The number of students applying as undergraduates to the University of Hawaii at Manoa this year jumped 32 percent over last year, with applications for freshmen soaring a whopping 66 percent.

This year’s surge comes on top of strong numbers last year, when there was a record number of freshman applicants. The Manoa campus enrolled the largest freshman class in its 111-year history in the fall of 2018, at 2,209 students.

This year, 18,849 undergraduate applications were received for the fall semester, with 15,737 of them would-be freshmen, according to the Office of Admissions. That compares to 14,231 total applications last year, including 9,427 freshmen.

Admissions Director Roxie Shabazz was heartened by the influx but said “our work is far from over.”

“The increase in applications shows that the word is out about UH Manoa being one of the world’s great research institutes for higher education, making it an attractive option for students on a local, national and international level,” said Shabazz, who is also assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management.

The university has stepped up its recruitment and communication with potential students, including undertaking visits to high schools and the popular Manoa Experience open house. The admissions office will also be holding receptions for accepted students across the state and on the West Coast.