SOAS University of London Speciality : Development Studies
programme: Development

I applied to SOAS because of its high ranking specifically in the subject I was planning to study, so I didn’t really research much about campus life. The student body is very politically and socially active, and an undergraduate would thrive here but as a postgraduate with just a year there, I couldn’t find the time or desire to participate in the societies and events. It’a wonderfully diverse, the courses and societies are more of a niche fit than for everyone, so you are guaranteed to find like minded people once you figure out where you belong, and you’ll never be short of intellectual debate. However, the administration is abysmal. Every department is always too busy to cater to the students, and I deal with anxiety when something isn’t set right so picture a lot of sleepless nights if you’re like me. The exam office messed up my result, the finance department is slow to respond, and there is poor service overall in that aspect.