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

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 102K citations received by 10.2K academic papers made by 71 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

#45 in the World

Enrollment: 24,000
Founded: 1902

2. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#3 in Asia

#95 in the World

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

3. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#5 in Asia

#133 in the World

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

4. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Performing arts

#7 in Asia

#143 in the World

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

5. Lanzhou University

China | Lanzhou

For Performing arts

#8 in Asia

#148 in the World

Founded: 1909

6. Shandong Normal University

For Performing arts

#9 in Asia

#158 in the World

Founded: 1950

7. Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#12 in Asia

#187 in the World

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

8. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#13 in Asia

#190 in the World

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

9. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#14 in Asia

#196 in the World

Founded: 1963

10. Wuhan University

For Performing arts

#15 in Asia

#202 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

11. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#16 in Asia

#215 in the World

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

12. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#18 in Asia

#222 in the World

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

13. Sun Yat - Sen University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#19 in Asia

#223 in the World

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

14. Tongji University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#22 in Asia

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1907

15. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#23 in Asia

#242 in the World

Founded: 1937

16. Southwest University

China | Chongqing

For Performing arts

#30 in Asia

#288 in the World

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

17. University of Science and Technology of China

For Performing arts

#39 in Asia

#370 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

18. Central South University

China | Changsha

For Performing arts

#42 in Asia

#409 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1914

19. Guangxi University

China | Nanning

For Performing arts

#43 in Asia

#411 in the World

Founded: 1928

20. City University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#44 in Asia

#416 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1984

21. Southeast University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#46 in Asia

#435 in the World

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

22. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#47 in Asia

#445 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

23. Shandong University

For Performing arts

#48 in Asia

#458 in the World

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

24. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#49 in Asia

#460 in the World

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

25. Open University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#51 in Asia

#482 in the World

Founded: 1989

26. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Performing arts

#54 in Asia

#494 in the World

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

27. Sichuan University

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#57 in Asia

#512 in the World

Enrollment: 44,200
Founded: 1896

28. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#59 in Asia

#516 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1991

29. Shanghai University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#64 in Asia

#543 in the World

Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1994

30. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Performing arts

#65 in Asia

#548 in the World

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

31. Soochow University

For Performing arts

#69 in Asia

#568 in the World

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

32. East China Normal University

China | Shanghai

For Performing arts

#70 in Asia

#571 in the World

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

33. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Performing arts

#73 in Asia

#588 in the World

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

34. South China Normal University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#74 in Asia

#589 in the World

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

35. Xiamen University

For Performing arts

#77 in Asia

#601 in the World

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

36. Chongqing University

China | Chongqing

For Performing arts

#79 in Asia

#611 in the World

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

37. Hohai University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#80 in Asia

#617 in the World

Founded: 1915

38. Ocean University of China

China | Qingdao

For Performing arts

#81 in Asia

#620 in the World

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

39. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Performing arts

#82 in Asia

#622 in the World

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

40. Northwest Normal University

China | Lanzhou

For Performing arts

#84 in Asia

#638 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1902

41. Nanjing Normal University

China | Nanjing

For Performing arts

#87 in Asia

#645 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1952

42. Northeast Normal University

China | Changchun

For Performing arts

#90 in Asia

#661 in the World

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

43. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#91 in Asia

#664 in the World

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

44. Hong Kong Baptist University

China | Hong Kong

For Performing arts

#93 in Asia

#669 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1956

45. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Performing arts

#96 in Asia

#690 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

46. Dalian University of Technology

For Performing arts

#97 in Asia

#692 in the World

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

47. Henan University

China | Kaifeng

For Performing arts

#102 in Asia

#705 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1912

48. Beijing Jiaotong University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#105 in Asia

#720 in the World

Founded: 1896

49. Hunan University

China | Changsha

For Performing arts

#106 in Asia

#721 in the World

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

50. Yangzhou University

China | Yangzhou

For Performing arts

#107 in Asia

#724 in the World

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

51. China University of Mining and Technology

For Performing arts

#108 in Asia

#729 in the World

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

52. Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology

For Performing arts

#116 in Asia

#755 in the World

Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1956

53. Northeastern University, China

China | Shenyang

For Performing arts

#117 in Asia

#756 in the World

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

54. Zhejiang Normal University

For Performing arts

#119 in Asia

#758 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

55. Nankai University

China | Tianjin

For Performing arts

#122 in Asia

#774 in the World

Enrollment: 26,568
Founded: 1919

56. Southwest Jiaotong University

China | Chengdu

For Performing arts

#123 in Asia

#776 in the World

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

57. Qingdao University of Technology

China | Qingdao

For Performing arts

#127 in Asia

#787 in the World

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

58. China University of Geosciences Beijing

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#132 in Asia

#810 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1952

59. Capital Normal University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#135 in Asia

#818 in the World

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

60. Zhengzhou University

China | Zhengzhou

For Performing arts

#136 in Asia

#819 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1956

61. Northwestern Polytechnical University

For Performing arts

#138 in Asia

#827 in the World

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

62. China Agricultural University

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#142 in Asia

#839 in the World

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

63. Communication University of China

China | Beijing

For Performing arts

#143 in Asia

#841 in the World

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1959

64. Jinan University

China | Guangzhou

For Performing arts

#145 in Asia

#843 in the World

Enrollment: 37,918
Founded: 1906

65. Fujian Normal University

For Performing arts

#146 in Asia

#845 in the World

Founded: 1953

66. Central China Normal University

For Performing arts

#147 in Asia

#847 in the World

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

67. Hunan University of Science and Technology

China | Xiangtan

For Performing arts

#150 in Asia

#861 in the World

Enrollment: 27,777
Founded: 2003

68. Jiangsu Normal University

For Performing arts

#152 in Asia

#880 in the World

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

69. Guangxi Normal University

For Performing arts

#157 in Asia

#891 in the World

Founded: 1932

70. Anhui University

For Performing arts

#158 in Asia

#893 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1928

71. Yunnan University

China | Kunming

For Performing arts

#159 in Asia

#894 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.