“This year’s numbers exceeded even our most optimistic expectations,” says Greg Van Dyke, vice president for enrollment.
For the fifth year in a row, Dordt University is celebrating record enrollment, welcoming 2,077 students for the fall 2025 semester.
This total includes 1,655 full-time undergraduates. Dordt’s graduate programs also continue to grow, with 247 students enrolled, bringing the university’s full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment to 1,841.
“This year’s numbers exceeded even our most optimistic expectations,” says Greg Van Dyke, vice president for enrollment. “It’s a tremendous blessing to see so many students eager to join the Dordt community.”
This fall, 540 new undergraduates joined Dordt’s campus community. What’s more, Dordt continues to help students succeed: more than 84% of last year’s freshmen returned this fall—the third consecutive year Dordt has kept more than eight out of 10 students from their first year to their second.
“With record numbers of students on campus this fall, we remain committed to supporting their growth and well-being, while fostering meaningful relationships and cultivating autonomy throughout their time at Dordt,” says Robert Taylor, vice president for student success.
“To see more and more students entrust Dordt with one of the most life-defining decisions they’ll ever make is heartening,” says Dr. Erik Hoekstra, president of Dordt University. “It’s not our efforts driving this—it seems to me. It’s God’s faithfulness to Dordt and our fixation on preparing these students to take their place as effective citizens of Christ’s coming Kingdom. To God be the glory for the momentum He’s building here.”
-- This year’s undergraduate student body is nearly evenly split, with 50.3% women and 49.7% men.
-- 62.64% of Dordt students are not from Iowa.
-- Nearly three out of four students who start at Dordt go on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Dordt.
While many institutions face enrollment headwinds, this milestone underscores Dordt’s ability to thrive in a challenging higher education landscape. Setting a new enrollment record every year since 2021, Dordt’s commitment to excellence and equipping students, alumni, and the broader community for their work in the world continues to draw students eager to grow in their faith and calling. Families and students say they are choosing Dordt for its strong programs, Christ-centered mission, and vibrant campus life. Key academic areas such as nursing, engineering, agriculture, and business administration have all contributed to the growth, alongside investments in modern housing, dining, and event spaces.
“Each number represents a student with a story, a calling, and a future,” adds Van Dyke. “Record enrollment is a reminder of God’s provision and the trust families place in Dordt. Our calling is to walk alongside each of these students as they discover how to serve Christ in all areas of life.”
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
A research team, including Professor of Chemistry and Planetary Sciences Dr. Channon Visscher, recently studied W1534, an unusual object 50 light-years away nicknamed “The Accident," gathering information about its atmosphere.
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