A Parent’s Complete Guide to Howard University (2026-2027)
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Jump to
- What is the one thing every Howard University parent needs to know before move-in?
- Quick Facts for Howard University Families
- What makes Howard University’s campus culture unique?
- Getting to Washington DC
- What do parents need to know about Howard University move-in day 2026?
- The Residence Halls: Where Your Student Might Live
- How much does Howard University cost? Tuition, financial aid, and scholarships for 2026-27
- Washington DC: What Parents Need to Know
- When is Howard University Family Weekend 2026 and how do parents plan for it?
- How can parents support their Howard University student’s mental health?
- Who do Howard University parents contact? Essential numbers and websites for families
- Howard’s Academic Strengths
- Getting Your Student’s Stuff Home Between Semesters
- You Are a Howard Family Now
- What is Howard University’s graduation rate?
- Academic Calendar
- What to Pack for Howard University
What is the one thing every Howard University parent needs to know before move-in?
Howard University was chartered by Congress in 1867, two years after the end of the Civil War, with the explicit mission of educating freed African Americans and others who had been excluded from higher education.
In the 158 years since its founding, Howard has educated more Black lawyers, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, engineers, and doctoral degree holders than any other university in the United States. Thurgood Marshall graduated from Howard Law School. Toni Morrison received her degree from Howard. Kamala Harris attended Howard before law school. Chadwick Boseman studied acting at Howard. Taraji P. Henson graduated from Howard’s School of Communications. The alumni list is not merely impressive; it constitutes a significant portion of the people who have shaped Black professional, intellectual, political, and artistic life in the United States over the past century and a half.
“The Mecca” is the name Howard students give the campus, and it is used with complete sincerity. It refers to the sense that Howard is a destination, a gathering place, a center of Black intellectual and cultural gravity that draws students from across the country and internationally not because it is convenient or affordable but because it is specifically what it is. The campus sits in the Shaw neighborhood of northwest Washington DC, directly connected to U Street, one of the most historically significant Black cultural corridors in America, where the Duke Ellington neighborhood and the legacy of the Harlem of the South converge with the modern DC food and arts scene.
For parents of all backgrounds: sending a student to Howard is a specific choice with specific meaning. Understanding what that meaning is and what it produces in graduates is essential context for the Howard parent experience.
Quick Facts for Howard University Families
| Family Weekend | Howard University Homecoming 2026 is October 11 to 18, 2026, with the Homecoming game on Saturday, October 17. |
| Location | Washington, DC 20059 |
| Enrollment | ~11,000 students |
| Type | Private Research University (R1), MEAC (HBCU) |
| Tuition (2026-27) | ~$33,000/year (verify at howard.edu) |
| Room and Board | ~$18,000-$20,000/year (verify at howard.edu) |
| Total Cost | ~$53,000-$55,000/year (verify at howard.edu) |
| Graduation Rate | ~71% (6-year) |
| Median Earnings (10 years post-grad) | ~$57,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
| Nearest Airport | DCA (Reagan National, 15 minutes) or IAD (Dulles, 45 minutes) |
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What makes Howard University’s campus culture unique?
Howard’s athletic teams are the Bison, competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the historically Black conference that also includes Delaware State, Morgan State, Norfolk State, and other HBCUs. The colors are navy, white, and red. “Go Bison!” is the call. HU, YOU KNOW. is the rallying cry.
Howard football plays at the William H. Greene Stadium on campus, and the Yardfest and Homecoming traditions around Howard football are legendary. Howard Homecoming is one of the premier HBCU homecoming experiences in the country, drawing alumni from across the United States for a multi-day celebration that extends through the surrounding DC neighborhoods. The HU Homecoming weekend in October is among the most significant cultural events in the DC calendar.
Howard basketball at Burr Gymnasium and the MEAC competition, alongside the broader HBCU basketball culture, provide the winter athletics engagement. Howard’s recent success in attracting high-profile recruits who chose the HBCU experience over Power Five offers reflects the cultural momentum of Howard’s current moment.
Getting to Washington DC
Reagan National Airport (DCA) is approximately 15 minutes from campus by Metro (the Red and Yellow/Green lines provide direct access from Reagan to the Columbia Heights and Howard University Metro stations), with service on American, Delta, Southwest, United, and others from Eastern US markets.
DCA’s proximity and Metro connectivity make it the most convenient gateway for families whose origin cities have direct DCA service.
Dulles International Airport (IAD) is approximately 45 minutes west of campus, primarily serving United and international carriers with broader route options from western and international markets. The Silver Line Metro connects IAD to downtown DC with connections to lines serving the Howard campus.
Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is approximately 45 minutes northeast of campus, primarily serving Southwest and other domestic carriers. The MARC commuter rail connects BWI to Union Station with connections to the DC Metro.
What do parents need to know about Howard University move-in day 2026?
