Top 20 Best Art Schools In The World – You want to attend an art school but need help determining where to enroll. It’s not just you. When deciding on an art school to attend, several considerations include program and course options, campus atmosphere, and location. Our top recommendations for art schools are located on the continents of Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America, with several ranking among the most prestigious and established art schools in their respective countries. Below is a list of the top 20 best art schools in the world.
Top 20 Best Art School In The World
- The Royal College of Art
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Pratt Institute
- University of the Arts London
- School of Art Institute of Chicago
- Berlin University of the Arts
- Parsons School of Design
- Glasgow School of Art
- Central Academy of Fine Arts
- Politecnico di Milano
- Aalto University
- Tokyo University of the Arts
- RMIT University
- Art Center College of Design
1. The Royal College of Art
One of the best art schools in the world is the Royal College of Art. The institution, founded in 1837, maintains high requirements and only enrolls the most gifted individuals in its postgraduate training program. Over half of the students are from outside the country, while the admission rate is around 25%.
Each student receives individualized instruction and supervision and extensive hands-on exposure to art and design at one of the three campuses, all of which are situated within the city of London. Many well-known artists, including Chris Dresser, Sir George Clausen, Kate Greenaway, Sir Luke Fides, and Edwin Lutyens, received their degrees from this institution.
2. Rhode Island School of Design
Founded in 1877, RISD is a design school in Rhode Island. It has made a name for itself as one of North America’s top art and design institutions. Additionally, a large number of international students are enrolled in its programs. In areas including furniture design, graphics, ceramics, glass, cinema, animation, and video, the school offers 16 undergraduate degrees.
Students can also choose to specialize in a liberal arts field or an interdisciplinary field, such as computing, technology, and culture, or literary arts and studies. RISD has about everything you desire in an art and design curriculum, including eminent faculty, many student resources, and a robust career services division.
3. Pratt Institute
The Pratt Institute, established in 1887, is an internationally renowned nexus for the practical and visual arts. It is recognized among the best art schools in the world. The institution, which has campuses in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and most recently Utica, New York, develops some of the world’s greatest “poetic pragmatists” in industries including architecture, graphic design, fashion design, and communication. The art produced by the Pratt Institute is visionary, varied, and distinctive, and it has a tangible influence on society and living worldwide.
There are 77 different degree choices, from associate to postgraduate courses. Its location in New York City firmly establishes this concept in a setting that supports its work. The Pratt Institute also seeks to preserve, promote, and create works of art from the past, present, and future.
4. University of the Arts London
The University of the Arts London was established in 1986. The art school has six campuses, all located in central London, with an acceptance rate of under 20%. In addition to providing individualized instruction, the art programs offer strong exposure to contemporary and robotic arts with a focus on design. The study areas available to students include performance and design for theater and screen, creative computing, fashion communication and accessories, footwear, and jewelry.
5. School of Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago maintains a solid global reputation. Three thousand five hundred ninety-one students attend the famous independent art school School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), known for its innovative multidisciplinary self-driven teaching style. Since the school provides an interdisciplinary curriculum, students at SAIC are encouraged to explore broadly across creative fields before settling on the appropriate media for their ideas. The teaching at SAIC is very individualized, which inspires students to be imaginative in fusing many forms of art.
6. Berlin University of the Arts
The largest art university in Europe is the Berlin University of the Arts. Some of the most renowned modern artists in the world, including the Chinese artist and social campaigner Ai Weiwei, are on its faculty. Within the University system, four colleges focus on performing, visual, and musical arts.
More than 170 international relationships with universities exist at the Berlin University of the Arts. The university is a significant cultural hub in the city and hosts over 500 events annually. Public performances of student work include exhibits, concerts, plays, nights of song, readings, and lectures.
7. Parsons School of Design
One of the top art schools in the US is the New School’s Parsons School of Design, which was established in 1896. This private institution, situated outside of Lower Manhattan in New York City, provides undergraduate and graduate students with a distinctive method of practical, interdisciplinary learning. With a mere 35% acceptance rate, it is a difficult institution to get into.
Students at Parsons School of Design work with their classmates, business partners, and communities worldwide. Students at this art school may conduct research and global phenomenon exploration in a networked system of design laboratories.
8. Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of the world’s best art schools. The art school is the only public, self-governing art school in Scotland. The School of Fine Arts and the School of Design are separated into separate campuses. With facilities including the Digital Design Studio, Institute of Design Innovation, Mackintosh Environmental Architectural Research Institute, and Glasgow Urban Lab.
GSA is at the forefront of research in creative fields. Across 75 of the top art, design, and architecture institutions worldwide, participate in Glasgow School of Art’s broad student and staff exchange program.
9. Central Academy of Fine Arts
The Central Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1918, is one of China’s most exclusive universities. Chinese painting, plastic arts, experimental art, arts administration and education, design, architecture, humanities, and urban design are some of the eight specialized schools that make up the institution.
Twenty undergraduate degrees in specialized fields such as digital media art, clothes, garment design, environmental design, and sculpting are available from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts.
10. Politecnico di Milano
Politecnico di Milano, one of the most prominent universities in Italy, offers instruction in engineering, design, and architecture. It was founded in 1863. With more than 45,000 students, Politecnico di Milano is Italy’s largest engineering, architecture, and design institution.
The main goal of the arts curriculum is to encourage students’ creativity. Teaching is done using various media formats, including films, lectures, webinars, and in-person museum visits. The art school acceptance rate is approximately 60%. Architects Gae Aulenti, Enrico Castiglioni, Elio, Giovani Pellegrini, and Marco Zanuso are a few of Politecnico de Milano’s well-known former students.
11. Aalto University
Aalto University is a relatively young public university that was founded in 2010 as a result of the union of three institutions (the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the Helsinki University of Technology). The objective was to establish a university that supports creativity in various fields, including business and engineering!
The institution offers 90 bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs. Through multidisciplinary programs like Human-Centered Living Environments and Health and Wellbeing, which combines neuroscience and design, students can investigate the interface of technology, science, and art!
12. Tokyo University of the Arts
Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan’s only national arts university, strongly emphasizes the freedom and creativity of the arts while working to advance Japanese art and culture. TUA seeks to develop new modes of creative expression and show how art can shape societal trends through partnerships with other colleges and organizations. TUA and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago also offer a student exchange program.
13. RMIT University
RMIT University is a public research university situated in Melbourne, Australia. RMIT offers extra courses in Europe, Global, Vietnam, and online. The school of art, design, and architecture provides courses in fine and applied arts, animation, design innovation, technology, merchandising, fashion, textiles, industrial, furniture, and product design. Both students and graduates can pick from 92 different degrees.
Over 60,000 students from all over the world are enrolled at RMIT University. At RMIT, more than 50% of programs provide internship opportunities and placements. The curriculum is created so that students are constantly putting theory into practice—a novel strategy that helps students be prepared for living a life as an artist.
14. Art Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a non-profit private institution. There are over 2,000 enrolled, with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio. With less than 20 students, each session ensures a very customized learning environment. Art Center College of Design programs include advertising, visual art, cinema, transportation design, and industrial design.
There are also multidisciplinary programs like the Designmatters program, which examines how social change intersects with art and design education, and the Humanities and Science program, which combines a liberal arts foundational curriculum that influences your design ideas. The entertainment design curriculum is a distinctive program that prepares students for careers in various industries, including theme park design, animation, video games, cinema, and television.
Frequently Asked Questions
The competitive acceptance percentage at the Royal College of Arts is 27.2%. Given that the institution is very selective, you will need to submit a compelling application that satisfies the requirements established by the university.
Rhode Island School of Design has a 23.9% acceptance rate. 24 out of every 100 applications are accepted. This demonstrates how selective the school is. You have a good chance of being admitted if your GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other application requirements fit those of the Rhode Island School of Design requirement.
Some of Pratt Institute’s graduate programs, such as those in visual arts, architecture, interior design, industrial design, and graphic design, are highly renowned.
References
- https://www.careeraddict.com/best-art-schools
- https://blog.prepscholar.com/best-art-schools-in-the-world
- https://kamerpower.com/top-20-best-art-schools-in-the-world-2022/
- https://collegegazette.com/best-art-schools-in-the-world/
- https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/university-subject-rankings/top-art-design-schools-2020