Art students applying for college this year face a higher threshold for their academic performance on the admission test, Guangming Daily reported on Wednesday.

Among the art colleges and universities that have raised scores required for applicants this year is the Central Academy of Drama, which set higher grades in eight majors, including film and television art design and theater director.

Art major applicants at the Communication University of China have to sit tests in academic subjects in the independent admission exams organized by the school.

The greater importance attached to the academic performance of art students came after the Ministry of Education issued a guideline in December, which demanded higher education institutions to raise admission scores required for candidates in art majors. 

"This year, the academic performances are especially important", said an art student surnamed Lu, who has applied to study as a director major at Communication University of China. "Academic subjects were tested in the preliminary round of testing, which was quite difficulty."

Art students in China should sit both independent exams – which traditionally focus on art skills - organized by schools where they apply, as well as the national college admission examination, or gaokao, in which students are tested on academic subjects.

"Art talents need a gift, but they also need to have a solid basis of academic knowledge. Otherwise, they would be like a river without a source and a tree without roots (in their pursuit of an art career)," said Zeng Xiangmi, vice-dean of the Television School at Communication University of China.

Some experts believe that in raising academic requirements, different requirements should be set for applicants of different art majors.

"It is unrealistic to have high academic requirements for applicants of some majors, such as music, dancing and fine arts, which demand skills and gift, as well as a large amount of time for practicing," said Liu Depin, a literature professor at Beijing Film Academy.

"But some other majors, such as film director, scriptwriting and art theory, demand higher academic capacity and art perception ability … after all, it boils down to one's cultural literacy and the depth of understanding of society to create quality artistic works," Liu said.