Shanghai Theatre Academy

Founded in 1945, Shanghai Theatre Academy is a specialist public arts institution jointly supported by Shanghai and China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It trains artists and researchers for theatre, Chinese opera, musical theatre, dance, film, television, stage design, dramaturgy and arts management. Its teaching combines studio practice, performance and scholarly inquiry, and its campuses provide access to Shanghai's active cultural and media sectors. The academy awards bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, with research and professional pathways in the performing arts.

The academy's 2026 international admissions materials define a broad set of four-year undergraduate specializations, a three-year professional Master of Fine Arts catalog, an English-taught two-year master's in Intercultural Communication Studies, and doctoral research and practice options. Different routes require portfolios, auditions, written work, supervisor review or examinations, so applicants should consult the guide for their exact specialization. The academy's 2026 scholarship route for newly applying international students is specifically tied to the Intercultural Communication Studies master's; applicants to other courses should verify separate funding calls rather than assume that scholarship applies to them.