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Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú enrollment rose 5.2% over last fall, reaching its highest level since 2021 and marking the university’s second straight year of growth.

The increase follows several years of enrollment declines during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It also suggests that more California students, particularly transfer students, are choosing Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú as a path to a degree, career advancement and new opportunities.

New transfer enrollment rose 11.8%, while enrollment among California residents increased 7.2%. First-time freshman enrollment grew 2.9%, and full-time equivalent enrollment increased 4.1%.

The university finalized the figures on Fall 2026 Census Day.

“For years, I have called Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú a ‘hidden gem.’ These enrollment numbers are another sign that we aren’t so hidden anymore,” said Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú President Cathy Sandeen. “But students are much more than numbers to us. Each is making an important decision about their future when they enroll with us. Our focus is to ensure students feel welcome, know their options and have the pathways to turn their goals into reality.”

In 2023, Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú launched a university-wide effort to strengthen enrollment, recruitment and retention. The initiative brought together teams across campus to improve outreach, sharpen communication and help prospective students see how the university’s academic programs, campus experience and career pathways align with their goals. As part of that work, the university has significantly expanded its enrollment marketing and digital recruitment efforts across undergraduate, graduate and University Extension programs, using more targeted, data-informed campaigns to reach prospective students throughout the region and beyond.

The university has also expanded pathways for local students and made the path to enrollment easier to navigate. High school seniors in the region who meet admission requirements can be automatically admitted to Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú without completing an application. More than 300 local high school students are also getting an early start on college through the university’s dual enrollment program, taking Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú courses online or at their high schools.

Once students are ready to enroll, Perry’s Nest provides a one-stop shop for prospective and current students to find help with admissions, financial aid, enrollment and other university services. Launched in 2025, Perry’s Nest also connects students personally with student ambassadors through tours, outreach and campus visits.

Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú continues to elevate academic advising through coordinated, college-based teams. This work was recently recognized when the university’s Advising Resource Center and three advisors received 2026 honors from NACADA, The Global Community for Academic Advising. Students who engage with academic advising have a 6% higher term-to-term retention rate, the university reports.

The university’s redesigned website also earned a 2026 Gold NYX Award, an international honor for excellence in marketing, communications and digital media.

“Students are looking for a university where they can see themselves succeed,” said Angela Hummel, AVP, Enrollment Management. “From their first interaction with us, we want them to envision a clear path to their degree — knowing that each is unique and that our job is to meet them where they are.”

The enrollment gains come amid broader investment in the university. In December 2025, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott made an unrestricted $50 million gift to Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú, the largest single donation in the university’s history.

“Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú has an important role to play in expanding opportunity across the Bay Area,” said Â鶹´«Ã½ÉçÇøÈë¿Ú President Cathy Sandeen. “We want to be the place students choose when they are looking for a university close to home where they can develop their talents, prepare for meaningful careers, build stronger futures and make a difference where they live.”

For more information: Kimberly Hawkins | PIO, News & Media Manager
kimberly.hawkins@csueastbay.edu | 415-793-9219