China Academy of Art (CAA, 中国美术学院) was founded in Hangzhou in 1928 on the initiative of Cai Yuanpei as the National Academy of Art. Today it is a Double First-Class university jointly developed by the Zhejiang Provincial Government, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Education. Its main campuses stand by West Lake and at Xiangshan Hill in Hangzhou.

CAA in numbers

• 5 campuses: Nanshan, Xiangshan, Liangzhu and Xianghu in Hangzhou and Zhangjiang in Shanghai
• more than 10,000 students and more than 1,000 staff
• a total area of over 1,230 mu (about 82 hectares)
• 28 bachelor's majors, 26 of them national first-class programmes
• Fine Arts and Design rated A+ in the national discipline evaluation, Art Theory A-, Drama and Film B+
• more than 100 cooperation agreements with art schools abroad

Programmes for international students

• Chinese language courses (a semester or a year) at the International College, Xiangshan Campus;
• Chinese-taught bachelor's programmes — 28 majors, 4 years (Sculpture and Architecture — 5 years);
• Chinese-taught master's programmes — 86 research directions, 3–4 years;
• Chinese-taught doctoral programmes — 68 research directions, 3–4 years;
• a fully English-taught PhD programme — 3 years;
• non-degree programmes: Chinese painting and calligraphy, calligraphy, short-term courses.

There are no English-taught bachelor's or master's programmes for international students.

Tuition fees (2027 intake)

Tuition for degree programmes includes comprehensive insurance. The application fee is CNY 800 and is non-refundable. Language course students pay separately for textbooks (CNY 200 per semester) and insurance (CNY 500 per semester).

Application periods (2027 intake)

Language and age requirements

Applicants whose previous education was taught in the language of instruction may submit proof from their school instead. There is no general age limit for degree programmes; for the Chinese Government Scholarship the limits are 25 for bachelor's, 35 for master's and 40 for PhD. Chinese language courses accept students aged 18–65. Bachelor's applicants under 18 submit documents for a guardian living in mainland China.

CSCA for bachelor's applicants

All bachelor's applicants take the CSCA: Professional Chinese (humanities) and Mathematics, in Chinese. Score reports are uploaded to the application system by the date announced by the academy.

Selection process

• applications are submitted only online through the international student platform; paper and emailed documents are not reviewed;
• review of documents and portfolio;
• an online interview with the relevant school;
• the decision is based on ability, grades, language level and the interview;
• the admission letter and visa form are issued in the second half of July, and studies start in September.

Nanshan Campus

The historic campus by West Lake in the centre of Hangzhou, described by the academy as its home of modern fine arts education. Students in Chinese painting, calligraphy and painting study here.

Xiangshan Campus

The central campus around Xiangshan Hill in the Zhuantang area of Hangzhou, designed by Wang Shu, winner of the 2012 Pritzker Prize. It houses the International College (Building 17, 352 Xiangshan Road), where Chinese language and non-degree courses are taught, as well as architecture, crafts, sculpture, intermedia art, film and animation.

Liangzhu Campus

The newest working campus in the Liangzhu area of Hangzhou, an international innovation design cluster that brings together art, technology and business. It houses the design schools: visual communication, industrial design, fashion design and innovation design.

Xianghu Campus

A campus in the Xianghu area of Hangzhou dedicated to traditional Chinese arts and scholarship; construction started in April 2023.

Zhangjiang Campus (Shanghai)

The academy's innovation and entrepreneurship platform in Shanghai.

International student dormitories

A new fee schedule for international student dormitories applies from the fall semester of 2026; the exact amount is stated in the enrolment notice. Water, electricity and internet are paid by the student. Part of Building 7 was renovated in 2025, and the remaining rooms and common areas are due to be renovated in summer 2026.

Who lives where

• students of the Xiangshan and Nanshan campuses live in Building 7 of the Shanbei living area on the Xiangshan Campus;
• students of the Liangzhu Campus live in Building 17 on the Liangzhu Campus;
• bachelor's students normally live in the international student dormitory during their first year;
• after that, students may apply to live off campus, in housing where the police allow foreigners to be registered.

Other living costs

Comprehensive insurance is compulsory: it is included in tuition for degree programmes (CNY 1,000 per year) and costs CNY 500 per semester for language course students. Language course textbooks cost CNY 200 per semester.

Scholarships for international students

Deadlines and rules (2027 intake)

• Chinese Government Scholarship, Type B: until 31 December 2026, through the CAA application system and the CSC system (CAA agency number 10355);
• Type B applicants submit HSK earlier than self-funded applicants and take an online interview; results are announced in July;
• Zhejiang Provincial Government Scholarship: the application is submitted to the school office in the first week of the first semester of each academic year;
• the Zhejiang scholarship is reviewed every year on the basis of exam results.

Key milestones

Two artistic traditions have shaped the academy: the fusion of Chinese and Western art associated with its first president Lin Fengmian, and the renewal of tradition associated with the painter Pan Tianshou.

Ranking positions

As a specialised art academy, CAA is not included in the overall QS, THE or ARWU world rankings.

Disciplines

• Fine Arts and Design share first place in China in the 4th national discipline evaluation;
• Fine Arts is on China's Double First-Class discipline list in both rounds of the programme;
• 26 of the 28 bachelor's majors are national first-class programmes, and the other 2 are provincial first-class programmes.

Global partnerships

• more than 100 cooperation agreements with art schools and universities abroad;
• long-term exchange partners in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand;
• membership of 4 international alliances of art and design schools;
• the Nantes Joint Institute of Design, the academy's first Chinese-foreign cooperative institute, with double-degree programmes in design;
• more than 50 long-term experts from overseas and from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

International education

• the International College on the Xiangshan Campus runs admissions, Chinese language courses and non-degree programmes in Chinese painting and calligraphy;
• international degree students study in the same classes as Chinese students;
• a fully English-taught PhD programme for international students has been offered since the 2026 intake;
• the academy hosts international exhibitions and competitions such as the Hangzhou Triennial of Fiber Art and the China International Poster Biennial.

Ханчжоу — один из самых красивых и комфортных городов Китая, известен озером Сиху (объект ЮНЕСКО), зелёными холмами и чаями Лунцзин. Это технологический хаб (штаб-квартира Alibaba, сильный IT-сектор), с высоким качеством жизни, чистотой и безопасностью. Для студентов — топовые вузы (Чжэцзянский университет), современные кампусы, отличный транспорт и международная среда. Лето влажное, но город утопает в зелени, что делает его приятным. Популярен среди иностранных студентов за баланс природы, технологий и спокойной атмосферы — часто называют "самым живым городом Китая".