Published:
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system announced on Feb. 19 that the Spring 2025 Preliminary Census Report shows that total student enrollment at CT State Community College (CT State) and the four Connecticut State Universities (CSUs) increased by 6.2 percent over the Spring 2024 semester. Central posted the second highest individual increase overall at 8.3 percent.
In Fall 2024, CSCU’s total enrollment increased by 4.4 percent.
The uptick in enrollment throughout the 2024 to 2025 academic year is attributed to targeted recruitment efforts, collective work in eliminating barriers to higher education, and continuing to meet the evolving needs of its student population.
As a whole, the CSUs have seen an increase of 6.6 percent in total student enrollment.
Individual student enrollment increases at CSU institutions and CT State are as follows:
• Central Connecticut State University: 8.3 percent
• Eastern Connecticut State University: 6.8 percent
• Southern Connecticut State University: 3.1 percent
• Western Connecticut State University: 10.1 percent
• CT State Community College (12 campuses): 6 percent
Preliminary spring enrollment numbers for Charter Oak State College (COSC), an online college within the CSCU system, show a 15.3 percent increase in total student enrollment. Charter Oak will complete its census on March 31 with the final census report released to include COSC data soon after.
“Across the CSCU system, our colleges and universities have made significant progress in increasing enrollment and retention by focusing on student success and outcomes. Credit goes to our students and faculty supported by our committed staff,” said Marty Guay, chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. “The increase in student population across the system will allow CSCU to continue being a pivotal part of Connecticut’s growth strategy.”
Programs such as the Connecticut Automatic Admission Program (CAAP), which automatically admits eligible graduating Connecticut high school seniors to participating colleges and universities, and the Mary Ann Handley Award, formerly known as PACT, which offers free community college tuition for eligible students, have contributed to the growth in CSCU student enrollment by making higher education more accessible to those who would otherwise not be able to afford an education.
From January 2024 to February 2025, the number of CSCU applications through CAAP increased from 3,259 to 14,410. More than 75 percent of eligible students who participate in CAAP are choosing to apply to CSCU institutions.
Since the Mary Ann Handley Award’s launch in 2019, $56.1 million in scholarships have been awarded to 23,615 students.