UNC Asheville Reports Increase in Enrollment and Retention
The University of North Carolina at Asheville reported an increase in enrollment for the Spring 2025 semester and increased student retention. The headcount for Spring 2025 reached 2,801, a 1.9% increase from Spring 2024 and a 4.7% increase from Spring 2023. Of that total, 2,594 are continuing and returning degree-seeking students,120 are new degree-seeking students, and 87 are non-degree seeking.
With support from the North Carolina General Assembly, UNCA offered financial assistance for spring semester tuition that covered the full costs of in-state tuition, $2,061. This continued enrollment increase shows that the UNCA student population is beginning to stabilize starting in the Spring of 2024 after a seven-year decline. In the Fall of 2024, the University welcomed its third largest class in 2024.
“These successes are indicative of the years of behind-the-scenes work done to right the ship, even before it was affected by Helene,” said Chancellor Kimberly van Noort. “I can’t say enough about everyone’s efforts — faculty and staff — both in recruiting our students and supporting them through one of the most difficult challenges our University and region have ever faced.”
The University credits its success on increased recruitment efforts and new programs including Access Asheville. The Access Asheville program provides assistance to middle and low-income families from the neighboring states of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Broadening the pool of potential applicants.
“We are partnering with the Department of Public Instruction to make the application process easier and quicker for students who traditionally do not apply to college,” Moreno said. “Also, we are piloting a direct admission program for eligible out-of-state students and implementing an initiative that utilizes a redirection pool, which encourages students who were not accepted to other schools to apply here.”
The retention rate for new students from the Fall to Spring semester was 92.8%, this is an improvement from the five year average, and the highest seen since 2015. According to Jeff Konz, director of institutional research, this speaks to a larger effort to reverse enrollment decline and improve retention. “While our post-Helene academic policies may have had a temporary positive impact on retention,” Konz said, “there are many, many other things that we’re doing right to support students and to keep them at UNC Asheville.”
Regine Criser, director of student success said that teams across campus helped provide support ranging from mental health support, resources for learning online, financial aid guidance, to providing students with access to laptops, wifi, and work locations.
“We have put a lot of effort over the past few years to establish a student success ecosystem that spans across divisions and involves faculty and staff as well as an extensive peer support network,” Criser said. “Allowing students back on campus last semester, faculty offering synchronous zoom meetings and drop-ins while also providing students with asynchronous options, student support services being available in person and remotely all ensured that we were able to serve our students even while they were dispersed and navigating the impacts of Helene.”
