Freshmen enrollment at the University of Illinois Springfield grew by nearly 14 percent according to Fall Semester 2018 census numbers released today. The total number of first-year students stands at 316, compared to 278 last fall semester.

“We are delighted that more first-year students are choosing the University of Illinois Springfield for their undergraduate education,” said UIS Chancellor Susan Koch. “These numbers show that our increased recruitment efforts, expanding academic programs and new facilities are making a difference.”

Nearly 90 percent (284) of the new freshmen are Illinois residents and 47 percent have self-reported as a minority.

UIS saw an increase in the percentage of its student body (75.5 percent up from 72.2 percent last year) coming from Illinois. The university has a total of 3,453 students who are Illinois residents. International students encompass 9.5 percent of the students enrolled.

The number of students taking classes completely online continues to be an important part of the UIS student body. A total of 1,636 students (nearly 36 percent) are enrolled in online degree or certificate programs. This semester, UIS online students reside in 45 states, 82 counties in Illinois and 11 foreign countries.

After the first 10 days of classes, the total number of students enrolled in fall classes at UIS stands at 4,575 compared to 4,956 students in fall 2017. Total undergraduate enrollment stands at 2,814 students compared to 2,932 in fall 2017. The number of graduate students decreased from 2,024 in 2017 to 1,761 in 2018.

There are a total of 585 African American students enrolled this semester comprising 12.8 percent of the student body. Students who self-identify as Hispanic comprise 7.3 percent (334) of this year’s student body, and Asian students comprise 3.9 percent (178).

This week U.S. News & World Report also announced that UIS is ranked in the top 10 Best Public Regional Universities in the Midwest. The Springfield campus was ranked as the ninth best public university in the national rankings, up from the previous year.

UIS is one of three universities in the world-class University of Illinois System and provides students with a high-quality liberal arts education, exceptional public affairs opportunities and outstanding professional preparation programs.