Indigenous student enrolment continues to climb at BU

Brandon University continues to see a steady rise in Indigenous student enrolment, with a 12.5 per cent increase from last year as of Sept. 1.

The latest numbers bring the total count to 570 and follow a trend that has seen Indigenous students become one of the fastest growing demographics at BU in recent years.

The students are primarily from Brandon, followed by Winnipeg, The Pas, Dauphin and Thompson, and the university is seeing increased applications from high schools in communities with larger Indigenous populations.

Meanwhile, domestic, non-Indigenous enrolment saw modest gains overall while international student numbers fell despite an increase in new enrolments.

The growth in Indigenous enrolment is partly the result of a concerted effort by the university to build stronger relationships with Indigenous communities across Manitoba, dean of students Katie Whelpton said Tuesday.

She said a new Indigenous recruitment and transition officer position has been created within student services, providing a full-time staff member dedicated to Indigenous student outreach.

“She visits First Nations communities, works with education counsellors in those communities, and also works with the students to help choose courses and ease that move to university life,” Whelpton said.

“The province’s K-12 education system is helping more Indigenous students reach graduation and eventually pursue post-secondary education.”

BU has witnessed strong gains in Indigenous student enrolment since the 2023-24 academic year.

Applications from students identifying as Indigenous shot up by 29 per cent in 2023, the highest numbers in half a decade.

Numbers were up 4.4 per cent in 2024-25, with about 15 per cent of the total student population self-declared as indigenous, the BU website says.

The university saw a major surge in 2025-26 as total Indigenous enrolment increased by 14 per cent to 529 students. First-time Indigenous student registration spiked by nearly 24 per cent (145 new students). By fall 2025, Indigenous learners made up nearly 17 per cent of the total student body.

According to the university’s 2026-27 budget projections, undergraduate enrolment among Indigenous domestic students is expected to grow by an additional seven per cent.

While Indigenous enrolment is growing, BU’s international student numbers continue to reflect changes affecting international student recruitment across Canada.

As of Sept. 1, the total international student head count was down 14.3 per cent, though the university had 57 first-time international students compared with 45 at the same point last year, representing a 26.7 per cent increase.

The decline is expected as larger cohorts of international students graduate and federal changes limit the number of new international students the university can welcome, BU spokesperson Grant Hamilton told the Sun.

Nigeria and Ghana continue to be the top two countries submitting applications, with Nigeria significantly ahead of other countries.

“Of the 49 first-time international students registered as of Aug. 15, 18 were from Nigeria, while no other country had more than four students at that point,” Hamilton said.

He said the Sept. 1 international numbers are preliminary and are expected to change as more students register.

As of Sept. 1, BU had 570 Indigenous students and 254 international students.

“Both numbers should grow significantly as more students register in the early weeks of the term,” Hamilton said.

Overall, the university’s head count was up 3.9 per cent compared with Sept. 1, 2025. Domestic, non-Indigenous student enrolment increased 4.5 per cent.

The university is also seeing students register for more courses. Overall credit hours registered were up 5.5 per cent, with credit hours for domestic, non-Indigenous students increasing 6.5 per cent and Indigenous student credit hours rising 10.2 per cent.

Credit hours were higher across every faculty, with education recording a 12.6 per cent increase, music 8.9 per cent, health studies eight per cent, arts 6.5 per cent and science 1.2 per cent.

First-time student enrolment was also up 7.7 per cent, with domestic, non-Indigenous first-time student enrolment increasing by 8.9 per cent.

Whelpton said the overall increase in first-time students reflects a renewed interest in post-secondary education following the COVID-19 pandemic.

She attributed the growth to BU’s recruitment efforts, including on-site advising in high schools, where student success officers help prospective students choose courses and prepare for university.

“I think having those students having that ability to answer those questions earlier on has helped them make a decision to choose and apply to Brandon University,” she said.

Arts, education and health studies are among the areas seeing significantly higher numbers this year. Despite the decline in international enrolment, Whelpton said she is not seeing a decrease in those programs, which have traditionally attracted a significant number of international applicants.

The university is cautioning, however, against drawing firm conclusions from the current numbers.

BU does not conduct its final enrolment census until Nov. 1. Students are still registering, and numbers can shift significantly during the early weeks of the academic year, Hamilton said.

“BU had 2,173 students registered as of Aug. 15 (last year) but ended up with 3,184 students at the official Nov. 1 census,” he said.

Whelpton said BU’s current overall head count is about four per cent higher, and the university would consider a three per cent increase in overall enrolment by the fall census a “wonderful, hopeful number.”

The university is expecting about 500 students at its new student orientation, a number Whelpton said is roughly comparable with last year.

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