UAlbany reports largest freshman class in its history this fall

By Lucienne Burns | August 31, 2026

The class of 2030 posing for their class “A” picture in Collins Circle.  Photo Credit: Patrick Dodson / University at Albany

The University at Albany’s largest freshman class in the school’s history was admitted this year, totaling over 3500 new students, according to university officials. 

This figure exceeds the university’s previously largest class of 3100 students in the fall of 2021, according to Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Dr. Michael Christakis, who spoke at a student senate meeting on Aug. 26. 

The large freshman class contributes to approximately 18,000 students currently enrolled at the university, according to Amy Geduldig, the director of public information at UAlbany.

“We did have, as you can imagine, a record number of applications to the University at Albany,” Christakis said at the senate meeting last week. “We surpassed 41,000 applications as you all knew this year, which is also a record for us.” 

To accommodate the larger number of students, the university is utilizing increased-occupancy housing options such as triples, and planning to create more sections for courses, according to Christakis. 

The newest university housing option—the Great Dane Apartments, formerly utilized by the College of Saint Rose—is also being utilized by over 200 upperclassmen.

According to Christakis, the freshman class is living all around campus due to its size, with some living in the typical freshman dorms such as State and Indigenous Quads, others in traditionally upperclassmen quads like Dutch and Colonial Quads, and some living on Alumni Quad, which is near the school's downtown campus.

University officials say that the incoming freshman class is diverse in background, coming from 40 states and 35 countries.

Out of the 3500 students, around 36% of them are from New York City. The class of 2030’s average high school grade is 89%, according to Geduldig. 

The university additionally welcomed over 1,000 transfer students and 75 new faculty members this fall, it announced in a press release welcoming the increased enrollment.

“I am delighted to welcome these first-year and transfer students to the University at Albany, and I look forward to all they will accomplish at our university,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez in the release.