Enrollment at Georgia Southern University has reached a historic high at 20, 674 full-time students for Fall Semester 2016, marking an increase of more than 200 students from Fall Semester 2015.

For the last five years, the University has consistently experienced enrollment numbers of approximately 20,500. This year’s increase over last year’s enrollment of 20,459 represents a promising rise in full-time students, including 136 additional new freshmen, now enrolled at Georgia Southern.

“We are proud of the hard work of our admissions team and the entire campus community in the recruitment and retention of the best and brightest students from across Georgia and the country,” said Teresa Thompson, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. “We have wonderful faculty and advisors who work with students on an individual level to ensure they are prepared for college coursework and are successful while they are at Georgia Southern.”

Georgia Southern boasts a 22:1 student-faculty ratio, which helps the University maintain its unique “small feel” for a higher education institution of its size. The University also provides hands-on learning with research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students.

This semester’s record enrollment also includes an increase in the number of graduate students enrolled in the University's Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies.

“We are delighted that graduate student enrollment has experienced an upturn this fall,” said Diana Cone, Ph.D., associate provost. “ We have gained more new and returning graduate students due to the hard work of the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies staff and collaboration with the program directors in each of the University’s colleges.”