The numbers are in and reveal that close to 55,000 students will be coming to York University this fall, including more than 11,000 first-time students, a figure that includes a first-year cohort of 6,100 students.

This fall, close to 55,000 students will frequent the libraries and classrooms at York University’s Keele and Glendon campuses

The entrance average for the 2011 class has also increased with the average student grade at 80 per cent or higher. Program areas seeing the most demand are in the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Science & Engineering.

“I am proud that York University is growing, particularly in the areas of science and engineering, and health,” said Mamdouh Shoukri, York’s president and vice-chancellor. “More and more students are coming to the University because of the strengths of our academic programs, faculty and staff.”

Figures for York University’s overall and international applications, including first-year enrolments, transfer, mature and international student enrolments, have exceeded the University’s targets based on its programming goals for 2011-2012.

Among the fall class are some 1,500 international students, who have picked York University as their destination of choice, a figure which surpasses last year’s international class of 900 students. For 2011, more than 5,900 international students applied to the University, an increase of four per cent.

“The overall enrolment reflects not only on the quality and size of the first-year class but also the efforts undertaken to improve the retention rates of our continuing students,” said Rob Tiffin, vice-president students.

“We are a dynamic and thriving community that continues to focus on cultivating an engaged learning and research environment,” said Shoukri.