Universities That Have Lost the Most Students in Recent Years: Data is Worrying

At the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, the higher education landscape in Bogotá is going through one of its most critical moments.

Universities That Have Lost the Most Students in Recent Years: Data is Worrying

TL;DR

  • Three traditional universities in Bogotá have seen significant drops in student enrollment.
  • Universidad Autónoma de Colombia has gone from over 8,000 students a decade ago to just 563.
  • Universidad Central's student numbers have decreased from 10,118 in 2020 to over 6,800.
  • Universidad Católica de Colombia has lost approximately 2,548 students in the last four years.
  • Factors contributing to the decline include the lure of free education at public universities and the appeal of quick, job-oriented technical courses.