First-Year Feat

Buoyed by a record-setting 45,000+ applications, UB welcomed its largest first-year class in history this past fall. A total of 5,019 undergraduate students enrolled, marking an increase of nearly 21% over last year and surpassing the previous record by 822 students. UB’s undergraduate enrollment now stands at 20,034, up from 19,106 in the fall of 2024.

The gains are reflected within nearly every academic unit. The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences claimed the largest share, with 1,414 first-year students. The College of Arts and Sciences surged to 1,203 first-year students, a 30% increase from last fall. The School of Nursing, meanwhile, saw the most dramatic growth, doubling to 285 first-year students.

The entering class was also among the most broadly representative in UB’s history, both domestically and internationally. About a third of UB’s undergraduates are first-generation students, more than half receive financial aid and more than a third are Pell Grant-eligible.

UB’s total enrollment of 30,400 students made this the seventh consecutive year the university achieved its goal of reaching 30,000 students overall.

UB earned the No. 1 spot among all public universities in New York State in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The rankings also place UB 33rd among all public colleges and universities in the U.S.