Central leads enrollment uptick across CSCU

The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system announced on Oct. 1 that the four Connecticut State Universities (CSUs) and CT State Community College (CT State) saw an uptick of 6.7 percent in total student enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year.

According to the Fall 2025 Initial Census Report, the four CSUs have seen an increase of 9.8 percent in total student enrollment over the previous fall semester. Individual student enrollment increases at the state universities and CT State are as follows:

•    Central Connecticut State University: 12.7 percent
•    Eastern Connecticut State University: 9.6 percent
•    Southern Connecticut State University: 6.9 percent
•    Western Connecticut State University: 9.7 percent
•    CT State Community College (12 campuses): 4.3 percent

These figures include concurrent enrollment. With the recent passage of legislation that formally defines and supports dual credit, CSCU’s colleges and universities now have a clearer framework to scale dual and concurrent enrollment programs throughout its public college and university system.  

The enrollment boost follows a successful 2024-2025 academic year, during which CSCU’s colleges and universities served more than 100,000 learners and awarded 13,316 degrees to 12,258 students. 

“Our colleges and universities are starting the new academic year with strong momentum. The increase in enrollment reflects our core mission of opening the doors to higher education to as many students as possible,” said CSCU Interim Chancellor O. John Maduko. “Our institutions are meeting the needs of students, employers, and the communities they serve by offering flexible, diverse academic pathways that allow learners to build skills over time or stack credentials toward a degree.”

Programs like the Connecticut Automatic Admission Program (CAAP) and the Mary Ann Handley Award, formerly known as the PACT Program, are helping to expand access to higher education and boost student retention across the CSCU system. CAAP allows eligible graduating Connecticut high school seniors to be automatically admitted to participating colleges and universities. For Fall 2025, nearly 2,000 students applied through the program and nearly 71 percent of students who use CAAP choose to apply to one of the CSUs.

Launched in 2019, the Mary Ann Handley Award provides debt free community college tuition for eligible students. To date, the program has awarded more than $91 million in scholarships to over 33,500 students. 

“The enrollment growth across the CSCU system reflects the quality and affordability of the education we deliver through the professionalism and dedication of our faculty and staff across all campuses,” said Marty Guay, chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. “It is also a testament to the strategic initiatives our colleges and universities have undertaken by focusing on student success, retention, and outcomes, providing academic excellence and workforce-aligned programs. Our students learn here, earn here, and stay in Connecticut.”

Charter Oak State College (COSC), an online college within the CSCU system, will conduct its census on Oct. 31, with the final census report released to include COSC census data soon after.