Doha, Qatar: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a Qatar Foundation partner university, has welcomed new and returning students to campus for the start of the 2026–27 academic year, with record enrollment across several measures.
VCUarts Qatar has enrolled 376 undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students this fall—the largest student body in the school’s history and an 8.35% increase over fall 2025. An additional 33 students from other Education City universities are taking courses at VCUarts Qatar through the cross-registration programme, bringing the total number of students studying at the university this fall to 409.
The university also welcomed a record 105 new students, a 7% increase over fall 2025.
“We are delighted to welcome our new and returning students to VCUarts Qatar,” said Dean Amir Berbić. “These record enrolment numbers reflect the growing interest in the distinctive education we offer and, more broadly, in the role that artists, designers and scholars can play in shaping the future of Qatar and the region. More importantly, they represent hundreds of individual students bringing their own ideas, perspectives and ambitions to our community. We look forward to seeing where their creativity and hard work will lead.”
New students began their university experience with an orientation programme designed to introduce them to VCUarts Qatar’s academic programmes, creative facilities, student services and wider campus community. The programme culminated in New Student Convocation, formally welcoming the incoming Class of 2030. The new academic year will bring opportunities for students to learn across disciplines, take part in research and creative practice, connect with visiting artists, designers and scholars, and engage with VCUarts Qatar’s growing network of partners in Qatar and internationally. It will also mark an important milestone for the university, as the inaugural cohort of students in the BFA in Kinetic Imaging prepares to graduate in spring 2027.
VCUarts Qatar offers undergraduate programmes in Art History, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Kinetic Imaging, and Painting + Printmaking, as well as an MFA in Design. Through Education City’s cross-registration programme, students from partner universities can also enroll in selected courses at VCUarts Qatar, contributing to an active exchange of knowledge and perspectives across the multiversity community.
