Eastern Illinois University Gains in Enrollment

Eastern Illinois University reports another increase in overall university enrollment for 2022, with a substantial number of new freshman responsible for EIU’s biggest gains.

“Our enrollment trajectory continues to establish Eastern Illinois University as a first-choice option for top-quality education in Central Illinois, across the State, and in every corner of the world,” said EIU President Dr. David Glassman. “Growth in key areas like new freshman, graduate students, and international students reflects our commitments to affordability, access, academic excellence, and inclusivity. The relationships we forge here are second to none, and I’m so overwhelmingly proud of our entire EIU Family for the opportunities we create for our students and the accomplishments we achieve together.”

EIU’s 10th-day enrollment data indicates freshman enrollment jumped 11 percent from fall 2021 to fall 2022. Of the 863 new freshman enrolled, 91 percent of EIU’s new freshman are from Illinois, marking a 37 percent increase in new freshman within a 60-mile radius of the University. Supplementing that growth is a 26 percent increase in honors-caliber freshman, underscoring EIU’s commitment to high academic standards and focus on undergraduate research and top-notch Honors programing.

“We place a priority emphasis on the relationships we create with our current and prospective students, and I am extremely proud of our University community and how they continue to go the extra mile to serve our current and prospective students and families,” said EIU Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Josh Norman. “As a regional state university, it is our privilege and duty to serve and create exceptional opportunities for students in East Central Illinois and across the State.”

In doing so, EIU is aligning itself with the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s (IBHE) broader goal of creating a thriving Illinois for the state’s learners, leaders, and communities, Norman added. IBHE is charged with increasing higher education opportunities and resources throughout the State, and is doing so through commitments to equity, sustainability and growth.

The university is also reporting all-time highs for international and graduate student levels in Fall 2022. According to the data, international student enrollment at EIU has soared 92 percent, reaching a record high of 766 students representing at least 50 countries. Meanwhile, graduate enrollment increased 14 percent over last fall, reaching another record high of 1,941 total students.

“These are remarkable achievements for EIU and speak loudly to our ability to meet our students where they are,” said L.M. Hamand Dean of the Graduate School and EIU’s Office of International Students and Scholars Dr. Ryan Hendrickson. “Eastern has long been known for its commitment to accessibility and our graduate programs’ abilities to adapt and find new ways to provide graduate education. Recent record increases in these two student groups are strong evidence of ongoing innovation.”

In total, EIU’s fall-to-fall numbers increased 2.9 percent from 2021 to 2022, reaching 8,857 total enrollments with a 5.9 percent increase in on-campus enrollments. Dual credit students—high school students who can earn EIU credit early through innovative high school partnerships—also showed a moderate 2 percent increase from Fall 2021 numbers.

EIU’s Fall 2022 growth follows a trend EIU also saw in its summer 2022 enrollment numbers. EIU welcomed nearly 100 more new incoming freshman between Summer 2022 and Fall 2022 compared to the previous year. The increase helped contribute to a total headcount for Summer 2022 of 2,929—an overall increase of 8.7 percent, complementing the 2.9 percent increase for Fall. Graduate-level enrollees also accounted for a 15 percent increase in summer enrollment. Hendrickson attributes this increase to the ambition of EIU’s graduate students, and EIU’s flexible curriculum offerings.

EIU’s figures come from the University’s 10th-Day enrollment report—the standard metric for enrollment data tracking in Illinois and the nationally accepted standard for tracking university and college enrollments every semester.