Howard’s fall move-in runs in late August, with specific dates and arrival windows assigned by residence hall. Check howard.edu/housing for your student’s exact window. Washington DC in late August is hot and humid, with temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s and significant Chesapeake Bay humidity.
Move-in at Howard is a physically demanding process in the DC August heat.
Howard runs organized move-in with student volunteer crews. The campus in the Shaw neighborhood has limited street parking, and DC traffic conditions require advance planning for move-in logistics.
Practical notes:
- DC parking during move-in requires understanding the campus parking situation in advance. Follow the housing office’s move-in day instructions exactly for assigned parking areas.
- Metro is the most practical transportation for families arriving at DCA without a rental car.
- Ship boxes ahead. Howard holds packages, and minimizing what needs to be transported in DC August heat is worthwhile.
- After unloading, the U Street corridor (5 minutes from campus) and the neighborhoods between Howard and downtown DC have excellent restaurants that welcome families.
The Residence Halls: Where Your Student Might Live
Howard’s residential system houses freshmen and upperclassmen across several distinct residence halls on the main campus.
Crandall Hall, Drew Hall (men’s), and Truth Hall (women’s) are among the primary freshman residence halls, with traditional-style configurations and a strong first-year community culture. Drew Hall and Truth Hall are single-gender halls that reflect Howard’s residential tradition of providing gender-specific living environments as an option within the residential system.
Cook Hall is a co-educational traditional-style hall housing freshmen and upperclassmen near the center of the campus residential area.
The Meridian Hill Hall is Howard’s most celebrated residential building, a historic hall that has housed generations of Howard students and is considered by many alumni to be the most quintessentially Howard residential experience.
The Howard Plaza Towers (East and West) are high-rise apartment-style residential buildings near the Howard campus that provide upperclassman housing with kitchen facilities and views of the surrounding DC neighborhoods.
After freshman year, many Howard students move to the Shaw, LeDroit Park, Columbia Heights, and Petworth neighborhoods surrounding the campus, living in the historic rowhouses and apartments of the Northwest DC neighborhood that has been connected to Black DC life for generations.
How much does Howard University cost? Tuition, financial aid, and scholarships for 2026-27
Howard’s tuition is significantly below comparable private research universities nationally, and the university has invested in expanding financial aid access.
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | ~$33,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
| Room and Board | ~$18,000-$20,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
| Books and Supplies | ~$1,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
| Personal and Transportation | ~$3,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
| Estimated Total | ~$55,000-$57,000 (verify at howard.edu) |
Howard’s merit scholarship programs include the Howard University Scholarship, the Capstone Merit Award, and departmental awards through the School of Law, the College of Medicine, the School of Business, and other professional programs. Federal HBCU funding supplements institutional financial aid, and Howard’s financial aid office administers a range of need-based and merit programs. Howard participates in federal financial aid through the FAFSA process.
If there is a gap between available aid and total costs, private student loan rates are worth comparing carefully. SoFi is consistently competitive on rates for families with strong credit. Always exhaust federal loan options first.
FAFSA guide for Howard families Full college cost planning guide
Washington DC: What Parents Need to Know
Washington DC is among the most historically and culturally significant cities in the United States, and Howard’s location in the heart of the capital provides parent visit access that is essentially unlimited.
The National Mall is 20 minutes from campus by Metro, and the full concentration of Smithsonian museums (all free), the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the National Gallery of Art, and the US Capitol are within walking distance of the Mall metro stops. A parent visit that includes a morning on the Mall is one of the most culturally dense half-days available in any American city.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) on the Mall, opened in 2016, is the most significant new museum building in the United States in a generation, and it is particularly relevant to the Howard experience. The museum tells the story of Black American history in a way that directly contextualizes what Howard has been and what its students represent. Timed-entry tickets should be reserved well in advance.
The U Street Corridor immediately south of Howard is the historic center of Black DC cultural life, known as the “Black Broadway” of the early 20th century, where the Howard Theatre (opened 1910, restored and operating) hosted Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Marvin Gaye. Ben’s Chili Bowl (founded 1958, a DC landmark on U Street, Bill Cosby and Barack Obama have eaten there, essential for any parent visit), Busboys and Poets (books, social justice, excellent food), and the evolving U Street restaurant scene are within walking distance of campus.
Georgetown is 30 minutes by Metro and provides the other major DC destination: the waterfront along the C&O Canal, the M Street and Wisconsin Avenue retail and dining corridor, and the Georgetown University campus.
For parent visit dining: Ben’s Chili Bowl (U Street, essential Washington institution, half-smoke and chili since 1958), Oohh’s and Aahh’s (U Street, Southern comfort food, beloved), Thip Khao (Laotian, Columbia Heights, one of the most celebrated restaurants in DC), The Dabney (Mid-Atlantic cuisine, Blagden Alley, excellent for a special occasion dinner), and Compass Rose (world street food, Washington Heights, innovative and excellent).
When is Howard University Family Weekend 2026 and how do parents plan for it?
Howard University Homecoming 2026 is October 11 to 18, 2026, with the Homecoming game on Saturday, October 17.
