The University of Otago is on track to record its first year of overall enrolment growth since 2010, new enrolment figures show.
The figures, released at the latest university council meeting, show increases in health sciences, commerce, sciences and international enrolments, but a drop of 152 equivalent full time students (Efts) in humanities enrolments.
The increases take the institution's overall roll to 18,458 Efts, which is 90 more than at the corresponding time last year.
University of Otago planning and funding director David Thomson said a number of factors including the Canterbury Earthquakes, changes to university entrance criteria and a decision by the university to ''raise the calibre of the student cohort'' contributed to the six-year enrolment freeze.
''Obviously, we are all pretty pleased to get the result we have.''
First-year enrolments were up 274 Efts (7.5%) on last year, and 39 Efts on semester one.
The majority of first-year growth occurred in health sciences, which was up 27 Efts. Enrolments in first-year humanities offerings were up 80 Efts.
Mr Thomson said while pleasing, the modest increase in first-year humanities enrolments was not enough to change the predicament of some of its departments, which were undergoing reviews at present.
''It is certainly not the type of increase that would reverse the drop in humanities we have seen over the years.'' Such a pattern would take ''years'' to reverse, Mr Thomson said.
International enrolments were up 69 Efts (5.1%) because of increases in commerce, humanities and sciences, which were largely the result of recruitment from the United States, he said.
Mr Thomson said a forecast national plateau of school leaving cohorts meant it would be ''really positive'' if the university could hold a similar total enrolment position next year.