Spring enrollment at The University of Texas at Arlington has surpassed 36,000 students residing in Texas for the first time as the institution's global headcount of students in campus-based and in online degree programs reached 47,977, preliminary census reports show.

The spring headcount represents a 4.5 percent increase over fall enrollment and a 6.5 percent increase over the same period last year, with undergraduate and graduate enrollment both up over the previous year.

Overall, spring enrollment has increased 43 percent over the past five years, driven by increases in academic reputation and by innovative strategies implemented to meet the needs of working students, including flexibility of offerings, streamlined admissions processes and staggered start dates for specific high-demand online degree programs.

"UT Arlington continues to experience a strong and sustained period of enrollment growth driven by our commitment to academic and research excellence and our desire to provide a world class education to students through multiple platforms," President Vistasp M. Karbhari said.

"This growth has positioned us as the model 21st century, urban research university, one that balances access, affordability and excellence, offering a vibrant campus experience while leveraging technology to open access to all students determined to pursue their dreams."

Enrollment growth was strong in the College of Engineering, which recorded an increase of 22.1 percent from spring 2014, and in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, which saw a gain of 13.8 percent. College of Education enrollment was up 12.3 percent over spring 2014, while the School of Social Work saw a 9.4 percent enrollment gain.

UT Arlington awarded almost 10,000 degrees in the 2013-2014 academic year and is on track to exceed that figure this year. More than 4,500 degrees were conferred in December alone, strengthening the Texas workforce and joining the ranks of the more than 192,000 UT Arlington alumni around the world.

The University has, in most categories, already exceeded the targets set for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's "Closing the Gaps" campaign a year ahead of schedule and is well positioned to meet overall enrollment target of 36,000 students for Fall 2015.