Enrollment at the University of Guam has grown 3% from last year according to the university which said the growth reflects strong demand across key programs.
UOG reported 80 more students for 2026 Fanuchånan semester than in the 2025 fall semester growing from 2,862 to 2,942.
"Undergraduate enrollment grew 4% from the previous year. UOG also recorded a 50% increase in doctoral enrollment, from 24 candidates last year to 36 this year," UOG said in a release Sept. 17.
When compared with pre-COVID-19 levels, UOG's 2026 Fall student enrollment is 82.58% of levels seen in Fall 2019, which according to a fiscal 2019 audit of the university, was at 3,563.
On Thursday, UOG reported student enrollment increases across five major - business administration with 341 students, civil engineering with 303, pre-nursing with 216, biology with 183 and accounting with 154.
The university tied the growth to workforce needs.
The School of Engineering recorded the University’s largest school-level percentage increase, growing 19%, from 254 students to 303. The School of Business and Public Administration grew 7% from 749 to 803 students," UOG said.
UOG also reported an 18% increase in undergraduate enrollment gains in the School of Education from 165 to 194 students.
Though growth is seen in the School of Education, less than two weeks earlier, Senior Vice President and Provost Sharleen Santos-Bamba at a Round Table hearing before the legislature regarding Guam Department of Education's Special Education Division special education teacher shortage, acknowledged a nationwide decline in education major declarations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During that discussion, she said lack of interested students in education majors is a concern.
"Despite funding available through SFAP (Student Financial Assistance Programs), it's not as attractive as it used to be. In my time the School of Education, when they called our name, we were the largest group to stand up. Today, across the nation the numbers are dwindling in terms of becoming professional educators," Santos-Bamba said on Sept. 9.
The university reported enrollment gains in other programs as well, including social work which more than doubled from 15 to 38, nursing, which grew by 14% from 72 to 82 students.
UOG said fields that offer strong earning potential have also seen growth in health care, architecture and engineering and business and financial operations occupations.
“These enrollment trends give us an important view of where students see opportunities for their futures and where the University can continue responding to the needs of Guam and Micronesia,” Santos-Bamba said. “Growth in areas such as engineering, business, education, nursing, and social work reinforces the importance of aligning our academic programs with the professionals our communities need. At the same time, we remain focused on supporting students throughout their academic journey, from their first semester through graduation.”
To build on the momentum, UOG is expanding academic programs to include construction management this year and an electrical engineering program in 2027 and career pathways in critical fields on Guam.
UOG also offers pathways in mechanical engineering through partnerships with the University of Hawaiʻi and Colorado School of Mines, according to the release.
“We are looking at where Guam’s workforce needs are headed - in engineering, health care, technology, and other critical fields - and ensuring our students have the academic programs, practical experiences, and industry connections to be prepared for those opportunities,” Santos-Bamba said.
The university also anticipates welcoming 4,500 short-term international students who are participating in academic, cultural and educational program. The UOG Global Learning and Engagement Office reported 97 international students and nine National Student Exchange students enrolled for the Fall semester.
UOG said the enrollment growth is supported by investments in Tulos Mo'na Strategic Plan which focuses on the student's journey from enrollment to graduation and academic programs.