Best Concept Art & Illustration Schools in the World 2022

Since 2011, The Rookies has been supplying reliable performance information about colleges and universities to students, their families, academics, university leaders, governments, and business. The results for 2022 are based on a staggering 58,443 portfolio reviews, completed by a team of over 150+ industry professionals.

The Rookies World School Rankings® are not like other education based ranking systems. They are driven and judged by industry professionals without the interference of paid advertising dollars that cloud the judgement of other ranking sites. • Scott Thompson, founder of Think Tank Training Centre.

We feel that traditional school rankings – that include peer and employer reviews, faculty-to-student ratio, citations and other data – are not adequate when ranking creative schools. This might work in industries with more traditional career paths, but when it comes to technical and creative roles things are much more complicated, and we need to take a different approach.

Our answer to this is quite arduous, but very accurate. The process involves reviewing thousands of digital portfolios from graduating students. These portfolios are the equivalent of a final exam for traditional industries, and provide an incredibly accurate dataset of how well the university or college has prepared their students for industry level skills.

Learn more about how we rank schools.

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Rank	School	Location	Score
1	New3dge	France	124.90
2	Artside School	France	69.53
3	The One Academy of Communication Design	Malaysia	67.77
4	ISART Digital	France, Canada	59.85
5	Universal Arts School	Spain	56.25
6	Howest University of Applied Sciences - Digital Arts and Entertainment	Belgium	52.43
7	Bellecour Ecole	France	51.99
8	Flinders University / CDW Studios	Australia, Online	51.85
9	3dsense Media School	Singapore	50.98
10	University of Hertfordshire	United Kingdom, Online	49.43
11	FX ANIMATION Barcelona 3D & Film School	Spain	49.17
12	Academy of Art University	United States, Online	45.14
13	Artline Institute	Online	44.04
14	CG Spectrum	Online	43.86
15	Voxel School	Spain	41.41
16	Savannah College of Art and Design	United States, France, Online	40.30
17	Breda University of Applied Sciences	Netherlands	40.23
18	Leeds Art Academy	United Kingdom	38.37
19	Norwich University of the Arts	United Kingdom, Online	37.23
20	Games Academy Falmouth University	United Kingdom	34.73

Detailed information about the top schools and colleges for Concept Art

The following schools are the top Concept Art educational facilities for 2022 and offer great courses and curriculum that produces students that are ready for the challenges faced by professional artists working in Concept Art. Follow the links below to find out more about these schools, their facilities, team, success stories, student artwork and more.

1. New3dge

New3dge, located in Paris, is a private school of higher education specialized in the fields of Game Art, 3D Animation&VFX and Concept Art. We have tailored our student program and our teaching methods alongside some of the major players in these fields. We recruit our educators from our network of respected professionals around the globe. At New3gde, we give our students the opportunity to learn skills and work with cutting edge technology in an ever-evolving environment, guaranteeing their...

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2. Artside School

ARTSIDE is a private higher education institution founded by Digital Art professionals, with a strong desire to offer innovative training that meets the expectations of International studios.More of 70 teachers come from the largest international studios and share this desire to train future talents. They offer with Artside a professional education and share their workflow and tools used in production and offer our students a complete professional network. Our students develop an in-d...

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3. The One Academy of Communication Design

In 1991, The One Academy of Communication Design was established as a private art college and our academic strengths lie in the practice of our teaching philosophy “Masters Train Masters”, where we believe excellent graduates stem from great educators. Since our humble beginning over three decades ago, we have come a long way from there, having being ranked as the World’s No.1 Best Concept Art & Illustration School in 2019, World’s No.2 Best Production ...

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4. ISART Digital

ISART Digital is an international school of higher education in video games and 3D-VFX animation. The school is based in Paris & Montreal and has a partnership with the Tokyo University of Technology. The school is ranked number 1 in Europe and Quebec (Canada) by LinkedIn, on professional integration in the Game and Interactive Media Design market. This leading position is the result of a studio-oriented policy: - Professional experience is at the heart of the studies, in an alternating structur...

