The University of Hawaii announced enrollment across its 10 campuses reached 51,411 students in fall 2025, a 2% increase from last fall and the highest enrollment since 2017.
This marks the third consecutive year of growth, according to UH’s news release.
The enrollment gains were driven by a small surge in first-time freshmen across the UH system (up 2.1%), more participation in programs that allow high school students to earn college or high school credit (up 6.9% from fall 2024), and rising undergraduate home-based enrollment at UH 4-year campuses.
UH President Wendy Hensel said in a statement she was proud that more Hawaii residents are pursuing degrees at UH, but said challenges to enrollment remain. In particular, UH saw a 3.5% decline in undergraduate transfer enrollment.
“Addressing transfer barriers is one of our top priorities,” said Hensel. “For example, we are working to ensure that online programs available at our community colleges are aligned with online bachelors at our four-year campuses. I am especially excited about our adoption of EAB Navigate360 and EAB Edify, which will be fully in place next year. These tools will give students the support they need, often before they even realize they need it, to ensure they reach their educational goals.”
According to UH, the technology platforms use predictive analytics built on historical and current student data to proactively alert faculty and other staff at the earliest signs a student may be at risk. The goal is to deliver support when it can make the most difference, helping students stay on track in their studies and graduate.