Spring enrollment numbers show increase in international students

Minority student enrollment at KU set records for another year, according to spring 2010 data.

This semester, 3,608 minority students are enrolled. The number, which represents 12.7 percent of the student body, tops last year’s record-setting number for spring. Overall enrollment for the university held steady with a 0.1 percent decline compared to the previous year. Enrollment at the KU Medical Center increased 1.3 percent.

The largest increase came in international undergraduate enrollment at the Lawrence campus, which rose 17.2 percent over spring 2009.

“Clearly, KU is becoming better known among international student applicants,” said Joe Potts, director of International Student and Scholar Services. “A sizeable portion of KU’s recent growth in international students comes from China. As income levels increase in China, more students are seeking degrees from U.S., European and other international universities.”

KU’s Edwards Campus in Overland Park reported a 4 percent increase in enrollment by credit hours, attributed mostly to new undergraduate business offerings. The campus launched a new bachelor’s of business administration degree in January, and a new business minor began last fall. These are the first new programs at the Edwards Campus funded through the Johnson County Education and Research Triangle initiative. To accommodate the growth, the campus is breaking ground in April for a new $24 million, 75,000-square-foot building.

Total KU spring enrollment since 1996

Spring 2010: 28,414

Spring 2009: 28,453

Spring 2008: 27,876

Spring 2007: 27,875

Spring 2006: 27,994

Spring 2005: 27,890

Spring 2004: 27,772

Spring 2003: 27,463

Spring 2002: 26,894

Spring 2001: 26,857

Spring 2000: 26,545