University enrolment in N.S. rebounds after COVID-19 dip last year

For many Nova Scotia universities, enrolment numbers are back to pre-pandemic levels after student counts waned in 2020.

This week, the Association of Atlantic Universities released the results of its survey on preliminary student enrolment, which includes figures from Nova Scotia's 10 universities as of Oct. 1.  

Overall, full-time undergraduate and graduate enrolment in Nova Scotia increased 3.8 per cent from the same time last year. The jump more than counterbalances the 2.9 per cent dip recorded early in the 2020-2021 academic year.

Not every university benefited equally, however.

NSCAD and Cape Breton University were hit hardest by the pandemic in the 2020-2021 academic year, reporting full-time enrolment declines of 16.2 per cent and 25.8 per cent, respectively.

This year, both schools saw enrolment rise, but nowhere near as much as it dropped the year prior. NSCAD enrolment increased 3.6 per cent and CBU's increased four per cent.

St. Francis Xavier (up 7.8 per cent), the University of King's College (up seven per cent) and Saint Mary's (up 4.7 per cent) saw the largest gains, after dropping 3.2 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 3.6 per cent, respectively, the year before.

Acadia (up three per cent), Dalhousie (up three per cent) and Mount Saint Vincent (up 3.3 per cent) reported increases within one point of the average. Last year, the same three schools saw enrolment drop within one point of the average.

Two schools didn't benefit from the trend: Atlantic School of Theology (down 11.4 per cent, with 39 students compared to last year's 44) and Université Saint-Anne (down 1.1 per cent).

First-year student numbers soar

In a news release, the chair of the Association of Atlantic Universities attributed the upward trend to universities reopening their campuses after being largely shut down since the arrival of the pandemic.

"After a year of mostly online learning, we know that students are eager to return to campus for in classroom learning, residential living and extra curricular activities that are core to the complete university experience," said Dawn Russell, who is also the president and vice-chancellor of St. Thomas University in Fredericton.

Russell noted a large increase in full-time first-year students, which was reported across Atlantic Canada (up overall by 17.1 per cent), but especially so in Nova Scotia (up 26.4 per cent). Nova Scotia's gains in full-time first-year students more than make up for last year's 9.7 per cent decline.

There was also a marked increase in new transfer students, at 12 per cent overall. That jump doesn't quite make up the 14.4 per cent drop reported last year.

Part-time, international enrolment down

Conversely, the enrolment survey found registration for part-time graduate and undergraduate students decreased, almost across the board.

Overall, the count of part-time students dropped 7.5 per cent, but it still remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Part-time enrolment increased 22 per cent last year.

The exceptions to the downward trend in part-time enrolments are Dalhousie (up 8.9 per cent) and Mount Saint Vincent (up 9.8 per cent).

International student enrolment also declined, by 0.9 per cent overall, although that figure varies significantly by institution.