Scholarships at SOAS University of London

The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) is excited to announce its 2025/2026 Master’s Scholarship Programme (MA and MRes). CAMHRA invites applications from those seeking to pursue postgraduate study to develop anthropological approaches to mental health and mental healthcare.

Newly established within the SOAS Department of Anthropology and Sociology, CAMHRA is a globally oriented and locally connected hub for cutting-edge anthropological research, education, and public engagement on mental health. Working with partners across academia, statutory healthcare, and policy, and alongside services users, CAMHRA contributes distinctly anthropological perspectives to a growing global understanding of how societies can understand and respond to mental distress and build effective systems of care.

Postgraduate study at CAMHRA is open to people from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds. Our cutting-edge MA in Medical Anthropology and Mental Health incorporates diverse perspectives from social, cultural, medical, and psychological anthropology and enables students to conduct their own original research. The CAMHRA Master’s scholarship is also open to applicants to the MRes Social Anthropology. This programme is for those who already hold a degree in BA and/or master's in social/cultural anthropology and wish to pursue postgraduate research on a topic in the field of anthropology and mental health. The MRes is often undertaken in preparation for PhD research.

• Further information about the MA in Medical Anthropology and Mental Health, including how to apply

• Further information about the MRes in Social Anthropology

CAMHRA Scholarships are designed to offer opportunities for people who would not otherwise study anthropology or ethnographic methods due to existing time, financial, and social constraints. Specifically, we seek applications from candidates who are currently working in or have lived experience of mental health services; and those from underrepresented groups. 

We hope to support such candidates in building distinctive anthropological research skills, and in applying them to their lives or professional contexts. In your scholarship application, please specify the experiences that you bring to the programme, and the research project that you hope to conduct.

Each full-time scholarship covers 2025/26 tuition fees in full. For part-time students studying over two years, the award will provide funding for 2025/26 and 2026/27 tuition fees. The scholarship does not include a stipend for accommodation and living costs.

Webinar: Introduction to the MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health

Members of the CAMHRA team will share information about the MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health and how to build a strong application to the CAMHRA Master’s Scholarships. Join us on Thursday, 3 April 2025 at 1:00pm GMT (London time).

Eligible programmes 

• Full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health beginning in 2025/26.

• Full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) MRes Social Anthropology starting in 2025/26.

Candidate criteria 

• The scholarship is open to UK and Overseas applicants.

• Applicants for the scholarship for MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health must hold a minimum 2:1 bachelor’s degree in a social science or humanities subject; OR in health sciences including medicine, psychology, nursing, social work.

• Applicants for MRes Social Anthropology must hold a minimum 2:1 bachelor’s or master’s degree in Anthropology.

• All candidates must have a strong idea for a research project that uses ethnographic methods to understand an issue related to mental health.

• Scholarship applicants must have submitted their application to the MA or MRes programme to SOAS but are not required to have received an offer of admission by the scholarship deadline. 

• Please note that this scholarship does not cover funding for pre-sessional courses.

Apply for the scholarship by 11:59pm UK local time on 30 April 2025.

SOAS University of London is offering five Global Excellence Scholarships to students from selected countries with excellent academic performance applying for postgraduate-taught courses. 

The Global Excellence Scholarships are designed to recognise and support applicants, of selected countries, who have achieved excellence across a variety of different platforms – ranging from academia to extra-curricular activities and volunteering. 

Each scholarship is valued at £8,000 and acts as a fee waiver.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must hold an offer for a full-time Postgraduate Taught (on campus) programme.

• Must be a passport holder of one of the following countries: Turkey, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia.

• Must be an overseas fee-paying student.

• Minimum UK upper second-class (2:1) or international equivalent.

• The NLUD-SOAS Joint LLM/MA in Environmental Justice in South Asia and the Shiv Nadar IoE-SOAS Joint MA Global Urban Sociology programmes are not eligible for this scholarship.

Please note, if you have applied for a 2-year Master’s, the scholarship will be eligible towards the first year of tuition fees.

Application deadline 

• The deadline for the first round of scholarships is the 30 April 2025 BST+23:59.

• The deadline for the second round of scholarships is the 30 June 2025 BST+ 23:59.

GREAT Scholarships 2025, launched by the British Council's Study UK campaign together with a number of other UK universities, supports students from 18 countries to access world-class UK higher education opportunities.

