This post will guide you on how to apply for Howard University. Everything you need to know before applying to the University and getting admitted.
Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university located in Washington, D.C. It is classified as “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity” and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The history of Howard goes back to 1867. Since its inception, Howard has been non-sectarian and welcoming to students of all races and genders. Howard offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees with more than 120 programs, more than any other historically black college university (HBCU) in the United States.
Howard offers four honors programs designed for the most highly-performing undergraduate students. The four programs include The College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program, the School of Education Honors Program, the Executive Leadership Honors Program in the School of Business, and the Annenberg Honors Program within the School of Communications.
How to Apply for Howard University
The following process is what you need to complete for a successful application to get admitted to Howard University:
1. Complete the Common Application
To submit your application to Howard University, you need to visit the Common Application website to create your account and get started.
The non-refundable fee of $45 for application is due as part of the Common Application process. Payment can be made through the Common App (personal checks are not accepted). Unfortunately, The Office of Admission does not provide fee waivers.
Howard will accept the Common App fee waiver if the application fee could result in your family and your financial difficulty. If you are paying a fee waiver, make sure your counselor sends the mandatory Common Application fee waiver affirmation via the Common App or via mail (if the ‘Offline’ option is chosen).
2. Transcript
You must have your current transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, with nine (9) or more credits earned. Unofficial transcripts, either final or present, are uploaded on the Additional Materials page of your application and are accepted. Transcripts must be official and must be provided when you are admitted, whether electronically or on paper, by the Registrar at each institution in the Graduate Student Service Center.
3. Two Letters of Recommendation
Howard University requires two letters of recommendation to be considered as part of the admission process. While you can choose recommenders through Common App/Naviance to send further letters of recommendation, only two will be accepted in their evaluation.
- One recommendation letter from a high school teacher provided by your counselor on Common App or Naviance (highly recommended) must be submitted. If your counselor cannot deliver your letter through an application or a (linked) third-party system, they may send it directly to them (not preferred since there can be significant delays in the receipt of the items that are mailed). It is impossible to provide your recommenders’ letter(s) on their behalf. Letters cannot be accepted via email.
- One recommendation letter from a teacher at a high school sent by your teacher on Common App or Naviance (highly recommended) is mandatory. If your counselor cannot provide your letter through an application or a (linked) third-party system, they may send it directly to them (not preferred since there can be significant delays in the receipt of the items that are mailed). It is impossible to provide your recommenders’ letter(s) on their behalf. Letters cannot be accepted via email.
4. Application Essays
To complete an application, students must submit the primary Common Application essay as part of their Application. The Common App essay prompts can be accessed via the hyperlink. In addition to the primary Common Application essay, Howard University offers an optional essay that can be accessed through the writing portion of the Common App.
Students aren’t required to complete the optional essay. Essays allow the University to get to know details about your life, such as your passions, goals, and general interest in Howard University. Howard asked all students to devote an enormous amount of effort to writing essays that accurately portray the person they are and what they want to accomplish if they are admitted to the University.
All essays must be included on all essays submitted with your Common Application by the application deadline. The deadline for application submission is November 1 for those who apply early, November 15 for Theatre Arts performance majors (Acting, Dance & Musical Theatre), and February 1 for applicants who have been accepted as regular decision. After your Application has been completed, any changes cannot be made. The submission of email-based (corrected) essays that need to be corrected will not be accepted. Therefore, Howard advises all students to read their essays (including spelling errors, formatting, etc.) before submitting their Applications.
