University of Illinois Chicago sees record enrollment two years in a row, tell me about this news in (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/09/illinois-public-universities-enrollment-growth/)

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) announced it has achieved the highest enrollment in its history for the second consecutive year, marking three straight years of overall growth.Key details reported from the official 10th-day census figures:

• Total enrollment rose to 37,199 students, a 3.7% increase (up by 1,330 students) compared to 35,869 students in fall 2025.
• Undergraduate growth drove much of the surge, increasing by 5.6% to reach 25,620 students.
• First-year undergraduate enrollment reached a new milestone of 5,420 students.
• Transfer enrollment climbed 7.3% to 2,628 students, representing the 10th consecutive year UIC enrolled more than 2,000 incoming transfer students.
• Online programs expanded significantly, jumping 18.8% to 2,096 fully online degree-seeking students.
• Several academic colleges posted notable growth, particularly the College of Nursing (overall enrollment up 14.8%) and the School of Public Health, alongside steady gains in Engineering, Business, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• Demographic data reflected gains among underrepresented and first-generation college students, supported by tuition assistance and access initiatives such as the UIC Aspire program.

University leadership credited the record numbers to strong recruitment pipelines, retention initiatives, and the institution’s emphasis on student success and socioeconomic mobility.