Financial Support

General Eligibility Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Have a valid social security number
• Be registered with the Selective Service, if male
• Be enrolled a t least half-time in degree applicable-applicable coursework to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree in an eligible program
• Sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) stating that
  • You are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and
  • You will use federal student aid only for educational purposes
• Show you are qualified to obtain a college education by
  • Having a high school diploma or recognized equivalent such as General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • Completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law

Loans

Federal and non-federal loan programs are available to help students pay for their education.

Grants, Scholarships & Fellowships

Grants, scholarships, and fellowship funds come from various programs both inside and outside of the University.

Work Programs

Special opportunities for students to work on-campus with the goal of financially support the student. Off-campus employment information is also available. Work Study is based on financial need; therefore, not all student may qualify. If you are awarded work study, you must accept the award on BisonWeb and visit Career Services for job placement. For Work-Study employment information, visit: https://careerservices.howard.edu/.

Tuition Remission

Remission of tuition is awarded by the University to reduce the amount of tuition paid for those who qualify.

Summer Financial Aid

While limited, there are several options Howard University provides students for summer aid. Information, requirements and deadlines are available.

Federal School Code: 001448

STEP 1 : Submit a FAFSA / Renew a FAFSA

Your first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available to you starting October 1st of the year prior to the academic year. Your FAFSA is processed in several stages before it is complete and on file in the Office of Financial Aid, Scholarships and Student Employment.

When completing the FAFSA online, we encourage tax filiers to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool when completing the FAFSA to allow the information filed with the IRS to upload to the FAFSA to streamline the application process and reduce the amount of documentation we may need now or in the future.

*Please remember that Howard University does have a priority filing deadline date of Novermber 1st. Students who submit their FAFSA by November 1st will be considered for all financial aid possible. Submissions received after November 1st will still receive financial aid, but some program funds my have already been exhausted for those who have met the priority deadline. 

STEP 2 : Accept Your Aid Package

A Financial Aid Award Package that details your financial aid awards will be mailed to you. The purpose of the award package is to show you what aid is available if you decide to attend Howard University. Read the instructions carefully. You must report additional benefits or gift aid (scholarships and grants) that are not included in this award package. If you make changes to the award please date, sign, and return the notification to the Office of Financial Aid. If you wish to reduce the amount of your loan, please contact the office.

STEP 3 : Receive Your Aid

Your aid may be revised according to your actual enrollment at the time you register. Aid is disbursed each semester to a student account created in your name when you are admitted to the University.

STEP 4 : Maintain Your Eligibility

To maintain your eligibility to be considered for financial aid, you must meet the standards set forth in Howard University’s financial aid policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

ISFAA Completion Tips: Step by Step

Important Note:  Although international students are not eligible to receive federal aid, the ISFAA allows for awarding for institutional aid (including Howard University Freshman Scholarships).  

The student applicant must respond to a questionnaire about age, degree type, legal dependents, marital status, and parent status. The questionnaire will provide the student with the option to complete either an ISFAA for Dependent Students or an ISFAA for Independent Students.

Student applicants must submit a completed ISFAA file to receive an aid offer package or scheduled financial aid. The Office of Financial Aid cannot consider an incomplete ISFAA file. The completed ISFAA file includes all of the following:

• Signed the HU ISFAA
• Income/Wages & Tax data OR proof of no filing requirement in the country of residence for:
  • Student applicant
  • Parent(s) if considered a dependent student
  • Spouse if the student applicant is married
• Currency conversion to US Dollars; Locate a currency converter here
  • Important Note: The ISFAA requires financial information from the country of residence, such as taxes, assets, investments, and pension. Financial data and the household's total number to provide a need calculation based on the Department of Education metrics. All monetary amounts must be converted to US Dollars to provide an accurate aid offer package.

For entering undergraduate students, the ISFAA should be submitted by the posted application deadline. For more information, please visit the Office of Financial Aid's website.

Merit-based financial support for Graduate Students is available through graduate research and teaching assistantships, fellowships, and tuition scholarships. For more information, please visit gs.howard.edu/funding. See also the Office of Graduate External Funding and Support's webpage.