Universities in northern Ontario report declining enrolment

Nipissing University in North Bay. Nov.7/20 (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

While still lagging in applications from high school students, Laurentian University in Sudbury had some success this year attracting other students.

Figures from the Ontario Universities' Application Centre released earlier this month found there was a 34.4 per cent increase in applicants from out of town, out of country and mature or transfer students.

Those figures were offset by a 23.9 per cent drop in applications from high schools in Ontario. Overall, applications to enter LU dipped by 1.7 per cent as the university hopes to emerge from insolvency next month.

Algoma University in the Sault reported a one per cent drop in overall enrolment, with applications from high school grads down 4.4 per cent, while all other applications were up by 6.8 per cent.

The steepest decline was at Nipissing University, which reported an overall drop of 19.8 per cent in enrolment, including a 24.1 per cent drop in high school applications and a 10.3 per cent drop from all other student.

The full list can be seen here.