TL;DR verdict
- Verdict: Recommended for specialist upskilling once you already know your discipline.
- Formats: 10-week terms, mentor-led. Individual courses; no full degree pathway.
- Price: £599–£999 per term. No SFE loan eligibility.
- Instructor bench: Genuinely strong (ILM, Pixar, Blizzard, Naughty Dog credits verified via IMDB Pro).
- Skip if: You are a total beginner (CGMA assumes prior fundamentals) or need UK-in-person (try Escape).
# TL;DR
- What it is: Online mentor-led CG school, per-course, 10-week cohorts, industry instructors.
- Who it is for: UK learners who want one focused skill (character sculpt, environment art, FX) at portfolio depth.
- Who should look elsewhere: Absolute beginners with no software fluency; general 3D foundations learners.
- Current price band: £550 to £790 per course.
- Our alternative pick: CG Spectrum for a full diploma structure, Domestika for self-paced.
Recommended per-course Verified 2026-01
What CGMA is.
CG Master Academy (CGMA) is an online CG school launched in 2011, based in California, with a global student base. Its shape is unusual: no diploma, no BA, no bundled curriculum. Instead, individual 10-week courses taught by working industry mentors, sold one at a time. A UK learner stacks three or four courses over a year to build a portfolio-grade specialisation.
The instructor bench is CGMA’s strongest asset. Named leads have shipped credits at ILM, DreamWorks, Blizzard, Naughty Dog, Framestore, and Riot Games. Feedback is weekly, personal, and detailed. Recorded lectures plus live Q&A plus one-to-one critique on your work.
Programmes reviewed.
| Course track | Duration | Price | Career target | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character Creation for Games | 10 weeks | £790 | Games character artist | Recommended |
| Environment Art for Games | 10 weeks | £790 | Games environment artist | Recommended |
| Intro to Houdini | 10 weeks | £550 | FX / procedural artist | Recommended |
| Analytical Figure Drawing | 10 weeks | £550 | Fundamentals for any CG discipline | Recommended |
| Intro to Production Modeling | 10 weeks | £550 | 3D generalist / props | Alternative to consider |
Curriculum honesty check.
CGMA is a specialisation tool, not a foundations tool. If you cannot open Maya or Blender and rough in a scene, CGMA courses will hurt. Every course assumes you can navigate the software. Instructors are teaching craft, not clicks.
Output is portfolio-grade. Character Creation for Games alumni ship high-poly ZBrush sculpts plus retopo plus texture plus rig ready for a games portfolio. Environment Art alumni ship Unreal-ready modular kits. This is what UK studios ask to see. It is not a general 3D degree.
Price transparency.
Published prices are £550 to £790 per 10-week course. A typical portfolio-stack of three courses runs £1,700 to £2,300 over a year. That is roughly one fifth of Escape Studios and one third of CG Spectrum. Payment plans exist. USD conversion applies at checkout (rate roughly £0.79 = $1.00 in early 2026).
Career outcomes.
CGMA alumni show up in credits at Naughty Dog, Riot Games, Rockstar, and across UK games studios (Rocksteady, Sumo, Playground). VFX side is thinner: CGMA is not a Soho VFX pipeline school. Work coming out of the Environment and Character tracks is what gets a UK games junior their first interview.
Alternatives to CGMA.
- CG Spectrum: Full diploma structure, £4,800 to £6,400. Better if you want scaffolding.
- Animation Mentor: Character animation specialisation, £7,200. Better for animators specifically.
- Domestika: Self-paced, £14 to £99 per course. Better for testing the water.
- Coloso: Korean-origin, pre-recorded masterclasses, £150 to £350. Better for one-off inspiration.
FAQ.
Is CGMA worth it?
For a UK learner with existing 3D fluency who wants a portfolio specialisation, yes. For a beginner, no. Start with Blender free path first.
How much does CGMA cost in GBP?
£550 to £790 per 10-week course. Prices convert from USD ($699 or $999) at checkout.
Can I take CGMA courses without a portfolio?
Beginner courses accept anyone. Intermediate and advanced courses require sample work at application.