Carbondale, Ill. – Enrollment is up for the first time at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in a decade.

University officials say 10-day enrollment figures for the fall semester are at 17,989 students, an increase of 25 students from this time last year, or .1 percent. Overall enrollment is still down 16.7 percent from 10 years ago.

The university says freshman enrollment increased 2.4 percent, the number of transfer students increased 2.3 percent and international enrollment jumped 25 percent.

There is also a larger-than-normal sophomore class, but officials warned that could be due to more transfer students, not necessarily a higher retention rate.

More figures are expected to be released next week.