How to get into Howard University
How to get into Howard: the DC HBCU flagship where the Cathy Hughes journalism school, the Chadwick Boseman college, and the Mecca brand drive yield
41.3%
Acceptance rate
$35,810
In-state cost
What makes Howard University admissions different
Howard University is the most prominent HBCU in the United States — a private research university (~10,000 undergrads) in northwest Washington, DC, founded 1867. Howard is Common App, test-optional, and runs Early Action (Nov 1) plus Regular Decision (Feb 15). The school's strongest undergraduate pipelines are the Cathy Hughes School of Communications (which includes the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts), the College of Engineering and Architecture, the Howard University School of Business, the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, and the Pre-Med pipeline into Howard's College of Medicine.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply via Common App by Nov 1 (EA — non-binding and the highest-leverage move; EA at Howard runs notably higher admit rates and gets first crack at housing and the deepest scholarship tiers) or Feb 15 (RD).
- 2.
Submit one teacher recommendation and the counselor recommendation. The Howard supplement asks for short responses to school-specific questions — keep them specific to a Howard program, not 'historic HBCU' boilerplate.
- 3.
Decide on test submission. Howard is test-optional but the middle 50% for admits runs SAT 1170-1340 / ACT 23-30; submitters in or above the middle 50% tend to land at higher rates and qualify for higher scholarship tiers.
- 4.
Apply for the Capstone, Trustee, and Founders Scholarship tiers — Howard's named merit awards. The Capstone is the school's full-tuition top tier and the application is the same as general admission, though the bar is national-caliber.
- 5.
If applying to the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, prepare for the program-specific audition or portfolio. The Boseman college (formerly the Department of Theatre Arts) admits through audition or portfolio for performance and design tracks.
- 6.
File the FAFSA early (Howard's school code is 001448). Howard's posted cost is meaningful but the institutional aid budget is substantial and early filers are prioritized.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Missing EA. The Nov 1 deadline is the single highest-leverage move at Howard — EA admit rates are notably higher and scholarship aid is awarded first to EA admits.
- ✕
Treating Howard as a backup HBCU. Howard's admit profile is genuinely competitive and the school's strongest pipelines (Communications, Engineering, Pre-Med) run admit rates well below the headline number.
- ✕
Writing a 'why Howard' supplement that doesn't name a specific school within the university. The supplement is read for academic specificity, not HBCU enthusiasm.
- ✕
Skipping the audition for Boseman College applicants. The audition is the admission for performance tracks.
The specifics for Howard University
Application deadlines
- Early ActionNovember 1, 2025Non-binding; meaningful admit-rate bump and first crack at scholarship aid
- Regular DecisionFebruary 15, 2026
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Cathy Hughes School of Communications ↗
Includes the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and is one of the most decorated journalism and communications programs in the country, with alumni including Toni Morrison, Phylicia Rashad, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Anthony Anderson.
HBCU flagship status
Howard is the most prominent HBCU in the United States and one of two private R1 HBCUs (along with Spelman by some classifications). The school's pipeline into medicine, law, government, and the arts is uniquely robust.
Bison Pre-Med pipeline
Howard's College of Medicine has historically been one of the top producers of Black physicians; the undergraduate Pre-Med track is structurally connected to the medical school.
Notable scholarships at Howard University
Capstone ScholarshipFull tuition + room and board
Awarded to a small number of admits with national-caliber profiles through the standard application; no separate application.
Trustee, Founders, and Presidential Scholarships
Named merit tiers awarded to admits based on academic profile through the standard application.
What graduates actually do
Howard, founded in 1867 in Washington, D.C., is the most influential HBCU in U.S. history, sometimes called 'the Mecca' for its central role in producing the Black professional class. Howard's law school trained Thurgood Marshall and most of the lawyers behind Brown v. Board, the medical school produces a large share of the nation's Black physicians, and the university has graduated multiple Supreme Court justices, U.S. cabinet members, and a Vice President.
Notable alumni
- Kamala Harris — Vice President of the United States
- Thurgood Marshall — U.S. Supreme Court Justice (law school)
- Toni Morrison — Nobel laureate in Literature
- Chadwick Boseman — Actor (Black Panther)
- Ta-Nehisi Coates — Journalist and author (attended)
- Zora Neale Hurston — Author of Their Eyes Were Watching God
Transfer pathway
Howard admits transfer applicants for fall and spring. Applicants submit college transcripts, the high school record, two recommendations, and the Common App essay. Most successful transfers have completed at least 24 college credits with a 3.0+ GPA, and several programs (engineering, nursing, business) have higher GPA thresholds and prerequisite expectations.
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
Howard rewards applicants with a clear academic direction, a school-specific supplement, and an EA commitment. Median admits have a 3.7+ unweighted GPA and (when submitted) SAT 1250+ / ACT 27+. Borderline applicants who EA, file the FAFSA early, and write a school-specific supplement have meaningfully better odds than the same file at RD.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.