According to the University of North Carolina System, enrollment at North Carolina HBCUs has seen a significant increase based on new data. For the first time ever, enrollment this fall has surpassed 250,000 students.

North Carolina A&T State University was one of the main institutions that had a significant increase in enrollment. This fall almost 1,000 students enrolled in the university, a 6.7% increase from last year, bringing the number to over 15,000 students. Based on a North Carolina A&T census, demographics such as in-state, international, and graduate students have contributed to the enrollment increase. North Carolina A&T currently holds the title of the largest HBCU in the country.

“The 2025-26 student body reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU, and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world. We embrace the opportunity to prepare them for a world undergoing seismic knowledge and technology shifts and to guide their development as individuals, ready for lives of achievement and meaning,” said North Carolina A&T Chancellor James R. Martin II.

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Winston-Salem State University has also seen an increase in enrollment this fall. In a press release, the university announced that 4,962 students enrolled this fall, making it the largest increase the university has had in years, as well as a 4.7% increase since last year.

Of the over 4,900 students, over one thousand of them are first-time freshmen, highlighting three years of consistent growth in this area. With over 600 graduate students enrolled, this is the highest level of graduate enrollment in a decade. Winston-Salem State Chancellor Bonita Brown says that the increase in enrollment is due to a combination of new technology, outreach programs, marketing, and a new admissions system that helped generate almost 15,000 applications. In addition, she created the Ramily Road Tours to reach students in cities like Charlotte, Durham, Atlanta, and Greenville.

“Welcoming our largest freshman class in recent history and seeing such strong growth in graduate programs reflects the hard work of our faculty and staff, the strength of our academic offerings, and our responsibility for student success,” Brown said in a news release.