The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that Illinois public universities have reached their highest enrollment levels in a decade, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled for the fall 2025 semester.

According to newly released figures, enrollment increased by more than 4,000 students, a 2.3 percent rise from last year. The strongest growth came from incoming freshmen, whose numbers were up 6.8 percent compared to 2024.

IBHE noted that continued gains in student enrollment suggest a healthy and expanding pipeline from K–12 schools and community colleges into the state’s public university system.

While student enrollment overall was up, the report did note a decline in international student enrollment which was down 6.5 percent in public universities and a 14.1 percent decline in international students enrolling in graduate and professional schools.

IBHE compiles fall enrollment data through the Illinois Higher Education Information System (IHEIS) and its annual Fall Enrollment Survey. All 12 public universities in Illinois reported their census data for this year’s analysis.