Howard University (Howard) is a private research university and historically Black university whose chartered mission has linked advanced education, professional preparation, research, and service since Reconstruction. Founded in 1867 and based in Washington, District of Columbia, the institution combines its historical mission with contemporary undergraduate, graduate, professional, and research activity. Howard combines the breadth of a comprehensive doctoral university with the historic role of an HBCU in educating Black professionals and scholars. Its main campus is in northwest Washington, D.C., with dedicated law, divinity, research, and health-sciences facilities that connect academic work to federal agencies, hospitals, nonprofits, media, policy organizations, and cultural institutions. Academically, Howard University is organized around 14 schools and colleges offering 143 programs of study across arts and sciences, business, communications, education, engineering and architecture, fine arts, health sciences, law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work, and divinity. Representative undergraduate fields include Architecture, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, while graduate study includes Business Administration, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Public Health, Social Work. At Howard, doctoral and professional education is administered by the relevant schools under their own degree requirements. Howard students therefore encounter both broad university resources and program-specific advising, accreditation, research, or professional expectations. Teaching commonly uses seminars, laboratories, studios, clinical education, design work, community-based learning, internships, and faculty-guided research. Research and creative work span biomedical science, health disparities, engineering, atmospheric science, artificial intelligence, social science, humanities, public policy, and African diaspora scholarship. At Howard, depending on the field, students may work with faculty through laboratories, capstones, independent study, creative projects, clinical experiences, field placements, or research assistantships. At Howard, this gives academic work a practical dimension while preserving the disciplinary methods and scholarly standards of the selected program. At Howard, career preparation and student development are built into the wider experience. The Center for Career and Professional Success integrates Handshake, employer engagement, career coaching, experiential learning, federal work-study, and campus employment. Howard student organizations, service, leadership, cultural programs, athletics, international opportunities, and academic support add further routes for involvement. The Washington setting can also extend learning beyond campus through employers, public institutions, schools, hospitals, cultural organizations, or community partners connected to the university’s programs. Admission and cost at Howard should be evaluated using current university rules. First-year applicants use the Common Application and may apply through Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. The current policy is test optional for the 2027–28 application cycle, with exceptions for selected joint professional pathways such as BS/MD, BS/DDS, and BA/JD. Howard reviews academic preparation, course rigor, recommendations, writing, activities, context, and any scores a student chooses to submit. Early Decision and Early Action: November 1; Regular Decision: February 1. For 2026–27, standard full-time undergraduate tuition is $37,996 for the academic year, with mandatory fees of $1,040. Traditional graduate tuition is $39,608 annually with mandatory fees of $1,206; professional-school charges follow separate schedules. Howard University Freshman Scholarships include the HU Presidential, Achievers, Founders, Capstone, Leadership, Opportunity, and Access awards. Incoming first-time college students are considered under current merit and need rules, and renewable awards can extend for up to eight consecutive undergraduate semesters when conditions are met. Howard does not publish one institution-wide placement rate for every school.