Enrollment dips at IU South Bend, other regional campuses in 2nd fall semester of pandemic

IU South Bend enrolled 5,092 students in fall 2019 — the last semester uninterrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. The next year, its overall enrollment dropped to 4,942 at a rate similar to a steady decline the South Bend campus has seen over the last six or so years.

Enrollment saw a more significant drop this year, however, with fall totals dropping from 4,942 students in 2020 to 4,449 this year.

Bucking trends:Ivy Tech shows steady enrollment despite national dips among community colleges

Many were unsure what trends would follow after universities’ sudden shift to remote learning in spring 2020. Some predicted enrollment dips as uncertainty gripped the higher education sphere.

While graduate and doctoral programs have generally seen increases nationwide, undergraduate and community college enrollment trends have shown less stability over the last 18 months.