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5. Universal Arts School

UA School has been educating artists for over 25 years. It is one of the best animation schools in Spain, Europe, and worldwide, according to Animation Career Review. The range of careers offered is sure to please the needs of any student. If you are interest in pursuing a career in Animation, Video Games, Visual Effects, or Cinema, we have expert academic advisors that will help you choose the right career path for you from our extensive course catalogue. Our instructors are industry profess...

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6. Howest University of Applied Sciences - Digital Arts and Entertainment

Digital Arts & Entertainment (DAE) is a state-of-the-art, yet accessible, English-taught Bachelor’s degree. Fully accredited, 3 years, amounting to 180 ECTS credits. DAE is taught at Howest, a modern and unconventional university of applied sciences, situated in a small but beautiful historic city in Flanders, Belgium, in the heart of Western Europe. At DAE you can choose between 4 study majors: Game Development, Game Graphics Production, Independent Game Production or 3D Production & VFX. It...

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7. Bellecour Ecole

Bellecour Ecole is a specialized art school in the fields of applied arts / design: graphics - multimedia - space - Product - Fashion and Creative Industries: 3d animation - FX - gaming - concept art. Bellecour Ecole provides training to +3 and +5 (Artistic Director, 3D director, )....

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8. Flinders University / CDW Studios

In partnership Flinders University and CDW Studios have created a very unique study environment where you are being taught by an instructor who currently works as a professional in that industry. Our instructors are world class, and have experience freelancing and working for some of the world’s top entertainment providers and creators, such as Blizzard Entertainment, Rising Sun Pictures, Disney, Warner Brothers and Lego just to name a few. By employing industry professionals CDW Studios and Fli...

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9. 3dsense Media School

3dsense Media School is a leading digital arts school in Asia, preparing students for careers in the creative entertainment industry since 2003. We focus on providing industry-based training for Visual Effects, Animation, Game Art, Motion Design, Concept Art, Illustration and Toy Production. Since 2015, 3dsense has been consistently ranked amongst the Top 10 Art Schools globally by “The Rookies World School Rankings”, the world’s most respected ranking system for creative media schools. Bes...

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10. University of Hertfordshire

The School of Creative Arts is the oldest part of the University of Hertfordshire, and its roots date back to 1890 with the formation of St Albans School of Art that later merged with the University in the 20th century. The School prides itself on its devotion to teaching creativity and the skills required to enable students to reach the goals they want from a degree and future career. It combines a wealth of physical resources that cover all aspects of creative arts production from animation...

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11. FX ANIMATION Barcelona 3D & Film School

FX ANIMATION Barcelona ArchViz School, pioneer in the field of architectural visualisation training and with 14 years of experience, offers you the possibility to complete your professional profile as an interior designer or architect thanks to its high performance training. Our specialised training and live online methodology (for English or Spanish speaking students) will allow you to master the leading software in the sector with great technical and visual depth, which will allow you to carry...

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12. Academy of Art University

Since 1929, Academy of Art University has helped prepare aspiring artists and designers for professional careers by offering 135+ accredited degree options in more than 40 areas of study. Choose from animation and visual effects, game design and development, illustration, fine art, communications, filmmaking, and more. We are first and foremost a professional school—a purpose-based art and design school where students develop their talents and acquire the specific skills sought by the creative ...

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13. Artline Institute

We help students that dare to dream big to start their career and become an accomplished artist, working at leading companies trough our world-class support program.Our mission is their creative career. That is why we’ve created a world-class support program which helps our students not only to get a degree, and become a sought after digital artist, but to build an exiting creative career.At Institut Artline, we focus on each and every student individually. We help them ...

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14. CG Spectrum

CG Spectrum brings the industry to you! Advance your career with a world-class education, personalized mentorship from film and game experts, specialized industry-led programs, career development services, and access to a vibrant community: a powerful network of peers and industry professionals supporting you during your studies and throughout your career.CG Spectrum is a a global top-ranked training provider, an Unreal Authorized Training Center, Unreal Academic Partner, Unreal Conne...

