Official Notice of Student Charges for Academic Year 2026–27

Howard University hereby announces the tuition rates, housing rates, meal plan rates, and student fees for the 2026-27 Academic Year.

In announcing the student charges for the academic year, Howard University wishes to emphasize that Howard's tuition remains low compared to other private universities in the D.C. region and compared to other similarly ranked private universities in the U.S. overall. Student charges at Howard also compare favorably to student charges at other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This notice details all the approved tuition rates and other student charges that have been approved and/or re-affirmed by Howard University’s Board of Trustees.

For the 2026-27 academic year, the Board has approved the following changes in student charges:

• No increase to Undergraduate, Graduate, nor Professional tuition
• No increase to Mandatory fees
• An average 10% increase in housing rates
• An average 7% increase in dining rates

• School-specific fee adjustments as listed herein, for the following:

  • College of Dentistry
  • College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences
  • School of Divinity

All other student fees, including school and course-specific fees, have been reaffirmed.

Sections

Application and Enrollment

• Application and Enrollment Fees and Deposits
• University-Wide Fees
• Undergraduate Tuition Charges

Schools & Colleges

• College Arts Sciences
• College of Dentistry
• College Engineering Architecture
• College of Fine Arts
• College of Medicine
• College of Nursing & Allied Health Sciences
• College of Pharmacy
• Graduate School
• School of Business
• School of Communications
• School of Divinity
• School of Education
• School of Law
• School of Social Work

Other Enrollment

• Other Enrollment-Related Fees

Housing

• Housing Deposit and Fees
• Residence Hall Rates
• Summer Housing Rates

Meal Plans

• Meal Plan Fees

Pricing

Tuition is based on (a) the enrollment status of the student, (b) the semester, and (c) the school or college attended.

Enrollment Status

• Full-time status is when a student is enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits in the fall AND spring semester
• Part-time status is when a student is enrolled in less than 12 credits in the fall OR spring semester

Semesters

Tuition is based on the semester and the student’s enrollment status.

• For full-time students: a flat-rate tuition is charged. Included in the tuition is a total of 42 credits that may be taken throughout the academic year, which includes the fall, spring, and (if eligible) summer semesters
  • For the fall and spring semesters: tuition covers between 12 – 21 credits. Credits taken above the maximum of 21 credits are charged an additional amount, based on the full- time excess credit rate
  • For summer semester: the summer semester credit rate is used per credit taken
• For part-time students:
  • For fall and spring semester: a part-time credit rate is applied to credits taken
  • For summer semester: a summer semester credit rate is applied to credits taken

Application of Payments to Student Charges

When a student submits a payment to their student account, payments are applied in order based on a hierarchy of charges, as follows:

1. Tuition
2. Fees
3. Housing
4. Meal Plan
5. Miscellaneous (Books, Parking, Fines)
    

• Enrollment Fee: A fee to fund enrollment-related expenses
• Orientation Fee: A fee to fund expenses related to activities and programs during orientation
• Graduation Fee: A fee to pay for graduation-related activities, materials, and programs.
• Student Activity Fee: A fee to fund student activities. This fee will not increase unless a change is requested and ratified under the procedures established by the Howard Student Association.
• Endowment Fee: A student-voted fee to contribute to the University Endowment
• Student Self-Help Fund Fee: A student-voted fee to establish a Student Self-Help Emergency Fund. Available for all currently enrolled students
• Technology Fee: A fee to fund use of university email, IT labs, and other IT services
• Transportation Fee: A fee to fund expenses related to the maintenance and operation of the shuttle system. This does not apply to students enrolled in online programs. 
• Laundry Fee: A fee to fund expenses related to the enhancement, maintenance, and operation of the campus laundry services. This fee applies only to 
  undergraduate students who live in University-owned or University-managed housing
• Student Health Insurance Fee*: Not a mandatory fee. However, each student must complete the annual opt-out process. The rate shown above is a not-toexceed amount. The final negotiated rate will be determined beyond the date of approval of the notice of charges. This fee does not apply to students enrolled in online programs.

Howard University is composed of fourteen schools and colleges, listed below.

1. College of Arts and Sciences
2. College of Dentistry
3. College of Engineering & Architecture
4. College of Fine Arts
5. College of Medicine
6. College of Nursing & Allied Health Sciences
7. College of Pharmacy
8. Graduate School
9. School of Business
10. School of Communication
11. School of Divinity
12. School of Education
13. School of Law
14. School of Social Work

Of these schools, seven offer undergraduate degrees. Except for the Human Development Degree Completion program, all undergraduate tuition rates are uniform across the schools and colleges. Graduate tuition rates may differ by program and are listed accordingly under the respective schools. Graduate programs that are not specifically listed generally follow the rates listed under the Graduate School. In addition, each school or college has its own fees that support its curriculum, instructional programs, and related services. In the subsequent subsections, tuition and fees are presented by college or school.