University of Tennessee enrollment sets new record with over 40,000 students

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Classes are back in session at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for the fall semester and there are more students than ever before. Total enrollment at the UT System's flagship campus has now surpassed 40,000.

Tennessee's student population has now jumped by more than 30% since 2020 when total enrollment topped 30,000. UT received a record-number of first-year applications from the class of 2029 with nearly 63,000. The university also reported 5,300 transfer applications for the fall semester, another record-breaking figure.

Over 7,000 first-year students will attend Tennessee this fall, 60% of whom come from in-state. The fall semester also marks the fourth year of the university's Distinguished Tennessee Scholars program, which covers full tuition and ma