74 Best Acting (Performing arts/Drama theatre) schools in China

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in China ranked based on their research performance in Performing arts. A graph of 113K citations received by 10.4K academic papers made by 74 universities in China was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Beijing Normal University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#1 in Asia

#42 in the World

Enrollment: 36,482
Founded: 1902

2. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#3 in Asia

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

3. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#5 in Asia

#130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

4. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Performing arts

#7 in Asia

#140 in the World

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

5. Lanzhou University

China | Lanzhou

For Performing arts

#8 in Asia

#146 in the World

Founded: 1909

6. Shandong Normal University

For Performing arts

#9 in Asia

#154 in the World

Founded: 1950

7. Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#12 in Asia

#183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1960

8. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#13 in Asia

#187 in the World

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

9. Sun Yat - Sen University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#14 in Asia

#190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 65,638
Founded: 1924

10. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#15 in Asia

#192 in the World

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

11. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#16 in Asia

#193 in the World

Founded: 1963

12. Wuhan University

For Performing arts

#17 in Asia

#194 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

13. Tongji University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#18 in Asia

#203 in the World

Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1907

14. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#19 in Asia

#206 in the World

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

15. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#21 in Asia

#237 in the World

Founded: 1937

16. Southwest University

China | Chongqing

For Performing arts

#30 in Asia

#296 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 2005

17. University of Science and Technology of China

For Performing arts

#38 in Asia

#369 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

18. Central South University

China | Changsha

For Performing arts

#41 in Asia

#386 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1914

19. Guangxi University

China | Nanning

For Performing arts

#43 in Asia

#407 in the World

Founded: 1928

20. City University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#44 in Asia

#410 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1984

21. Southeast University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#45 in Asia

#422 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 30,664
Founded: 1902

22. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#47 in Asia

#440 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

23. Shandong University

For Performing arts

#49 in Asia

#456 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1901

24. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#50 in Asia

#459 in the World

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

25. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Performing arts

#53 in Asia

#484 in the World

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

26. Open University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#54 in Asia

#494 in the World

Founded: 1989

27. Sichuan University

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#55 in Asia

#501 in the World

Enrollment: 44,200
Founded: 1896

28. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#56 in Asia

#503 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1991

29. Xiamen University

For Performing arts

#58 in Asia

#513 in the World

Enrollment: 40,302
Male:Female: 49:51
Founded: 1921

30. Shanghai University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#62 in Asia

#522 in the World

Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1994

31. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Performing arts

#68 in Asia

#551 in the World

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

32. East China Normal University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#71 in Asia

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 36,026
Founded: 1951

33. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Performing arts

#72 in Asia

#567 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 68,000
Founded: 1946

34. Chongqing University

China | Chongqing

For Performing arts

#73 in Asia

#570 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1929

35. Soochow University

For Performing arts

#74 in Asia

#579 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 48,901
Founded: 1899

36. Hohai University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#76 in Asia

#584 in the World

Founded: 1915

37. South China Normal University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#78 in Asia

#589 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1933

38. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Performing arts

#80 in Asia

#599 in the World

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

39. Ocean University of China

China | Qingdao

For Performing arts

#83 in Asia

#613 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 26,000
Founded: 1924

40. Northwest Normal University

China | Lanzhou

For Performing arts

#85 in Asia

#634 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1902

41. Nanjing Normal University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#86 in Asia

#636 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1952

42. Hong Kong Baptist University

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#87 in Asia

#643 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1956

43. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#93 in Asia

#654 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 39,000
Founded: 1956

44. Northeast Normal University

China | Changchun

For Performing arts

#94 in Asia

#655 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 28,024
Founded: 1946

45. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Performing arts

#98 in Asia

#679 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

46. Henan University

China | Kaifeng

For Performing arts

#99 in Asia

#685 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1912

47. Dalian University of Technology

For Performing arts

#100 in Asia

#687 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1949

48. Beijing Jiaotong University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#103 in Asia

#702 in the World

Founded: 1896

49. China University of Mining and Technology

For Performing arts

#105 in Asia

#711 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1909

50. Hunan University

China | Changsha

For Performing arts

#106 in Asia

#712 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1926

51. China University of Geosciences Beijing

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#107 in Asia

#715 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1952

52. Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology

For Performing arts

#108 in Asia

#718 in the World

Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1956

53. Yangzhou University

China | Yangzhou

For Performing arts

#111 in Asia

#723 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1902

54. Southwest Jiaotong University

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#113 in Asia

#729 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 44,000
Founded: 1896

55. Zhejiang Normal University

For Performing arts

#114 in Asia

#730 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

56. Northeastern University, China

China | Shenyang

For Performing arts

#115 in Asia

#732 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 46,000
Founded: 1923

57. Nankai University

China | Tianjin

For Performing arts

#117 in Asia

#736 in the World

Enrollment: 26,568
Founded: 1919

58. Zhengzhou University

China | Zhengzhou

For Performing arts

#128 in Asia

#778 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1956

59. Qingdao University of Technology

China | Qingdao

For Performing arts

#130 in Asia

#787 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 2004

60. Capital Normal University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#134 in Asia

#802 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 31,559
Founded: 1954

61. Communication University of China

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#139 in Asia

#824 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1959

62. Northwestern Polytechnical University

For Performing arts

#140 in Asia

#825 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1938

63. China Agricultural University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#141 in Asia

#827 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1905

64. Jinan University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#143 in Asia

#836 in the World

Enrollment: 37,918
Founded: 1906

65. Hunan University of Science and Technology

China | Xiangtan

For Performing arts

#146 in Asia

#845 in the World

Enrollment: 27,777
Founded: 2003

66. Fujian Normal University

For Performing arts

#148 in Asia

#847 in the World

Founded: 1953

67. Shenzhen University

China | Shenzhen

For Performing arts

#150 in Asia

#861 in the World

Enrollment: 34,156
Founded: 1983

68. Guangxi Normal University

For Performing arts

#152 in Asia

#877 in the World

Founded: 1932

69. Jiangsu Normal University

For Performing arts

#156 in Asia

#891 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1957

70. Wuhan University of Technology

For Performing arts

#157 in Asia

#892 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 540,000
Founded: 1946

71. Anhui University

For Performing arts

#159 in Asia

#896 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1928

72. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

For Performing arts

#161 in Asia

#898 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1952

73. Central China Normal University

For Performing arts

#162 in Asia

#899 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 32,000
Founded: 1903

74. Yunnan University

China | Kunming

For Performing arts

#163 in Asia

#902 in the World

Enrollment: 30,443
Founded: 1923

The best cities to study Performing arts in China based on the number of universities and their ranks are Beijing, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, and Lanzhou.