Ortigia Scholarship
Key information
- Deadline date
- Department
- College of Humanities
Scholarship overview
This scholarship covers full tuition fees for the in-person pathway of the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art and an allowance to cover living costs during term time.
The scholarship is open to those who were the first in their family to go to university or who are resident in a country where there is conflict, extreme challenge or adversity. We strongly encourage applicants who would not have considered the programme without the opportunity afforded by this scholarship.
We hope the scholarship will be a transformative opportunity, enabling the successful applicant to pursue a career related to Asian art, such as academia, curatorial or museum work, or a position in the commercial art world.
Eligibility
Eligible course of study
One Ortigia Scholarship is available for the 2025/26 academic year running from 29 September 2025 to 05 August 2026. Recipients of the scholarship will complete three in-person modules over the course of the year, including Arts of India, Arts of China and either Arts of Southeast Asia or Arts of the Islamic World, as well as our two supporting courses, Analysing and Exploring the Arts and the Independent Study Project in Asian Art History.
This scholarship does not support distance learning study via any of our online modules.
Candidate eligibility criteria
Applicants must:
- already hold an offer of a place on the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
- possess or expect to be awarded an Upper Second-Class Honours Degree or above, an equivalent non-UK qualification, or equivalent professional experience. Students with a non-UK degree to be adjudged by their referees and transcript
- be either the first in their family to go to university or resident in a country where there is conflict, extreme challenge or adversity
- provide a supporting statement (two pages maximum) stating why they wish to take this programme and how this scholarship will make a difference to them. This statement must also speak to how they meet the eligibility criteria as either the first in their family to go to university or resident in a country where there is conflict, extreme challenge or adversity
- International students must evidence that they meet SOAS' English language requirements.
Application
Please apply for the Ortigia Scholarship by completing and submitting the online application form. As part of this form you must also submit:
- A recently submitted piece of academic work at least 1000 words in length, or equivalent piece of writing from a professional context (i.e. auction or museum catalogue essay). If you have not recently submitted a piece of academic work please produce a new piece of writing on an art historical topic of your choosing at approximately 1000 words in length.
- Two references providing an opinion on your suitability for this programme of study as a scholarship student. Academic references are preferred, but one professional reference is acceptable. Two professional references can be provided if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years.
Referees can email references directly to Programme Manager Patrick Monger at: asianart@soas.ac.uk.
Deadline
The deadline for applying for the scholarship for the 2025/26 academic year is 11:59pm (UK) on Wednesday 30 April 2025. Scholarship applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 30 May 2025.
Applicants must already hold an offer for the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art (conditional or unconditional) prior to submitting a scholarship application. Therefore, we recommend submitting your application for the programme no later than Wednesday 16 April.
Contact us
If you have any queries about the application process, eligibility requirements, or any other aspects of the programme, please contact asianart@soas.ac.uk.
Terms and Conditions
Language requirement
- Where an applicant’s offer of admission to the SOAS Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art includes an English language condition, any scholarship award will be conditional on having met that condition by Friday 4 July
Candidate assessment
- Candidates will be assessed by an Advisory Panel consisting of three members of SOAS staff
- The panel will be looking at the applicants’ degree results, references, professional experience, supporting statement, writing sample, and other relevant information
- The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of a combination of academic potential, financial need, and impact of the scholarship on the applicant’s academic and professional development
Terms
- The scholarship cannot be held along with any other major scholarship
- The scholarship is specifically to support in-person study in London and online modules cannot be taken as part of the programme for the scholarship holder
- It is expected that the successful candidate dedicates themselves to the course full-time and will not undertake any further form of work or study during term-time
- The successful candidate is expected to attend all teaching sessions
- Continuation of the award will be conditional on satisfactory attendance and contribution, which will be assessed at the end of every term as well as monitored throughout
- London residency during term-time is a requirement. There is a stipend of £19,400 to cover accommodation and living costs, paid in three instalments over the course of the year. We are happy to offer assistance in arranging accommodation for the scholarship recipient