The Study UK campaign is offering scholarships from 71 UK universities to students across 18 countries around the world. It offers an exciting opportunity for students from these countries to get financial support to pursue postgraduate study in the UK. The scholarship programme offers awards of a minimum of £10,000 to students pursuing one-year postgraduate study in the UK.

Number of Awards

• 2 Awards for Turkey.

• 1 Award for Indonesia.

• 1 Award for Kenya.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for an award, applicants must:

• Be a passport holder for one of the following countries: Indonesia, Kenya or Turkey.

• Hold an offer for a one-year postgraduate taught course at SOAS University of London.

Deadline date: 11 May 2025.

Hyundai Motor Group is offering five scholarships intended to nurture talent from Africa at SOAS University of London. 

These scholarships aim to cultivate experts for sustainable development in Africa and will continue to establish long-term collaboration models for the next generation of Africa. The scholarships are designed to create meaningful change and empower students to find solutions to global challenges.

Scholarship recipients will be invited to participate in various networking events and seminars hosted by the donor during and after their studies. They will also be able to participate in academic and networking activities as alumni of the Hyundai Motor Group Scholarship.  This network and collaboration model between Hyundai Motor Group and the scholars is designed to support this next generation of changemakers beyond their studies as they apply their expertise to careers across the African continent.

A Junior Internship Program for master’s students from Africa will also be launched at SOAS and scholars are welcome to apply for this opportunity in addition.  

There are five Hyundai Motor Group Scholarships available for 2025/26. Four scholarships are available for students beginning a master’s taught degree programme and one scholarship is available for research degree level study.

The value of the 2025/26 master’s award is £27,730 from which tuition fees will be paid in full. If the tuition fee charge is less, the difference will be provided as a stipend. The PhD award will cover tuition fees for three years of full-time study as well as the tuition fee for writing up in a 4th year.  An annual stipend (£22,780 in 2025/26) will be provided each year and paid in termly instalments.  

Eligible programmes

• Any full-time (1 year) master’s degree programme beginning in the 2025/26 academic year

• Any full-time research degree programme beginning in the 2025/26 academic year.

• Applicants to courses within the College of Development Studies, Economics and Finance and College of Law, Anthropology and Politics are particularly encouraged to apply.

• Part-time courses and 2-year master’s courses are not eligible.

Candidate criteria

• This scholarship is open to African nationals who are ordinarily resident in Africa.

• This scholarship is open to International fee paying applicants only.

• New admissions only (programmes starting in 2025/26.

• Applicants for the MA scholarship must possess or expect to be awarded an international equivalent to a first-class honours degree from a UK university. Applicants with a non-UK degree must be in the top rank as evidenced by references and transcripts. Applicants with a 2:1 may also apply but will not be given preference.

• Applicants for the MPhil/PhD scholarship must possess or expect to be awarded with an international equivalent to a master’s degree with distinction from a UK university. Applicants with a non-UK master’s degree must be in the top rank as evidenced by references and transcripts. Applicants with a merit may also apply but will not be given preference.

• Scholarship applicants must have applied to SOAS but are not required to have received an offer of admission by the scholarship deadline. An unconditional offer will need to have been received by the time the selection panel meets to discuss scholarship applications.

• Applicants must meet the English language condition of their offer of admission to study at SOAS, if applicable. If your offer is conditional on English, please arrange your English test and ensure you meet the English requirements as soon as possible.

• Please note that this scholarship does not cover funding for pre-sessional courses.

You must apply for this scholarship by 12:00pm (midday) UK local time on 25 April 2025.

In the 2025/26 academic year, the School of Finance and Management is offering five scholarships of £5,000 each. This award will act as a fee waiver towards tuition fees.

Eligible programmes

• Full-time (1 year) MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy beginning in 2025/26.

Candidate criteria 

• Applicants must have an unconditional or conditional offer to study full-time MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy at SOAS by the time of the scholarship panel stage. Part-time study is not eligible for this award.

• This scholarship is open to Overseas/International applicants only.

• The scholarships are assigned on the base of merit. Candidates will be assessed on academic performance and work or voluntary experience. They should write a 1000-word supporting statement detailing this.

• Applications should also include a CV not exceeding two pages in length.

• This scholarship cannot be held in conjunction with other fully-funded awards (such as the Chevening, Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, or other SOAS internal scholarships).

Candidate assessment

• Candidates will be assessed based on their academic merit, financial need, personal statements and CV by a Selection Panel. 

