Michigan's 15 Public Universities Lose 5,223 Students This Fall
Michigan's 15 public universities enrolled 254,107 students this fall, down 5,223 — about 2 percent — from 259,330 a year earlier, a sharper decline than higher education leaders expected. The Detroit Free Press reported the figures October 31 from the Michigan Association of State Universities' preliminary fall 2026 report.
Twelve of the 15 universities lost students. Lake Superior State University fell the most in percentage terms, down 14.4 percent, or 208 students, to 1,232. Eastern Michigan University lost 708 students (5.8 percent) and Northern Michigan University 425 (also 5.8 percent). Only three institutions grew: the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus rose 1.3 percent to 54,181, the Flint campus rose nearly 2 percent to 7,258, and Wayne State University was essentially flat, up 14 students to 24,182.
Graduate enrollment fell 4.9 percent, or 2,918 students — more than half the statewide loss — which the association attributed to federal policies slowing international student processing. New transfer enrollment rose 0.9 percent to 12,993, while first-time freshman enrollment fell 1.2 percent to 40,228. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship, now in its fourth year, offers eligible students up to $5,500 a year.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Michigan Stadium and Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan。Dwight Burdette 摄，CC BY 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Michigan Stadium and Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan. By Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
