As a new academic year begins at Butler University, more than 1,200 new undergraduate students are joining the Butler community, bringing strong academic credentials, a wide range of interests, and experiences from across Indiana, the country, and the world.

This fall, Butler welcomes 1,053 first-year students, 102 transfer students, and 53 new students in Founder’s College. The incoming first-year class represents 32 states and 11 countries, with particularly strong enrollment from Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and California.

At the same time, Butler’s newest class reflects the University’s deep roots in its home state. Indiana high school graduates make up 58 percent of incoming first-year students. Among the new students are 85 21st Century Scholars, participants in an Indiana program that provides income-eligible students with financial support and resources to help them attend and succeed in college. Butler also welcomes 25 Lilly Scholars, recipients of the highly competitive Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, which provides full tuition to an Indiana college or university.

The class arrives at Butler with an impressive academic record. Incoming first-year students earned an average high school GPA of 3.90, and the class includes 27 valedictorians. Another 134 students will join Butler’s Honors Program, an interdisciplinary academic community that offers enhanced learning opportunities for high-achieving students. Through specialized courses, faculty mentorship, and opportunities for research and creative work, Honors students are encouraged to explore ideas across disciplines and deepen their undergraduate experience.

Students are also arriving at a time of expanding academic opportunities at Butler. Twenty-three new students are among the first to enroll in the University’s new engineering programs, adding to the range of pathways available to students as they prepare for careers in high-demand fields.

Health-related fields remain especially popular among the incoming class. Health Sciences leads with 87 incoming students choosing that major, followed by Biology with 69, Nursing with 48, and Kinesiology with 35. Other popular majors include Finance with 65 incoming students, Psychology with 50, and Sports Media with 32.

The arrival of 53 new Founder’s College students also marks another important step in Butler’s work to create new pathways to higher education. Founder’s College offers an affordable, accessible two-year college experience designed to prepare students to earn an associate degree and pursue the next step in their education or career.

Together, the 2026 incoming undergraduate class reflects both what has long distinguished a Butler education and the ways the University continues to evolve. These students come from communities near and far, bring a record of academic achievement, and will pursue opportunities across Butler’s colleges and programs.

Over the coming weeks, they will begin to find their places in classrooms, laboratories, studios, residence halls, student organizations, athletic teams, and throughout the Indianapolis community. Along the way, they will form relationships with faculty, staff, classmates, and mentors who will help shape their Butler experience.

For Butler’s 2026 incoming undergraduate class, that experience begins now.