CARBONDALE (SIU NEWS) – Enrollment at Southern Illinois University Carbondale has risen for the second year in a row for the first time since 2000. And the freshman class increased for the fifth consecutive year.

Overall enrollment for fall 2024 grew 3.8% to 11,790, or 431 more students than last year. This is the highest overall boost in the number of students since 1991 and the highest percentage increase since 1987.

“I thank my fellow Salukis for all their hard work to make this historic moment happen,” said Chancellor Austin A. Lane. “This wonderful news is not magic or luck. It is the result of strategic, intentional efforts and partnerships we have formed over the years with our school districts throughout the region and state, community colleges in Illinois and beyond, and our alumni and donors who have spread the word about the excitement taking place on campus.

“As Salukis, we again are showing the power to imagine ambitious goals, even those that defy the odds, and then achieve them.”

The university welcomed 1,758 new freshmen this fall, 137 students or 8.45% more than 2023. Cumulatively, the increase in the freshman class is 69.5% since 2019. And these students are well prepared: New students with a GPA of 3.0 or better have increased 8.4% over last year.

This news follows three previous semesters of growing enrollment. Lane said the university exceeded its goal for fall 2024 and is on track to enroll 15,000 students by 2030, set in the Imagine 2030 strategic plan.

It is too soon to know official higher education enrollment numbers nationally for this year, Lane said. However, the general trend since 2011 has been a decline in overall enrollment at public four-year institutions and often a larger decline in first-time, first-year enrollment.

Changes in the Free Application of Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, presented challenges throughout the country this past academic year. SIU Carbondale’s financial aid professionals proactively reached out to students and community members and worked tirelessly with students to ensure they received their aid in a timely fashion, Lane said.

In addition, SIU Carbondale supports Illinois students who qualify with the Saluki Commitment and Saluki Transfer Commitment. Funded by the state’s AIM HIGH program, these initiatives close the gap between financial aid and tuition and fees. Last year, SIU Carbondale raised the family income limit to $103,040.

“We are committed to removing barriers, including financial obstacles,” Lane said.

Since 2020, SIU Carbondale has joined the Common App, signed agreements with several schools and youth organizations in the Southern Illinois region and the Metro East, and more strategically recruited students. The university has made concerted efforts to recruit students from the Southern Illinois region, and they have paid off: Enrollment of students from the area is up about 13.6%. The university also enrolled 10% more new undergraduates from the state of Illinois.

“It is crucial that we promote what SIU Carbondale has to offer to prospective students,” Lane said. “It’s equally important to ensure students stay in school once they get here – to have success from orientation to graduation.”

Efforts to help students become alumni include strengthening the first-year experience, launching the HEROES program to help students meet basic needs and reinstituting the Dr. Seymour Bryson Future Scholars summer program. Advisers also proactively reach out to students when they see early signs of the need for assistance.

The student body is also diverse, with about 9% more Black students, about 12% more Hispanic students and about 2.5% more international students. Undergraduate enrollment rose about 4.5%, and enrollment in graduate and professional programs is up about 2.3%.

New transfer student enrollment increased about 2% to 1,255, and 47% have GPAs above 3.0. Part of that increase can be attributed to ​Saluki Step Ahead, which allows graduates of partner community colleges to earn their SIU Carbondale bachelor’s degrees online. Enrollment in Saluki Step Ahead increased 111%, including about 62% in the Southern Illinois region.

“Our work continues,” Lane said. “While we celebrate our successes this fall, we are already looking to fall 2025. In fact, students can apply for undergraduate admission for next fall for free until Oct. 31. Attracting and retaining students is a highly competitive endeavor, and we love to compete.”

Information provided by Kim Rendfeld with SIU News.