Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio announced in February 2026 that it will permanently close at the end of the current academic year — this May. The Catholic liberal arts school enrolled 964 students in fall 2024, down from nearly 2,800 in 2011. Current students can transfer to the University of Toledo under a teach-out agreement finalized in March 2026, or to Wittenberg University or Walsh University. If you're enrolled and haven't started your transfer plan, the time to act is now.

Lourdes University has operated in Sylvania — a suburb of Toledo in northwest Ohio — for nearly 70 years. A small Catholic liberal arts institution, it served regional students in nursing, education, business, and the arts. That era ends this spring.

The Numbers Behind the Closure

Enrollment peaked at close to 2,800 students in 2011, then declined steadily over more than a decade as regional demographics shifted and competition from larger state schools intensified.1 By fall 2024, the headcount had fallen to 964 — a drop of roughly two-thirds over thirteen years.1

The financial picture followed the enrollment trajectory. Between 2021 and 2024 alone, enrollment fell more than 13 percent. In fiscal year 2024, Lourdes reported an operating deficit of $2.8 million, and net tuition and fee revenue dropped more than 7 percent in a single year.1

With no realistic path to financial stability, the university announced its closure in February 2026.

Where Students Can Go

The University of Toledo finalized a teach-out agreement with Lourdes in March 2026.2 Under the agreement:

  • Lourdes students can enroll at UToledo for Summer 2026, Fall 2026, or Spring 2027
  • The agreement runs through December 31, 2026
  • Students in good standing are eligible for admission

Wittenberg University in Springfield and Walsh University in North Canton are also available as transfer partners for students whose programs align more closely with those schools.

Contact UToledo's admissions office now — before May — to request a credit evaluation. Ask specifically which of your completed courses transfer toward your intended major and how many credits you'll need to finish your degree. Get the evaluation in writing before you commit to a transfer school.

Your Step-by-Step Action Plan

If you are currently enrolled at Lourdes, here's what to do in the next few weeks:

1. Request your official transcript now. Don't wait until the university officially closes. Get a certified copy from the registrar while the institution is fully operating. You'll need it for every transfer application.

2. Get credit evaluations from your target schools. Both UToledo and the other teach-out partners can tell you exactly where your credits land in their programs. This determines how much longer you'll need to finish.

3. Ask about closed school loan discharge. If you leave before completing your degree because of the closure, you may qualify for federal loan cancellation. Our student loan forgiveness guide explains eligibility for closed school discharge — a program that wipes out your federal loans without any repayment obligation.

4. Update your FAFSA. Transferring to a new school means your financial aid package starts over. The new school will require its own FAFSA-linked aid calculation. FAFSA help and step-by-step guidance walks through what changes when you transfer mid-year.

5. Ask about articulation agreements. If you're switching to a community college as a bridge option, articulation agreements determine how credits transfer between specific institutions. UToledo has existing transfer pathways that may apply.

Why Catholic Colleges in Particular Are Struggling

Lourdes is not alone. Small Catholic colleges nationally face the same overlapping pressures: regional population decline, lower birth rates following the 2008 recession, and competition from community colleges and online programs that offer lower costs.

The broader enrollment cliff has particularly sharp teeth in the Midwest and Northeast, where many Catholic liberal arts colleges were built to serve regional Catholic populations that have geographically dispersed or declined in absolute numbers.

Ohio college costs have remained high even as institutions tried holding enrollment through tuition discounting — which compresses operating margins and buys time without fixing the structural problem.

What to Do If You're at a Different School Under Pressure

If you're watching your own school's enrollment trends and wondering about its stability, the same tools apply. IRS Form 990 filings (searchable on ProPublica) show operating deficits going back years. IPEDS data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows year-over-year enrollment changes for every accredited school.

The Goddard College closure and the Labouré College of Healthcare closure show what this process looks like in real time — and what your rights are at each stage. If you're considering a proactive move before a closure announcement, how to transfer colleges is the right starting point.

Footnotes

  1. Higher Ed Dive. (2026). Lourdes University in Ohio closing at end of academic year. Higher Ed Dive. https://www.highereddive.com/news/lourdes-university-ohio-closure/812164/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Spectrum News 1 Ohio. (2026, March 10). Lourdes University finalizes teach-out agreement with University of Toledo. Spectrum News 1. https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2026/03/10/toledo-university-lourdes-agreement ↩