The higher education institutions affiliated with Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Church Canada and the Mennonite Brethren denominations in the U.S. and Canada have released fall enrollment statistics, many revealing impacts of government shifts regarding international student visas.

Tabor College undergraduate enrollment grew by 14% to 567 students on campus, driven by a record total of 193 first-time freshmen. Graduate and online courses increased by 41% to 116 students, also a record.

Eighty of the 742 students across all programs are international students (71 on-campus, nine graduate and online), representing 33 countries outside the U.S., which is three more nations than last year. Last year’s international enrollment in undergraduate and graduate programs was 51 students.

“These historic numbers confirm that students desire and thrive in Tabor’s decidedly Christian community,” said President David Janzen.

Hesston College grew for a second straight year, climbing from 372 students last year to 394, the highest enrollment since 2018. New students total 209, the second straight year that number topped 200. The total of 338 students living on campus is a 51% increase over the past two years and the highest number since 2011.

President Mark Landes said expanded four-year academic and athletic options pushed total enrollment and the residential community higher. International enrollment dropped by 10 to 54 students from 27 countries.

“International students enrich our classrooms, athletic teams and residence halls with their valuable perspectives and experiences,” he said. “International education remains a core strength of Hesston College, and we look forward to continued growth in this area as federal processes stabilize.”

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary climbed from 190 to 200 students, the highest enrollment in nearly 20 years. Graduate students increased from 149 last year to 162, the most since 2007.

Scott Janzen, assistant dean, registrar and director of retention, said the incoming class of 48 students is the second largest since 1999. The new distance-friendly doctor of ministry in leadership program contributed to the increase, with 20 students compared with 12 last fall. The online Spanish graduate certificate in theology grew from 10 to 15 students.

Of AMBS’s 162 graduate students, 86 are from the U.S., seven are from Canada and 69 are from other countries — compared with 82 U.S., four Canadian and 63 international students in 2024.

Ten of the 69 international students are studying on campus; the rest are in their home countries. According to Janzen, while only one admitted international student was granted a visa to study on campus in 2024, and only three in 2023, seven international students received visas in 2025. However, he noted that international student access to U.S. schools is becoming more restricted due to changes in government regulations.

Enrollment in distance-friendly programs continues to increase, accounting for 86% of AMBS’s degree-seeking students, up from 79% in 2024.

The undergraduate-level nondegree Journey Missional Leadership Development Program has 38 students, down slightly from 41 last year.

Anabaptist affiliation is claimed by 131 graduate students — the highest number in 20 years — with 71 students from Mennonite Church USA and six from Mennonite Church Canada. Thirty-one students are members of other faith traditions.

Fresno Pacific University bounced back from slight declines a year ago to grow total enrollment from 2,889 to 2,944 students, exceeding new student goals in every population.

Traditional undergraduate enrollment grew from 791 to 822. Bachelor’s degree completion held steady at 754. Graduate programs grew from 1,342 to 1,368, the largest graduate student enrollment in FPU history. Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary enrollment held steady at 112 students.

The number of students from outside the U.S. stayed consistent at 68.

Conrad Grebel University ­College recovered from a 14% decline last year to grow from 208 to 215 students. The master of theological studies graduate program grew from 31 to 42 students, while the master of peace and conflict studies program declined slightly to 32 students.

Spokesperson Jen Konkle said international enrollment stayed level, with 17 students, but the number of American students increased from eight to 11 this year.

“Canada is facing similar challenges as the USA in international enrollment, but less politically fraught. In the last year and a half, Canada has decreased international student study permits by 70%, resulting in fewer initial international student applications and also in approvals from the government,” she said. “This decrease has created a budget crisis in Canadian postsecondary education, particularly in Ontario, where tuition fees have been frozen since 2019.”

Canadian Mennonite University headcount grew slightly from 694 to 700 students after large growth last year, with an increase in retention offsetting a dip in incoming students.

Nearly 100 students (14%) come from 32 countries outside Canada, including the United States, which sent two new students to CMU this year. New international students are down across Canada, including at CMU.

An additional 99 students are enrolled in the Menno Simons College program CMU operates on the campus of the University of Winnipeg.

Goshen College undergraduate enrollment stayed level at 718 total students. The number of full-time students declined by four to 687. Growth in graduate programs, especially the new master of teaching offering, kept total enrollment 847 students, also same as last year.

Jodi Beyeler, vice president for institutional advancement, said there were declines in the part-time adult degree completion program after some options were eliminated.

“We actually have 123 international students this year compared to 116 last year,” she said. “That growth comes from several years of more international students being recruited and graduating a class that had less.

“In terms of Mennonite students, our first-year cohort had 27 Mennonite Church USA students compared to 14 last year.”

Eastern Mennonite University’s incoming undergraduate class grew for the first time since the pandemic in 2020. The 10% increase from 218 to 239 students was not enough to offset a total enrollment decline of 51 students to 1,130.

In 2016, EMU enrolled 1,649 stu­dents, including 1,200 undergraduates. This year’s undergraduate en­rollment is 730.

Graduate enrollment declined from 323 to 297, although some programs grew, with the biggest increases coming in biomedicine and at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, where the new doctor of ministry program helped grow new student enrollment by 41% to 17 students. Total seminary enrollment grew by 19% to 56 students.

EMU set a record with 49% of the incoming class made up of student athletes. A historically high 48% of first-year undergraduates identify as first-generation college students, up from 35% last year.

Enrollment of students with citizenship outside the U.S. dropped from 134 students from 53 countries to 112 from 48 countries, with the biggest decline in students from Ethiopia.

“International student recruitment declined nationally between 30-40% this year for a variety of reasons, including increased barriers to visa obtainment and shaken confidence in the safety of students traveling to the U.S.,” said Braydon Hoover, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “EMU is not immune to these realities, nor are we overly reliant on an international student population like some of our peers. The incoming class at both the graduate and undergraduate levels did see a decrease in new international students from the cohort we brought in last year for the reasons we name above.”

Bethel College enrollment dropped 12.6% to 443 students after six years of growth peaked at 507 last fall. Eric Preheim, director of admissions, attributed the decline to a larger than normal graduating class in the spring and retention challenges.

“I am proud of this incoming class of students, that is both larger than average and noticeably engaged with the Bethel community through their first month of classes,” he said. “A particular bright spot is the recruiting work done in the music department, headed by Dr. Christina Liu.”

There are 35 international students from 23 countries. Preheim noted federal government roadblocks “made life substantially more difficult” this year.

“However, our team was able to provide consistent updates and planning with these students and [potential] future students,” he said. “Our international student numbers remain very similar to years past.”

Bluffton University enrollment dropped to 553 students, down 13.7% from last fall’s 641 students. The university counted 768 students in 2019.

“This year’s enrollment reflects the strength of Bluffton’s supportive community and the confidence students and families place in the education we provide,” said Claire Kleman, interim vice president for advancement and enrollment management. “We are encouraged by the continued interest in Bluffton’s academic programs and the opportunities our students find here.”

The incoming class of 160 traditional undergraduate and 16 transfer students includes 131 student athletes. Graduate courses held steady with 58 new students enrolled, with the biggest gains in the master of nutrition and dietetics program. International students declined from 11 to six.