Hi all,
This month I got accepted to two master's degrees: MA in International Relations at Leiden University, with a Global Political Economy specialization, and MSc Development Studies at SOAS. I'm very happy as both interest me a lot, and are in great universities, but now I can't decide which one I should choose, and would like some help with it.
At first, I was more inclined to choose SOAS, as I heard many good things about it from a friend of mine who did his Master's there. I did some research about SOAS and student life there, and I thought it would be a place where I'd really like to spend a year at.
Today, however, speaking with another friend of mine, who attended UvA, he told me Leiden has a bigger name than SOAS, as it's one of the best in Europe. I also have a couple of friends who attended Leiden and enjoyed it, and one of them also confirmed me that Leiden looks great on your CV.
Another factor that comes into play is money. While both of them have pretty expensive tuition fees, SOAS is slightly more expensive, and the living costs in London are also higher. The two cities, although completely different in size and probably with completely different vibes, seem great places to get to know new people and enjoy post-grad studies.
With all that said, I would like to hear some opinions on this topic, whether any of you attended any of these schools, or know people who have. All help is welcome!
Thanks :)
