Queen’s adjusts admissions targets for incoming students

Queen’s enrolment projections have changed for certain programs due to fluctuations in student demand and plans for future expansions. In April, the University Senate approved revisions to short-term enrolment targets between 2021-24. 

 

In 2019, Queen’s made short-term adjustments to enrolment targets. Building off this work, the Short Term Enrolment Projections (STEP) report provided detailed impacts of COVID-19 on student demand.

 

“The number of offers of admission is based on multiple years of data and acceptance rates,” Mark Erdman, manager of community relations and issues, wrote in an email to The Journal.

 

The Strategic Enrolment Management Group (SEMG) is tasked with reviewing and analyzing Queen’s applications, province-wide applications, sector trends, provincial policy issues, and annual faculty and student enrolment plans. 

 

Though Queen’s will not release the final class of 2021 enrolment numbers until November, Erdman said over 50,000 applications to undergraduate programs were submitted—a 13 per cent year-over-year growth in applications. 

 

Erdman added that Queen’s expects to fill all allotted undergraduate spots this academic year. 

 

According to the STEP report, Queen’s main concern with admissions during COVID-19 was the mobility of students from around the world.   

 

“Restrictions on international travel disrupted student travel plans and negatively impacted enrolment, especially new intake, of overseas students in 2020-21. This may continue to effect [SIC] student mobility during the 2021-2022 academic year,” the STEP report stated. 

 

The report highlighted that for the 2021-22 academic year, first-year undergraduate intake increased to 4,856  from than the previously sanctioned 4,796.

 

This rise in admitted students was due to increasing demand in the Nursing and Health Sciences programs, which enrolled 25 and 35 extra students, respectively. 

 

In the Faculty of Arts and Science, the total enrolment target for 2021-22 remained at the pre-approved 3,012 students. 

 

ArtSci has undergone a reduction in spots. According to the STEP report, for Science, the expected intake was approximately 854 students instead of the previously sanctioned 923 students. 

 

For Arts, intake was 1,408 students from the alloted 1,414 students. The reduction in ArtSci enrollment will be re-allocated to the Computing, Kinesiology, and Concurrent Education programs.

 

“For 2022-23 and beyond, the total first-year direct-entry intake increases to 5,084 with the opening of a new residence building in fall 2022,” the STEP report stated. 

 

The report also highlighted that the construction and opening of new residence buildings in fall 2022 will increase the intake of students. 

 

For 2022-23 and beyond, 153 new student spots will be created in the Faculty of Arts and Science, while 60 new student spots will be created in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.