If you love magical academies with dark secrets, fierce rivalries, and enchanting worlds, this list is your spellbound ticket to adventure. Whether you’re craving trials by magic, twisted school politics, or fierce friendships forged in fire, these ten magical academy series are guaranteed to leave you begging for the next term to start.
1. The Hundred Halls Universe by Thomas K. Carpenter
Best For: Readers who love immersive worldbuilding, interconnected storylines, and a magic school system you’ll wish was real.
Spanning 9 unique series and over 43 books, The Hundred Halls Universe is a masterwork of magical storytelling. Set in the city of Invictus, each Hall teaches a different magical art—from illusion and healing to gaming enchantments and elemental song. Standalone entry points make it easy to jump in, but everything builds toward a jaw-dropping climax in The Order of Merlin series.
Start with:
The Trials of Magic
Bonus spotlight:
The Crystal Halls—A gritty underground academy of magical warriors, warring clans, and a smoldering enemies-to-lovers romance.
“If you liked The Magicians and Six of Crows, but wanted them to collide in a magical university system—this is your next obsession.”
2. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Best For: Fans of snarky heroines, high-stakes danger, and morally gray magic systems.
At the Scholomance, survival isn’t part of the curriculum—it’s the final exam. El Higgins, armed with destructive magic and a sharp tongue, must survive the monstrous halls of this deadly magical school without losing her humanity.
Start with:
A Deadly Education
3. House of Night by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Best For: Paranormal romance lovers looking for a vampy twist on magical school life.
When Zoey Redbird is Marked by a vampire tracker, she’s whisked away to the House of Night, a boarding school where fledgling vampires come into their powers—if they survive the Change.
Start with:
Marked
4. Cradle Series by Will Wight
Best For: Readers who crave progression fantasy, intense training arcs, and underdog heroes.
Sacred arts meet deadly stakes in this wildly popular series where cultivation-style magic reigns. While not a traditional academy, Cradle’s rigorous magical training, ancient mentors, and class-like systems scratch the same itch—with epic results.
Start with:
Unsouled
5. The Magicians Trilogy by Lev Grossman
Best For: Fans of magical realism, emotional complexity, and adult themes in fantasy.
Brakebills is no Hogwarts—it’s more cynical, more dangerous, and far more real. Quentin Coldwater learns that mastering magic means confronting both external enemies and inner demons.
Start with:
The Magicians
6. Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Best For: Readers who love bully romances, elemental magic, and dark fantasy drama.
Twins Tory and Darcy Vega discover they’re Fae royalty—but they’ll have to survive the brutal trials of Zodiac Academy to claim their power. Think Mean Girls meets Harry Potter, with bite.
Start with:
The Awakening
7. Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
Best For: Urban fantasy readers who want magical creatures, mystery, and romantic slow burns.
While not a classic school setting, the magical training, mystical research centers, and university life elements in Crescent City earn it a spot. Bryce Quinlan navigates a modern world laced with ancient power—and secrets worth killing for.
Start with:
House of Earth and Blood
8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Best For: Readers who savor lyrical prose, slow-burn storytelling, and a brilliant protagonist who learns magic the hard way.
At the University, knowledge is power—and power is dangerous. Kvothe is a gifted student with a mysterious past, desperate to uncover the truth behind the mythical Chandrian and master the arcane. This is magical academia wrapped in legend, music, and memory.
Start with:
The Name of the Wind
Vibe: Dark academia meets poetic fantasy. Think Dead Poets Society with spellwork and trauma.
9. The Paper Magician Series by Charlie N. Holmberg
Best For: Fans of charming, unique magic systems and sweet mentor-apprentice dynamics.
Ceony Twill didn’t expect to be bonded to paper magic—but what starts as disappointment becomes a thrilling adventure when her mentor’s heart is stolen (literally), and she must journey through deadly magical realms to retrieve it. The Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined may seem quaint—but danger is just a spell away.
Start with:
The Paper Magician
Vibe: Cozy magical academia with a whimsical twist and emotional core.
10. The Black Mage Series by Rachel E. Carter
Best For: Readers who love magic tournaments, ambitious heroines, and epic training montages.
Ryiah wants to become a battle mage—but the Academy only takes the best. Between brutal trials, rivalries, and a prince with a chip on his shoulder, Ry’s journey is filled with heartbreak, growth, and fireballs.
Start with:
First Year
