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UC Sets Record Fall 2025 Enrollment as Legal and Funding Pressures Mount

UC cites suspended research grants, ongoing court fights over admissions as risks to sustaining growth.

Overview

  • UC counted 301,093 students in fall 2025, up 1,686 from a year earlier, including more than 200,000 California resident undergraduates.
  • The number of students receiving federal Pell Grants fell 2.4% to 84,780, reversing recent gains across most campuses except UC Riverside.
  • Overall international enrollment edged down to 34,498, yet new international undergraduates rose about 21% to 7,292 after UC offered more seats.
  • Federal agencies have suspended or terminated more than 400 research grants totaling about $230 million, with a $1.2 billion fine against UCLA currently blocked by court orders.
  • A judge recently denied UC’s motion to dismiss a conservative lawsuit alleging unlawful use of race in admissions, keeping legal scrutiny active.