UNT students walk on campus

DENTON (UNT), Texas — Increased numbers of new freshmen and transfer students are among the more than 42,000 students enrolled at the University of North Texas this fall.

The 42,016 students attending UNT include 6,388 new freshmen, an increase from Fall 2025, and 3,434 new transfer students, a 9.57 percent increase from Fall 2025. In addition to UNT’s robust presence in Denton and its substantial online learning opportunities, 3,377 students enrolled in courses at UNT at Frisco, a record number for that campus. The growth in new student enrollment positions the university to make an even greater impact on the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the state of Texas in the years ahead.

“Our commitment at UNT is to educate every qualified student who commits to learn with us,” said UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D. “We are grateful for the students choosing to attend UNT and are preparing them for success beyond their time on our campuses. Our enrollment this year provides us with great momentum for the future as we work to expand the talent pipeline for the state of Texas.”

The gains in new student enrollment come as UNT has charted a bold direction outlined in the Look North: UNT 2030 Strategic Plan. The plan includes an expanded definition of student success, one in which the university embraces responsibility for students' success beyond graduation and into their careers.

Students who choose UNT are studying in 230 academic programs, including new offerings in emerging fields like a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence, a master’s degree in project management, and a doctoral program in data science. In addition, the newly announced Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, supported by a $20 million gift commitment from the Sinhas, will bring together programs and expertise spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, advanced data analytics, health informatics, information science, library science and learning technologies.

Also contributing to this momentum are new partnerships like UNT OnePath, which are paving the way for community college students to attend the university. Through the partnership, UNT and Collin College are co-enrolling students who then benefit from affordable tuition, access to Collin College and UNT resources and a clear pathway to earning their associate degree from Collin College and bachelor's degree from UNT. Inaugural pathways include business degree programs offered online and at UNT at Frisco.

“Every student who commits to learn with us deserves a clear path forward — and these types of partnerships make that possible from day one,” Keller said. “This is what it looks like when institutions work together to put students first and create enduring value for families, North Texas communities, and the public good.”

The total number of students represents a decrease from 43,567 in Fall 2025, due primarily to a loss of more than 1,300 international students, reflecting a national trend over the past few years. Nevertheless, this year’s enrollment, including the increases in the number of first-time-in-college and transfer students, has UNT poised for future growth.