UC sets new record for California student enrollment as it faces Trump’s challenges

The University of California has enrolled a record number of Californians in the fall of 2025, according to data released Thursday, showing the vitality and popularity of the system under attack by the Trump administration and facing federal funding cuts and tightening of the federal budget belt.

More than 301,000 students enrolled at one of UC’s 10 campuses in the fall — the largest number in its history, with a year-over-year increase of 1,686 students. The total includes more than 200,000 California students, an increase of 1,796 students.

At 42,232, California’s first-year students make up nearly 80% of all 52,611 first-year students, representing an increase of 264 from 2024..

“These numbers demonstrate California’s commitment to academic excellence, access, and innovation, values ​​that have made the University of California the world’s largest research university,” UC President James B. Milliken said in a statement. “The value of a UC degree is very clear. An investment in UC is the best investment in the future of our students, California workers, and the state economy.”

Most ethnic, gender demographics remain stable

Across the board, UC campuses have largely maintained — with small gains or dips — enrollment figures by gender, race and state of residence, including international students.

Continuing a long-term trend, female undergraduates outnumber males, 28,301 to 22,747. Also, Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, African American and white first-year students enrolled in 2024.

But there was a slight decrease in Blacks and Native Americans among first-year students. Across the nine undergraduate campuses — the tenth campus, San Francisco, has only graduate programs — there were 2,471 first-year Black students, compared to 2,493 in 2024. For Native American students, the number was 319, compared to 346 last year.

Despite restrictions on foreign students that include full or partial travel bans in 39 countries and additional testing, international student enrollment at UC has generally remained stable. The scrutiny includes social media checks by US visa authorities looking for pro-Palestinian content deemed antisemitic.

In total, foreigners at all levels of education numbered 34,498, a decrease of 499. Most of that decline was among graduate students.

Many international students are among the new undergraduates

But the number of international students undertaking new degrees – including transfers – grew by almost 21% to 7,292.

That growth is partly due to UC offering more international admissions because campuses weren’t sure how many would enroll within the limits. Last year, 3,263 more first-year international students got seats, an increase of 17% compared to 2024.

When it released data in July on admissions applications, UC said the high number reflected “increasing uncertainty about their chances of enrolling” and that the share of accepted international students who choose to enroll is generally “significantly lower” than that of California residents.

UC Berkeley saw a huge jump in international freshmen, from 594 to 1,282. At UCLA, the group increased by 818 to 1,006. Davis and Irvine saw a slight decline.

Overall for all graduates, UC Riverside had the largest increase – 22,600 to 24,034.

One field of study popular with international students — computer science — saw a slight decline across UC. There were 5,443 students enrolled in programs in 2024, compared to 5,184 in 2025.

In addition to the Trump administration’s restrictions, UC’s consideration of offering seats to more international students has included their high tuition costs as another potential obstacle. In 2024, the UC Board of Regents approved a 10% increase in “non-residential” tuition from $34,200 to $37,602.

UC began adding more out-of-state students, who pay higher tuition, after funding cuts during the Great Recession. In recent years, under public pressure and amid federal budget deals, enrollment and enrollment in California has grown steadily.

“UC degrees, which have proven to pay dividends, are the gold standard of public higher education,” Han Mi Yoon-Wu, UC’s vice president for graduate admissions, said in a statement. “We want every Californian to know they can earn a UC degree. This year’s enrollment numbers demonstrate once again that the University of California is here to advance social and economic mobility for all Californians.”

Trump’s challenges

Thursday’s data release comes amid a challenging time for UC as admissions practices and the college’s reliance on higher education from international students face national criticism.

In recent years, UC has touted the racial and ethnic mix of its student enrollment as a growing reflection of California’s demographics. The point of pride came despite attacks on diversity programs across the country, and the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that affirmative action in college admissions was unconstitutional.

In California, Proposition 209, approved by voters in 1996, banned racial considerations in college admissions. Over the years, UC has moved to attract more diverse students and, in the early 2000s, introduced two major reforms. The other focuses on the assurance of admission to top performing students across the country and to California’s top schools. One evaluates applicants using a comprehensive review process — including special talents, how the student compares to peers at their high school, and geographic location — in addition to grades and coursework.

Allegations by the Trump administration that UC campuses have illegally used race in admissions included cuts in federal grants and a $1.2-billion fine levied against UCLA last year.

UC has vigorously defended its admissions practices and said it complies with state and federal laws.

The cuts and fines are currently prohibited under court orders, but UC officials say they are open to discussions with the White House to prevent further cuts and investigations.

Nationally, data released by more than a dozen top universities showed that colleges, without credentialing, are enrolling more low-income students who qualify for Pell Grants. Grants do not have to be repaid.

Princeton’s first-year undergraduate class set a record this year for having the lowest-income students ever — a quarter qualify for Pell Grants. Yale, Duke, Johns Hopkins and MIT also set similar records in the past two years.

At UC, the overall data is different, showing a decline in Pell recipients. Across all campuses, there were 84,780 recipients in the fall of 2025. In the fall of 2024, the number was 86,888. Only one campus, Riverside, saw an increase, from 11,045 to 11,778.