Grants, Scholarships and Other Opportunities
Scholarships, grants, and fellowship funds are forms of financial aid you do not have to pay back. These types of aid are available from various organizations such as; Senators, Delegates, the federal government, community groups, departments, Howard University, etc.
Deadlines for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information and other requirements vary, so be sure to read any information provided in detail if you are a domestic student. The International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) is a form that is used to determine need-based eligibility for institutional aid. This application is to be completed by international students only.
Attending Howard is possible through institutional scholarships, and external funding opportunities including grants, and fellowship funds you do not have to pay back. Incoming and continuing students can explore the following available resources to assist in paying for college:
- Donor scholarships
- Available for continuing students. Eligibility depends on donor criteria requirements and financial aid review. A FAFSA or ISFAA application (for international students) must be on file for consideration.
- Departmental scholarships
- Departmental scholarships are available within individual school/colleges that align with student’s educational goals.
- State Grants
- Students can explore grant opportunities within their state that can be applied towards tuition.
Howard University Freshman Scholarships (HUFS) are merit-based awards provided to incoming First Time in College Students (FTICs). While criteria for incoming freshman may change each year, no separate application is required.
For information on scholarships and grants in Spanish, review here.
HUFS Scholarship Overview
- Scholarships are renewable for up to eight (8) consecutive semesters of undergraduate study.
- HUFS awards will expire after eight (8) consecutive semesters of enrollment or if the undergraduate student graduates before completing eight (8) consecutive semesters.
- Students may accept their HUFS offers by accepting the Terms and Conditions on their Bison Hub portal in addition to signing and submitting the HUFS Acceptance Agreement to the Office of Financial Aid by the designated deadline.
HUFS Award Types
Students are only able to receive one type of HUFS award below:
- HU Presidential Scholarship
- HU Achievers Scholarship
- HU Founders Scholarship
- HU Capstone Scholarship
- HU Leadership Scholarship
- HU Opportunity Scholarship
- HU Access Scholarship
Eligibility
- Eligibility for merit-based awards is determined based on students' SAT/ACT scores/high school GPAs that are entered into our system by the Office of Admissions.
- Eligibility for need-based HUFS awards is determined based on a range of students’ Student Aid Index (SAI).
Requirements
- Must be an incoming First-Time-In-College Student (FTIC).
- No separate application is required.
- A FAFSA is required for domestic students.
- An ISFAA is required for international students.
- The full-time earned credits and cumulative GPA requirements are outlined in the eligibility requirements of the individual contracts.
Transfer scholarships are allocated for tuition and fees only. Allocations for Transfer scholarships may change every year as well. This means funding may not be available every year for new transfer students. However, transfer students who previously received the Transfer awards may continue to receive them as long as they are meeting the criteria outlined in their contracts for renewal.
Scholarships offered and administered by outside organizations will have varying requirements and deadlines. To be considered for federal and state scholarships and grants, you will need to complete a FAFSA each year. Each state's FAFSA deadline may vary. The application and state deadlines are listed on studentaid.gov.
*Please Note: Please be aware, that state grants and scholarships will not be certified until after the census date for each respective academic semester.
Please check the Howard University Student Handbook - (PDF) periodically as these dates are subject to change.
Below is list of available external scholarship and grant opportunities:
- Americorps
- Daniels Scholarship
- DC College Access Program (DC Cap)
- DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DC Tag)
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Gates Scholarship
- Gilman Scholarship
- Maryland Higher Education Commission (MEHA)
- Pennsylvania Higher Education (PHEAA)
- Teach Grant
- Thurgood Marshall College Find (TMCF)
- United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
- Vermont State Grant
The following external scholarship resources provided below are separate from Howard University. Students can apply these resources towards cost of attendance. For more information on award requirements, please visit each individual program's website.
View our External Scholarship Resource List - (Scholarships for US Citizens and International Students)