Rating universities on arts: QS Stars

Arts programmes form the core of a university's cultural identity, offering opportunities for creative expression and deep intellectual exploration. They encourage you to connect ideas across different areas of study, driving innovation and ensuring a well-rounded academic experience.  

Courses in the arts build your critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, preparing you for success in diverse careers.  

To measure how well a university facilitates and supports the arts, QS Stars looks at four different areas:  

Arts facilities   

Arts facilities have a big impact on education quality, student experience, and the institution's reputation. Institutions will be awarded full points if they have the following facilities:   

1. Purpose-built museum  

2. Purpose-built theatre  

3. Concert hall  

4. Dedicated art studios  

5. Campus art exhibition programme  

6. Dedicated recording studio or music practice rooms  

7. Campus radio station, TV studio or TV channel  

8. Cinema  

9. Outdoor art space (such as a sculpture garden)  

Concerts, cultural events and exhibitions   

Concerts, art events and exhibitions are essential for educational institutions. They enrich the cultural environment, foster an appreciation of the arts, and create a vibrant learning atmosphere. These events also connect the institution with the community, increasing visibility and goodwill. You’ll benefit from practical experience in organising, curating, performing or presenting your work.  

Institutions will be awarded full points for having on- or off-campus concerts, arts events or exhibitions organised by the institution over the period of a year.    

Artistic accolades   

Artistic accolades are a testament to the university’s exceptional quality of arts programmes, faculty talent, and remarkable achievements of students like you.   

Institutions are awarded points if they received between 5 to 25 awards or accolades within a 12-month period to students, faculty, departments, or the institution as a whole, for publicly accessible works relating to the arts or local/national culture.  

Community art and cultural investment   

Engaging and investing in community arts and cultural projects strengthens the bond between institutions and the local area. It demonstrates the university’s dedication to social responsibility and nurturing the cultural and economic fabric of its surrounding community.  

By getting involved in community arts projects, you’ll experience valuable learning opportunities beyond the classroom, developing skills and applying your knowledge and passion for the arts in real-world settings.  

Here, universities receive full points if they invest a certain amount in art projects outside the university or in cultural preservation over a one-year period.  

QS Stars does the evaluating for you, so you can easily see where a university’s strengths are in order to find a programme that suits your priorities. Take a look at which universities have achieved a high QS Stars rating for their approach to arts.