Shaping a Bold Future: Igniting Student Success
St. Edward’s continues to advance its commitment to delivering academic excellence and fulfilling experiences for all students as it enters the 2026–2027 academic year.
Building on five years of momentum under Strategic Plan 2027, St. Edward’s continues to strengthen its position as a destination university through groundbreaking initiatives and an unparalleled academic experience dedicated to student success at every stage of their educational journey.
Our Fall 2026 incoming class brings a collective energy of creativity and optimism to the Hilltop that will fuel greater innovation, collaboration and success.
Enrollment highlights include a rise of 14% in new undergraduate enrollment and nearly 20% in freshman enrollment over the past year. In addition, St. Edward’s experienced a 74% increase in students with the highest academic merit and close to a 38% increase in students joining us from Catholic high schools, further strengthening the university’s mission to provide an enriching education rooted in our Holy Cross tradition.
This year also marks a milestone for global engagement, with over 12% of incoming students representing more than 20 countries — one of the highest percentages of international students in university history. The class also underscores our commitment to building a belonging and welcoming campus, with a nearly 7% rise in enrollment among underserved populations and communities.
Strong transfer student enrollment this fall highlights the university’s longtime commitment to offering unique pathways for degree completion and maintaining national recognition as a transfer-friendly institution. St. Edward’s saw an 18% increase in transfer students from Austin Community College (ACC), supported by a partnership designed to ease the transition from ACC to St. Edward’s. Launched in Fall 2025, the ACComplish at St. Edward’s partnership streamlines the transfer process while offering financial assistance and housing, ensuring ACC students have the resources and support they need to continue their education and thrive at St. Edward’s.
Beyond our transfer enrollment, St. Edward’s also saw consistency and growth among other student populations. The university continues to see steady post-baccalaureate enrollment, welcoming graduates seeking a second bachelor’s degree, career enhancement or personal enrichment. The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program continues to grow, contributing to an ongoing increase in Nursing program enrollment within the School of Health Sciences. The rise in nursing enrollment growth — the highest among all programs at St. Edward’s — is a testament to the university’s commitment to developing innovative healthcare programs that respond to workforce needs and address the nationwide nursing shortage.
St. Edward’s is fortifying its role as a premier destination for learners in a rapidly changing higher education and workforce landscape.
The university is broadening its academic influence and redefining how it supports students throughout their academic journey, from career guidance through tailored assessments to innovative internship opportunities within Austin’s dynamic economic and cultural ecosystem. Through strategic partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits and cultural organizations, St. Edward’s creates pathways for students to engage directly with Austin's thriving industries, gaining the real-world experience, professional networks and career readiness that prepare them for what’s next.
Signature initiatives such as Career and Professional Development’s (CAPD) Career Treks give students immersive experiences inside leading Austin organizations. There, students explore career paths, practice professional engagement, and build relationships that lead to internships and jobs. This year’s lineup includes Austin City Limits Live, iHeartMedia and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in the fall.
Additional spring treks are planned to The Long Center for the Performing Arts, TxDOT and South by Southwest (SXSW). The programs are high impact, with 40% of Career Treks having led to at least one student securing an internship or professional position, and 100% of participants reporting the experience expanded their network and industry knowledge.
CAPD is also broadening how St. Edward’s partners with employers. Through its annual Talent Summit, CAPD brings Austin employers together with St. Edward’s deans and career staff to co-design career readiness programs and workforce solutions for Central Texas. The summit draws participation from more than 20 organizations spanning healthcare, technology, media, finance and the public sector — including Ascension, Microsoft, the Austin American-Statesman, Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union, Dell Medical School, Austin Public Health, the City of Austin and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Together, these efforts reflect the university’s commitment to connecting every student with the experiences and relationships that launch meaningful careers.
St. Edward’s partners with Austin employers to design a curriculum that aligns with the workforce skills and expertise most in demand.
St. Edward’s is deeply committed to employee development. The university works closely with a diverse range of employers in providing a robust suite of professional education programs for adult learners. These initiatives are designed to promote lifelong learning, empower professionals to advance their careers and address evolving needs of the Central Texas regional workforce.
Collaborations with entities such as Skillpoint Alliance, the City of Austin and University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) equip both learners and the organization at large with meaningful skills for today’s workforce. Employers seeking to develop their current workforce talent similarly partner with St. Edward’s to provide affordable, flexible training programs. Through the Professional Studies office, faculty tailor coursework into customized learning experiences, ranging from self-paced modules to seminar series, designed to meet the needs of both learners and their employers.
As sought-after job skills shift and multiply year to year, St. Edward’s is answering the need with targeted professional studies and certification programs.
Adult learners and students looking to invest in their employability, career advancement and personal growth can tap into a wealth of professional studies and certification programs on the Hilltop. These training programs and areas of study provide essential skills and knowledge that are crucial for workforce development in Austin and the region.
In a new partnership with ed2go, St. Edward’s provides fully online, noncredit certificate programs for career preparation and advancement. These affordable programs span a wide spectrum of fields, from healthcare, technology and business to hospitality, teaching and construction trades.
St. Edward’s also launched a new collaboration with Abilitie, TED, to offer a global 12-Week MBA certificate. This part-time, virtual program allows working professionals to build practical business skills for the age of AI without stepping away from their careers.
To help prepare for the global implications of AI, undergraduate students at St. Edward’s can take advantage of these timely new certifications: Writing and Researching with AI; User Experience and AI; and International Security and Geopolitical Risk Analysis.
St. Edward’s University will serve as the official credentialing partner — administered through the Office of Partnerships and Professional Studies — for the second cohort of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber’s Hispanic Austin Leadership program. Graduates of the program earn this non-degree certificate, validating their executive leadership training while officially welcoming them into the St. Edward’s community.
As St. Edward’s enters its fifth year of Strategic Plan 2027, the university remains dedicated to advancing priorities that support the success of students, faculty and staff.
Key objectives include:
- Building on the successful launch of the first master’s and doctoral programs in the School of Health Sciences.
- Expanding faculty and student research through diverse funding and partnerships.
- Strengthening career readiness by broadening corporate outreach, offering undergraduates in-demand skills certifications, and aiming for 100% of graduates to participate in at least one internship.
- Increasing growth opportunities for adult learners through tailored professional education programs and affordable online career-training and personal-development certificate programs.
- Promoting equity by addressing academic disparities to better support underserved learners on their path to graduation.
Collectively, these initiatives advance our mission to position St. Edward’s as a Destination University for a More Just World. The university pursues academic distinction through transformative teaching and research, while delivering an education rooted in Holy Cross values to students of all backgrounds. We proudly foster an inclusive campus community where every student feels a sense of belonging. Our focus on strengthening partnerships across Austin to expand experiential learning opportunities is ongoing. St. Edward’s is committed to investing in infrastructure, environmental sustainability and resources that ensure students thrive both during their time on the Hilltop and as they go out to take on their world.
A Top University for Social Mobility!
St. Edward’s earned a No. 5 ranking for Social Mobility in the U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities in the West rankings, highlighting our commitment to enrolling and graduating students from economically diverse backgrounds. The university also earned the No. 6 spot overall in the West and the No. 3 spot among Top Private Colleges in the West, both for our leadership in delivering rigorous academics, innovative teaching and community-minded learning.
