Lamar University sees 11% increase in freshman enrollment for fall 2026

Lamar University (LU) is seeing continued growth in its incoming freshman class, with on-campus freshman enrollment for summer and fall 2026 up 11% from the previous year. 

The Office of Admissions attributes much of the increase to two initiatives introduced this year: Lamar University’s adoption of the Common Application and the state of Texas’ Free College Application Week.

Applications submitted through Common App accounted for 44% of LU’s on-campus freshman applicant pool, helping freshman applications double compared with 2025.

The university also admitted students who applied through Common App at a 20% higher rate. University officials said the difference was not tied to a stronger academic profile among Common App applicants but to the platform’s ability to allow high schools to upload student transcripts directly, helping applicants complete admission requirements and receive decisions more quickly.

Texas’ Free College Application Week also generated interest. LU saw application volume increase 324% compared with the same week in 2025, adding 2,588 applications. Those applications accounted for 14% of the university’s total application volume.

Lamar University already provides several opportunities for prospective students to have application fees waived, including campus tours and Cardinal View, but university officials said the response to the statewide initiative demonstrated students’ interest in taking advantage of a broader application-fee waiver.

The university also saw notable geographic growth beyond Southeast Texas.

Houston represented LU’s largest area of enrollment growth, increasing 51%. While Southeast Texas continues to account for the largest number of students, university officials said the Houston increase reflects Lamar University’s growing recognition across the state.

Other Texas recruitment territories, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Central Texas, experienced a combined 76% increase.

Admissions officials also credited the growth to efforts designed to make the enrollment process more accessible for prospective students.

“We have a hardworking team of Admissions staff who care about building genuine connections with our prospective students,” Hanna Deland Terro, director of admissions, said. “We believe in helping students find their best fit, and we sell LU because we believe in the education and opportunities that our students receive.”

This year, the university hosted a series of events at high schools and other central locations to help admitted students complete remaining enrollment requirements closer to home.

The effort required collaboration among admissions, financial aid, the Undergraduate Advising Center, housing, New Student Orientation and other university offices.

“We try to meet our students where they are,” Terro said. “The enrollment process can get overwhelming.”

Overall university application volume increased 100% from the previous year, creating additional demand on offices responsible for processing prospective students.

Terro said the increase also provides an opportunity to examine processes and ensure LU can continue serving a growing applicant pool efficiently.

“We couldn’t have predicted this amount of growth, but we have a team of hardworking individuals that handled the volume without significant delays,” Terro said.

To learn more about Lamar University, visit http://www.lamar.edu.