China Academy of Art (CAA), founded in 1928, is a comprehensive college of fine art with complete academic specialties and one of the earliest universities recruiting graduate students. It stays committed to the path of building a world first-class art university embodying the highest level of research and education on Chinese culture and fine art. Currently CAA mainly bases in Hangzhou encompassing five campuses: Nanshan, Xiangshan, Liangzhu, and Xianghu in Hangzhou, as well as Zhangjiang in Shanghai. Now, CAA is authorized to grant academic PhD degrees of Art as well as Design, and professional Doctorate degrees of Fine Arts and Calligraphy, Drama and Film, and Design.
I. Educational System
Three years, Full-time，English-taught，Academic PhD Degree & Professional Doctorate Degree.
II. Supervisors，Major Direction，Research Area
1. Academic PhD Degree Program
JIANG Jun，CHEN Zhengda.
Design Art (Discipline code 140300 )
Research Area: Research on Design-Humanities Inter-Discipline & Visual Communication
Design-Humanities Inter-discipline represents a systematic framework that explores the interdisciplinary relationships between design studies, natural sciences, and humanities and social sciences. Visual communication, on the other hand, employs visual language as a means to socially narrate these interdisciplinary connections through communication channels. The focus of this research direction lies in connecting visual tracing and genealogical design rooted in the real world and its content production, value extraction and narrative design centered on brand systems and their community communication, and communication strategies and holistic design utilizing omni-media integration and its spatial platforms. Ultimately, this research aims to integrate the two major academic domains of visual communication and design humanities through a holistic perspective and comprehensive thinking, encapsulating their "inner and outer" aspects.
2. Professional Doctorate Degree Program
JIANG Jun，BI Xuefeng，ZHENG Zhao.
Design (Discipline code 135700 )
Research Area: Design for Social Innovation & Visual Communication
The research direction is established on the definition of "social design" that emphasizes "design as a driver of social innovation," along with the project-based teaching and social practice that stem from it. Specifically, it utilizes "visual communication" as the primary means of content production and collaborative sharing to promote technological evolution and organizational innovation that align with overall social development goals, including dynamic balance and sustainable development. At the same time, by focusing on topics such as ecological design, spontaneous design, participatory design, design for healing, and social innovation service design, it provides theoretical summarization and guidance for practical project-based teaching that spans undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Furthermore, it introduces sociality as a common value across all design disciplines, establishing it as a fundamental ethic for designers and an essential attribute of design studies.
III. Criteria & Eligibility
1. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with good physical and mental health condition suitable for the program, acting in moral manners and abiding by disciplinary regulations and the law.
If an applicant is identified by a Chinese public security agency to possess a status of Chinese nationality after getting an admission to CAA, their admission qualification or student status will be withdrawn.
2. Applicants must have owned a Master’s degree.
IV. Time To Apply
The deadline for application is May 31, 2025 in Beijing time.
V. Application Procedure
1. Online application: please submit all your application materials in the official CAA website for International Students.
(https://caa.at0086.cn/StuApplication/Login.aspx)
Applicants should provide all the required documents and complete information listed in the application system. All the documents and information must be real, clear and valid. Scanned copies are suggested to be made by a professional device. Otherwise, applicants should bear the consequences caused by unclear or unidentifiable information. Application with unreal or missing documents will not be accepted.
2. Make sure that your personal information, such as passport number, passport name, gender, telephone, email box and address is correct.
CAA reserves the right to request applicants to supplement document and to take further examination and interview.
3. Application documents should be in accordance with the requirements listed within the application system. Documents in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with notarized Chinese or English translations. It is recommended to have these documents and their translations notarized by the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in the applicant's country of residence. Documents consisting of more than two pages, such as forms, texts, or certificates, should be stamped with a seal or have an official seal affixed on each page.
4. Make sure to check system messages and emails in time and keep your telephone unimpeded.
5. CAA reserves the right to modify the admission regulations in case any new policies of international student admission are released by administration authorities.
VI. Documents for Application
1. Bank transfer receipt for the application fee. Please note the passport name and “application fee” on the receipt.
2. Letter of commitment to integrity for international students applying to CAA.
3. Valid certificate of IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5, or TOEFL with a minimum score of 90.
4. CAA International Students Application Information Form. Please log in the International College, CAA website (https://caa.at0086.cn/StuApplication/Login.aspx) to fill out and submit online.
5. One colored ID digital photo of the applicant, full face without hat. (Photo reference format: color 3.5*5.3cm bareheaded ID photo, white background without border, head takes up 2/3 of photo size, photo size not less than 320*240 pixels, aspect ratio 4:3, size 100-500kb, JPG format.)
6. Scan copy of applicant's passport (personal information page). The expiry date on the passport should be after September 2025.