• The assessment of your application will be based on the information provided in your scholarship application and in your online application for admission. The panel will review details such as degree results, personal statement and other relevant information. 

Scholarship applications must be received no later than 12:00pm (midday UK local time) on 16 May 2025.

The SOAS Grant is designed to support the applicants who are academic achievers but in financial need.

There is one scholarship available valued at £24,000 in total and will act as a fee waiver. Any amount remaining after tuition fees have been deducted will be paid directly to the student in three instalments across the 2025/26 academic year. This scholarship is for one year only at full-time rate (or part-time equivalent).

Eligibility criteria

• Any on-campus undergraduate, taught master’s or research degree programme beginning in the 2025/26 academic year.

• New admissions only (programmes starting in 2025/26).

• Full-time and part-time programmes are eligible.

Candidate criteria

• This scholarship is open to Home and Overseas fee status applicants.

• New admissions only (programmes starting in 2025/26)

• Candidates applying for undergraduate courses must possess or expect to be awarded excellent grades in A levels or equivalent qualification.

• Candidates applying for master’s courses must possess or expect to be awarded a first-class honours undergraduate degree from a UK university or international equivalent.

• Candidates applying for MPhil/PhD courses must possess or expect to be awarded a master’s degree with distinction from a UK university or equivalent.

You must apply for this scholarship by 12:00pm (midday) UK local time on 2 May 2025.

The SOAS Master’s Scholarships (International) are designed to recognise and award overseas applicants with outstanding academic performance.

SOAS is offering 150 International Master’s Scholarships valued at £5,000 and £8,000 in the form of tuition fee waivers. Applicants will automatically be considered for both amounts.

Eligibility criteria

• Must hold an offer for a full-time Postgraduate Taught (on campus) programme.

• Must be an overseas fee-paying student.

• Minimum UK upper second-class (2:1) or international equivalent.

• The NLUD-SOAS Joint LLM/MA in Environmental Justice in South Asia and the Shiv Nadar IoE-SOAS Joint MA Global Urban Sociology programmes are not eligible for this scholarship.

Please note, if you have applied for a 2-year Master's, the scholarship will be eligible towards the first year of tuition fees.

Application deadline

This scholarship is now open for 2025/2026

• The deadline for the first round of scholarships is the 28 February 2025 GMT+00:00.

• The deadline for the second round of scholarships is the 30 April 2025 BST+23:59.

• The deadline for the third round of scholarships is the 30 June 2025 BST+23:59.

The Centre of Jaina Studies is offering one 3-year PhD Scholarship in Jaina Studies for entry in September 2025. 

Applicants from a broad range of disciplines and approaches to Jaina Studies are encouraged to apply, e.g. historical, philosophical, anthropological, from within the study of religions. For the first year of this award in 2025-26, the total scholarship provided will be £41,652. This amount will cover tuition fees, with the remaining funds to be paid directly to the scholar as a stipend. Funding in subsequent years will have an uplift to support increased tuition fee charges.

The Bhagavan Mahavira PhD Scholarship is generously supported by Drs. Jasvant N. Modi and Meera Modi and family. 

Eligible programmes

• Full-time PhD programme focused on Jaina Studies (new admissions only, starting in September 2025).

• Part-time programmes are not eligible.

Candidate criteria

• Applicants must possess or expect to be awarded a master’s degree with distinction mark or equivalent. Applicants with a non-UK master’s degree must be in the top rank of their cohort as evidenced by references and transcripts.

• Applicants must have demonstrated in the research proposal of their application for admission that their research is focused on Jaina studies.

• The scholarship is open to UK/EU and overseas applicants.

• Candidates must have submitted a complete application for admission by the scholarship application deadline of 12:00 PM (midday, UK local time) on 30th May 2025.

• Candidates must have an offer of admission by the time the SOAS Scholarship Panel meets.

• If your offer is conditional on English, please arrange your English test and ensure you meet the English requirements as soon as possible.

Applications must be submitted no later than 12:00 PM (midday, UK local time) on 30th May 2025.

SOAS will be awarding 10 International Academic Excellence Scholarships worth £5,000 to students from around the world. 

Eligibility criteria

• You must have applied for an undergraduate degree for September 2025 (the scholarship selection panel will only be able to award a scholarship to those applicants who have received an offer by 31 May 2025).

• You must be an overseas fee-paying student.

• Have achieved or be predicted to achieve AAB in UK A Levels or the international equivalent.