The University of Dayton set new records for full-time undergraduate enrollment, total enrollment — including graduate, law and doctoral students — and racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity for fall 2020.

“The University of Dayton continues to see strong demand from the increasingly diverse populations we’re serving, including growth in the number of students earning bachelor’s degrees through the UD Sinclair Academy,” said Jason Reinoehl, vice president for strategic enrollment management. “Although the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges and uncertainties for everyone, our entire campus community worked very hard to prepare safety measures for the educational environment and to support our students in their return to campus. Students and their families have responded very positively.”

Record total enrollment reached 11,677 compared to 11,474 in fall 2019. For undergraduates, enrollment is up 2% compared to last fall, and full-time students are at a new record (8,322). Additionally, the fall semester sets records for underrepresented students among undergraduates (15.9%) and the first-year class (19.8%). Additionally, 20.5% of the first-year class is eligible for the federal Pell grant, a new record. 

The University continues to build upon some of its most signature programs in the 2020-21 school year, including its leading approach to providing complete price transparency which gives complete assurance to its families about the cost of a degree. Many campuswide efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion also continue to grow, including the Flyer Promise Scholars program, which removes financial barriers for talented underrepresented students from partner high schools and has achieved a 98% retention rate over the past three years.