Mount Pleasant’s Central Michigan University enrollment falls 4.6% to 13,524 as international students drop by about 500

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan University’s preliminary fall enrollment is 13,524 students, down 4.6% from 14,171 at the end of fall 2025, WCMU Public Media reported.

A big part of the drop is international students. CMU President Neil MacKinnon said visa difficulties have cost the university about 1,000 international students over two years, according to WCMU. International enrollment is now 713, roughly 500 fewer than a year ago.

The university’s response. University officials told Central Michigan Life they remain “positive” despite the enrollment trends, and administrators have said the university’s finances are strong. CMU has a strategic enrollment management plan with long-term enrollment targets, the student newspaper reported.

Why it matters for Mount Pleasant. CMU is the city’s largest institution, and enrollment drives demand for rental housing, restaurants and shops. Trustees heard public concerns about the latest numbers at their September meeting, CM Life reported.

Sources:
WCMU Public Media, “CMU fall enrollment dips: ‘We’ve lost about 1,000 international students in two years,’” Sept. 25, 2026 (enrollment figures, MacKinnon), https://www.wcmu.org/local-regional-news/2026-09-25/cmu-fall-enrollment-dips-weve-lost-about-1-000-international-students-in-two-years
Central Michigan Life, “Officials remain ‘positive’ despite enrollment trends,” https://www.cm-life.com/article/2026/10/p_enrollmentapplicationacceptance_news_092526
Central Michigan Life, “Trustees hear public concerns about latest enrollment numbers,” https://www.cm-life.com/article/2026/09/d_news_boardoftrusteesseptember_092426
Photo: Cjh1452000, “Warriner Hall.JPG,” Wikimedia Commons, public domain, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Warriner_Hall.JPG

Mount Pleasant

Tags: Mount Pleasant · Central Michigan University · Higher Education · Enrollment