent individual module scores, this is not going to be a significant limiting factor. In fact, to try to improve access to postgraduate HE, both Oxford and Cambridge are, in different ways, trying to be more flexible about how they evalaute candidate's undergraduate institution.

That said, these courses are, as you know, competitive! I think the key will be making the most of where you are to learn what you can and demonstrate a significant motivation and interest in your subject. SOAS is a wonderful place to do that. Being in London, you will also be surrounded by all kinds of seminar series, research projects, and other academia-adjacent activities (internships, conferences, events) that you can get a taste of, and may help to give you a 'hook' in terms of what you might want to pursue in a masters.

Enjoy!