MADISON, Wis.—More than 164,500 students are enrolled across the Universities of Wisconsin this fall, as first-year enrollment remained strong and participation through Direct Admit Wisconsin and high school dual enrollment continued to grow.
Overall enrollment totaled 164,579 in fall 2026, according to 10th Day enrollment figures, a decrease of 1,233 students, or 0.7%, from fall 2025. The year-over-year figures use comparable 10th Day headcount measures and include students enrolled through UW Flexible Option programs.
Much of the overall decline was attributable to international enrollment, which decreased by 1,134 students to 8,889.
“Enrollment remains strong across the Universities of Wisconsin, even as international enrollment declined significantly,” Universities of Wisconsin Interim President Renée Wachter said. “We are also expanding the ways students can access a UW education, from Direct Admit Wisconsin and opportunities for high school students to innovative options like UW Flexible Option that meet working adults where they are. Creating more pathways to a UW education is good for students and good for Wisconsin.”
First-year enrollment remained nearly unchanged from last year’s strong class. The Universities of Wisconsin enrolled 28,442 first-year students this fall, just 38 fewer than fall 2025.
Direct Admit Wisconsin continued to expand its reach. About 7,200 first-year students enrolled through Direct Admit in fall 2026, up from about 5,200 in fall 2025. Direct Admit students now account for 46% of first-year enrollment at participating UW universities.
High school students are also increasingly getting an early start on their UW education. High school special enrollment reached a record 14,579 students, an increase of 857 students, or 6.2%, from fall 2025.
Fall 2026 enrollment figures are:
UW-Eau Claire: 9,001
UW-Green Bay: 12,059
UW-La Crosse: 10,478
UW-Madison: 50,595
UW-Milwaukee: 23,947
UW-Oshkosh: 11,989
UW-Parkside: 4,009
UW-Platteville: 6,135
UW-River Falls: 5,306
UW-Stevens Point: 8,457
UW-Stout Polytechnic: 7,274
UW-Superior: 3,061
UW-Whitewater: 12,268
Final revisions to UW enrollment figures are typically made at the end of the semester and updated on the Accountability Dashboard.
About the Universities of Wisconsin
The Universities of Wisconsin serve approximately 164,500 students. Awarding more than 37,000 degrees annually, these 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in the state five years after earning a degree. The universities provide a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. Learn more at wisconsin.edu.