News

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s fall 2023 enrollment stands at 12,045, a 3.8% decrease compared to the previous fall term. The University remains focused on the critical steps that lead to yield and sustained growth in our student body.

Graduate and international enrollments have remained steady, although just short of the record-setting numbers from last year. The SIUE graduate program in mechanical engineering has seen a significant increase in enrollment of 35%.  Other programs such as environmental sciences, 16.4%, educational administration, 13.4%, and the master's in business administration, 10%, have also shown substantial growth. SIUE now boasts the second-largest population of international students in our history, with 879 students enriching our community and learning environment.

Overall SIUE welcomed 2,512 new students this fall, including 1,580 first-year, full-time students from diverse backgrounds. The SIUE undergraduate population now includes 31.9% Pell eligible students, demonstrating our commitment to access and opportunity. SIUE serves students from a variety of financial circumstances, and this representation underscores our institutional efforts to bridge the financial gap for qualifying students by utilizing federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

SIUE remains committed to improving retention, graduation rates, and closing equity gaps. SIUE is dedicated to implementing strategies, big and small, to improve student success. Overall, the first-to-second-year retention rate for undergraduates improved 2%. The first-to-second-year retention rate for African American students increased by 10.2%, and 3.7% for Latin(x) students.

The University is committed to growing enrollment at all levels, with the determination to implement new strategies to help high school students, families, individuals with some college experience, and those seeking graduate and professional opportunities better understand the incredible opportunities at SIUE.

“SIUE’s enrollment strategies will need to be creative, data-informed, and focused. Every member of the SIUE administration, faculty, and staff will need to work together as a community to meet our enrollment goal of 14,500,” said James T. Minor, PhD, chancellor of SIUE. “Leveraging the strengths and assets of our university showcases the transformative power of a college degree. The University remains laser-focused on recruiting, retaining, and supporting our students to completion.”