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15. Voxel School

The Voxel School Professional School of Digital Arts emerges as a transversal model of communication between areas of vital importance for the Digital Economy sector: The video game sector , animation , digital special effects , architectural visualization and design , all of them in its different aspects. The center is managed by professionals from the animation, video game, film, special effects and new technologies industry strongly linked to university management and teaching for more tha...

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16. Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah College of Art and Design prepares talented students for creative professions through engaged teaching and learning in a positively oriented university environment. SCAD is continually recognized for educational and professional excellence, affirming our commitment to the highest standards of achievement in art and design in the U.S.SCAD constantly researches and reimagines programs to instill the critical skills and knowledge students need to succeed in their chosen careers....

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17. Breda University of Applied Sciences

Nearly every course/project is team-based where individual contributions are assessed and used to develop a games industry professional that is ready to be effective from the 1st day of internship or graduate job. We want students to start with a foundation in either art, programming or design and then develop production abilities to participate in cross-discipline game development teams that emulate industry.Year 1 is focused on small teams (3-5) and comprises of 3 discipline f...

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18. Leeds Arts University

Leeds Arts University is the only specialist arts university in the North of England and has been delivering high quality art and design provision for over 160 years. We are proud of the vibrant and dynamic culture that has developed and matured since the University was founded as Leeds School of Art in 1846.Previously named Leeds College of Art, the College gained university status in 2017. We have committed staff who help to create and uphold the values that are fundamental to our s...

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19. Norwich University of the Arts

Norwich University of the Arts is a dynamic, modern and creative community providing arts, design, architecture and media education from a unique campus at the heart of the city. Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) has established itself in arts, design and media education for over 170 years. But while our history can be traced back to 1845, our outlook is forward-thinking.From a city centre campus that boasts cutting-edge facilities, to an approach to teaching which saw us awarded Gold under...

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20. Games Academy Falmouth University

Games and creative computing are transforming how we experience the world and are driving the development of new technologies. Join us at the Games Academy to become part of this journey, learn from industry leaders and develop real products....

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How we calculate global school rankings

Data is based on the quality and performance of student work that is submitted to our judging panel for the Rookie Awards.

The Judging Process

Each entrant is reviewed by members of the official Judging Panel which includes over 150+ highly influential and respected industry veterans. The Judges were asked to score entries based on criteria including — creative skills, technical skills, presentation, variety of skills, complexity, raw talent, and employment potential.

School Calculations

Based on the results of student submissions we received this year we have released the following in-depth breakdowns about the best schools.

Each school is awarded a final score based on the performance of each student representing their academic facility.

When analysing the average scores of each student per school there are three possible data formulas available to use: mean, median and mode.

The Rookies uses median. The median is the middle point of a number set, in which half the numbers are above the median and half are below. A median is intrinsically understandable. It is the middle number when the values are put in order.

• Schools with < 14 student entries are excluded from ranking.
• Incomplete student entries are removed from calculations. No penalties.
• Each student receives a performance score. Max 100 points.
• Median students score calculated per school. Max 100 points.
• Each category finalist receives 2 bonus points toward School Score.
• Each category highly commended receives 4 bonus points toward School Score.
• Each category runner up receives 6 bonus points toward School Score.
• Each category winner receives 10 bonus points toward School Score.

Having the ‘employability of the Artist’ as a judging criteria is key, for in the creative fields you can be free of constraint and let the ideas flow but getting and building a career requires an additional ability to be practical and having ideas that can be executed and maintained. • Darryn Melrose, former Chief Executive of Media Design School.

Do you feel your school should be listed here?

Over 500 international schools submitted their student work to the Rookie Awards 2022 and were reviewed by industry professionals. To make sure your school is considered for next year's rankings please use the live-chat system located at the bottom-right of this page, or email our team at [email protected].