7. If an applicant has acquired foreign citizenship at the time of birth in a foreign country, whose parents were both Chinese citizens, or one of the parents was a Chinese citizen, they must submit:
(1) their foreign birth certificate in foreign countries;
(2) documents certifying the cancellation of the applicant’s Chinese citizenship, or documents certifying parent’s (with Chinese citizenship) permanent residence in foreign country before the birth of the applicant
8. Residents of mainland China, Hong Kong(China), Macao(China) and Taiwan(China) who emigrated to a foreign country must submit: Certificate of Chinese Citizenship Cancellation.
9. Photocopy of Foreigner Physical Examination Form. The original should be kept by the applicant. The medical examinations must cover all the items listed in the Foreigner Physical Examination Form. Please provide a list of chest X-ray pictures and blood test reports. Incomplete records, those without signature of physician or official stamp of hospital, or those without the applicant’s photograph or with no check mark on the photograph are NOT acceptable. Please choose appropriate time to take medical examination due to 6-months validity of the medical results.
(Attachment 1: Foreigner Physical Examination Form)
Attachment 1 Foreigner Physical Examination Form.pdf
10. Scan copy of tuberculosis Examination Report. Applicants must be tested for Tuberculosis in a certified hospital or laboratory. The results are valid for six months.
11. Certificate of Non-criminal Record (in Chinese or English). It should be issued within six months before the application.
VII. Application Documents of Major Field
1. Notarized highest diploma. Students who have not graduated should provide certificate of student status. Documents in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with notarized Chinese or English translations.
2. Transcripts: Applicants who want to study for a PhD degree must provide transcripts of undergraudate, Mastre’s degree and PhD degree (if having it) study, from their undergraduate study period until the latest semester stamped by the office of academic affairs, school of postgraduates or other authorities. The transcripts in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with notarized Chinese or English translations.
3. Study or research plan in CAA: no less than 2000 words in English.
(Attachment2: Research Plan for International students of CAA to pursue Postgraduate Studies for Doctor's degree)
Attachment 2 Research Plan.docx
4. Recommendation letters: letters of recommendation in Chinese or English from two professors or associate professors with the signature, phone number and email address. The letters should include remarks on the applicant’s research goal in China, their comprehensive capability and prospect.
(Attachment3: Recommendation letters)
Attachment3Recommendation letter.docx
5. Portfolio. Applicants must provide a portfolio according to the major they are applying for. The name and size must be marked at the bottom of each work. The maximum limit of a text and picture is 5M(megabyte), and the maximum limit of a video is 20M(megabyte).
VIII. Admission Process
Applicants should commit to the authenticity and validity of their information and confirm that the submitted portfolio and dissertation are their own academic achievements. Once any fraud is discovered, their application eligibility, and admission qualification, or student status will be revoked.
CAA will conduct a preliminary qualification review of applicants. Those who pass the preliminary qualification review will be invited for an online interview. The admission process will be conducted based on a comprehensive assessment, including the applicant's academic ability, transcripts, Chinese language level, online interview performance and other factors.
The interview time and method will be announced at further notice.
Applicants who pass the interview will receive a pre-admission letter within one month. Applicants can check the admission results in the international student admission system.
IX. Fees and Bank Transfer
1. Application fee: CNY800 per major. Non-refundable.Please note the passport name and “application fee” on the receipt.
2. Tuition fee: CNY68000 per academic year per student (comprehensive insurance is included).
3. Other fees will be charged upon enrollment.
4. Fee of accommodation and power: https://caa.at0086.cn/site/cn/student_service_cn/show-5078.html
5. After receiving pre-admission notice, students must pre-pay the 1st year tuition via transfer to the given bank account of CAA before the deadline.
(1) Remittance In China: https://caa.at0086.cn/site/cn/admission_cn/show-5197.html
(2) Remittance out of China: https://caa.at0086.cn/site/admission/show-5198.html
X. Enrollment
Normal enrollment is in September 2025. Please refer to your formal Admission letter for exact time.
After enrollment, CAA will organize a review of academic qualification, physical health, original Graduation Certificate, Bachelor’s Degree Certificate and HSK Certificate and other required documents. Those who have not obtained the corresponding certificates will have their admission revoked. If any fraud or self-seeking misconduct is discovered, the student status will be revoked.
1. Students should apply for an X1 visa at the Chinese Embassy with your valid passport, formal Admission letter, and the Form of Visa Application for Study in China.
2. Please provide the bank remittance receipt of the pre-paid tuition while enrollment.
XI. Contacts
Office Add: No.17 Building, International College of China Academy of Art, No. 352 Xiangshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, P. R. China
Official website of CAA: http://en.caa.edu.cn/
Official website of the International College: http://admission.caa.edu.cn/
E-mail: caaic@163.com
Tel: 86-571-87164712
Consultation time：8:30 -- 11:30am,13:00 -- 16:30pm, Monday to Friday (except official holiday and winter holiday: January 14, 2025 to March 2, 2025)
Contact: Ms. REN, Ms. WANG
