UW Oshkosh is expected to see a drop in enrollment for the 2025-26 academic year based on official first-day estimates released by the Universities of Wisconsin.
According to a Sept. 9 official estimate from the UWs, UWO welcomed 12,457 Titans to campus this fall. This is down approximately 3.9% from last year, when UWO had 12,964 students enrolled across both the Oshkosh and Fox Valley campuses.
Despite the overall decline, UWO is seeing year-to-year growth in multiple sectors. Preliminary figures show a 4% increase in new transfer student enrollment, a 17% increase in new graduate student enrollment and a 4% rise in first-year student retention. The Honors College also experienced growth, up 2% after a record year for 2024-25.
Chancellor Monohar Singh said that this growth shows that UWO is supporting students.
“These categories highlight UWO’s ability to attract and support students seeking strong academic communities, pathways to advanced degrees and accessible transfer opportunities,” Singh said. “They are proof that students continue to see UW Oshkosh as a place where they can launch, continue or elevate their higher education journeys.”
While UWO is seeing a decline in first-year student enrollment, university officials say that is expected after the discontinuation of the Fox Valley campus, which closed at the end of the spring semester.
Specifically for the Oshkosh campus, new first-year student estimates indicate a 2.2% year-over-year increase.
Singh said the deeper dive into UWO enrollment reveals resilience and encouraging momentum in student populations that align with institutional strengths and growth strategies.
“Enrollment is more than a single-year snapshot,” Singh said. “We are navigating demographic headwinds and change in higher education with determination, creativity and a focus on student success. Our growth in areas like honors, transfer, graduate programs and student retention demonstrates that UWO remains a first-choice institution in Wisconsin and beyond.”
Across the UWs, new freshman enrollment is up 3%, or nearly 900 students, according to the preliminary estimates — with eight universities showing new freshman enrollment increases of 5% or more. Overall, system enrollment is 164,340 in fall 2025, according to the preliminary estimates, down 96 students from the final 2024 fall enrollment counts.
The eight schools that saw an increase in enrollment were: UW-Green Bay (302 students), UW-La Crosse (169), UW-Platteville (15), UW-River Falls (2), UW-Stevens Point (287), UW-Stout (133), UW-Superior (40) and UW-Whitewater (323).
“We are seeing positive signs on enrollment for the third straight year,” Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said. “New freshman enrollment is particularly promising. It’s a win when our state’s public universities continue to attract and retain talent Wisconsin will need to prosper.”
Rothman attributed the promising trends to initiatives like Direct Admit Wisconsin, which offers automatic admission to qualified high school students along with the Wisconsin Tuition Promise, which provides tuition and fees for students from families earning less than $55,000.
Official enrollment statistics, based on the 10th day of enrollment, will be released later in the fall. These official numbers are used for federal reporting.
