CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Eastern Illinois University’s Fall 2025 enrollment numbers show an increase in many areas while there was a significant decrease by 51% for international student enrollment.

This comes according to the college’s official 10th-day enrollment reports. The university said the numbers show steady growth in new students, academic program expansion and continued sociocultural opportunities on campus, which they said offsets the decreased international enrollment.

The university welcomed its largest first-year domestic cohort in three years, with overall first-year domestic enrollment up 4% compared to Fall 2024. Notably, one out of five incoming students entered with a perfect 4.0 high school GPA — a mark that is up 5% from last year.

Additionally, transfer enrollment increased in Fall 2025, with a 4% overall rise in new transfers. EIU also saw success with students from its network of community college partners, where transfer enrollment grew by 5%.

The percentage of incoming first-generation college students at Eastern Illinois is also at its highest-ever point since the college started tracking that information. The university attributed this in part to its standing as a First-Gen Forward institution.

The Gail & Richard Lumpkin School of Nursing saw its largest cohort to date, increasing 38% from Fall 2024 while miniating a 100% NCLEX pass rate. The Teaching, Learning & Foundations’ new student cohort also grew by 16% following increased attention from prospective students and highly personalized recruitment efforts.

On top of that, Business Administration is up 91% after the program expanded its offerings to both online and in-person students. Other majors experiencing double-digit enrollment growth include Accountancy, Pre-Physical Therapy, Finance and Construction Management.

“Increases in new first-time, first-generation and transfer students, alongside our record highs for incoming students with a perfect GPA and increased global representation is concrete evidence that Eastern Illinois University is an institution committed to the success of every student,” said EIU President Jay Gatrell.

However, reflecting a national trend, Eastern Illinois did experience a notable enrollment decline in the area of international students, with international enrollment dropping 51% from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025. The university said shifts in global economic conditions, partnered with processing delays, improved vetting practices and federal policy revisions, all contributed to less international students across the country.

New nations of origin represented this fall — now including students from 59 countries — are:

• Angola
• Egypt
• Japan
• Poland
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Thailand
• Uruguay

“More than half of our incoming students are the first in their families to attend college,” said EIU Vice President for Enrollment Josh Norman. “For these students, stepping foot on EIU’s campus represents a historic moment. They are pioneers, carrying the hopes and dreams of previous generations. They understand EIU is making higher education accessible, and that EIU is confidently positioned to address their personal and professional ambitions.”

Additional information regarding EIU enrollment is as follows:

For more information on EIU, visit eiu.edu or call their public information office at 217-581-7400. Online learning opportunities can be found here.