Wichita State enrolls 14,823 students for 2009 fall semester

Enrollment at Wichita State University for fall 2009 is 14,823 students, an increase of 211 students or 1.4 percent compared to fall 2008, according to the official enrollment report given to the Kansas Board of Regents following the 20th day of classes. Since fall 2005, enrollment has increased between 150-200 students annually.

Total student credit hours are 156,535 in fall 2009, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to fall 2008 and the second highest number of student credit hours since 1980.

The average credit hour load taken by WSU students continues to gradually increase. This fall, the average credit hour load is 11.43 for undergraduates and 7.3 for graduate students — the highest since at least fall 1980.

"Our enrollment increase can be attributed to a combination of factors," said Wade Robinson, vice president for campus life and university relations. "Those factors include tuition assistance from federal stimulus money, the Sedgwick County Scholarship, recognition by the public of the premier faculty and high quality academic programs at Wichita State, and the enhancement of our overall recruitment efforts."

The percentage of full-time students by class has changed significantly during the past 10 years. Almost 90 percent of WSU freshmen are full-time students this fall compared to 68 percent in fall 1999.

The percentage of full-time graduate students today is 41 percent, compared to 29 percent 10 years ago.

This fall there are 7,966 undergraduate students from Sedgwick County, compared to 7,773 students in fall 2008, for an increase of 2.5 percent.

There are 260 out-of-state graduate students enrolled at WSU this fall, compared to 226 students a year ago, an increase of 15 percent.

WSU has 1,375 international students, making up 9.3 percent of the student body.

Enrollment statistics are available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?231.