The present invention provides a method of epitaxial growth of an SiC thin film by the thermal CVD process wherein it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the doping density and possible to grow an SiC thin film by a uniform thickness. This method is an epitaxial growth method for silicon carbide characterized by comprising adjusting a ratio of the hydrocarbon gas and silicon feedstock gas so as to become, by C/Si ratio, 0.5 to 1.5 in range, making the hydrocarbon gas contact a hydrocarbon decomposition catalyst heated to 1000° C. to 1200° C. so as to make at least part of the hydrocarbon gas break down into carbon and hydrogen, and supplying carbon contained in the hydrocarbon gas and silicon contained in the silicon feedstock gas to the silicon carbide single crystal substrate.