Howard does not hold a separate Family Weekend; families are welcome at Homecoming, so plan a family visit around this week. Confirm the full schedule on the official Homecoming calendar, and book hotels early, since Homecoming rooms near campus sell out well in advance.
Comparing schools? See our 2026 parents weekend and family weekend dates for every college in one place.
Howard University refunds tuition on a declining schedule after the semester starts, so timing a withdrawal matters.
Institutional withdrawal must be submitted by the end of the 12th week of classes to be processed at all, and courses cannot be reinstated after an institutional withdrawal has been processed, a real one-way-door risk. Withdrawing from all courses can trigger forfeiture of institutional or federal aid, so Howard directs students to talk to Financial Aid before submitting.
Refund schedule: for Fall 2026: 100% refund through September 4, 50% through September 18, 25% through October 23, 0% after November 13, 2026. Confirmed via the official Howard University refund policy page. Policies and dates change every term, so verify directly before making a decision.
Advertising disclosure: this is a paid partner link. UniversityParent may earn a commission if you purchase through it.
Most colleges do not refund 100% of tuition once the semester starts.
GradGuard Tuition Insurance can reimburse tuition, housing, and fees if a covered illness, injury, mental health condition, or other covered reason forces a withdrawal during the term. Plans must be purchased before the semester begins.
First-time freshmen are not eligible for parking privileges at Howard.
Freshmen are additionally discouraged from bringing a car at all, since street parking nearby is limited and aggressively enforced by DC authorities. Parking is described as extremely limited even for eligible upperclassmen.
Freshman permit cost: not applicable for freshmen; the general annual permit for eligible upperclassmen is $680/year. Confirmed via the official Howard parking page. Policies can change year to year, so verify before move-in.
Howard’s Homecoming in October is the defining family visit of the Howard year: it is one of the premier HBCU homecoming traditions in the country, with a week of events, concerts, talent shows, yard shows from fraternities and sororities, a parade, and the Yardfest concert on the main quad that draws major artists.
The Bison football game during Homecoming weekend is the emotional peak of the athletic year. If your student is a freshman, plan to attend Howard Homecoming. It will tell you more about what Howard is than any campus tour.
Hotel strategy: Washington DC has enormous hotel inventory, and Howard Family Weekend and Homecoming do not produce the booking scarcity that smaller university cities create. That said, DC hotel rates are among the highest in the country, and booking 4 to 6 weeks ahead locks in better rates. Hotels near the Dupont Circle Metro stop (10 minutes from Howard by Metro) and the Logan Circle and Shaw neighborhoods provide the most convenient proximity. Government hotels near Union Station and Capitol Hill provide additional options.
How can parents support their Howard University student’s mental health?
Howard’s Counseling Services provides individual therapy, group therapy, crisis support, and psychiatric referrals for enrolled students.
Howard’s specific mental health context includes the realities of being Black in America and in Washington DC’s politically charged environment, managing the intersection of Howard’s extraordinary community expectations and the psychological weight of high achievement in a society that often asks more of Black excellence, and managing the first-generation and financial pressures that many Howard students carry.
Howard’s counseling center has invested in programming that is culturally competent in ways that are specific to the Howard community. The university’s Howard Opioid Education and Recovery program and other specific student health initiatives reflect the counseling center’s work beyond traditional individual therapy.
Howard mental health and health resources:
- Counseling Services: contact via howard.edu/counseling
- Student Health Center: contact via howard.edu/studenthealth
- Crisis line: 988 (call or text, 24/7)
- Emergency: 911
Who do Howard University parents contact? Essential numbers and websites for families
Verify all phone numbers and URLs at howard.edu before using, as contact information is subject to change.
- Parent Programs: contact via howard.edu/parents
- Undergraduate Admissions: contact via howard.edu/admissions
- Financial Aid: contact via howard.edu/financialaid
- University Housing: contact via howard.edu/housing
- Counseling Services: contact via howard.edu/counseling
- Student Health Center: contact via howard.edu/studenthealth
- Howard University Police (non-emergency): contact via howard.edu/police
- Registrar: contact via howard.edu/registrar
- Emergency: 911
Howard’s Academic Strengths
The Howard University School of Law is among the most historically significant law schools in the United States, having graduated Thurgood Marshall, who argued and won Brown v. Board of Education. The law school has a particular orientation toward civil rights, social justice, and public interest law that reflects Howard’s founding mission.
The School of Law’s placement in federal clerkships, government agencies, and civil rights organizations is strong.
The Howard University College of Medicine, founded in 1868, is one of the oldest and most significant medical colleges in the country. Along with Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Howard’s medical school has historically produced more Black physicians than any other institution in the United States. The clinical training infrastructure in Washington DC’s hospital system and the medical school’s research enterprise serve a patient population that is among the most medically underserved in the country.
The School of Business has strong programs in finance, management, and entrepreneurship, with direct connections to the DC federal contracting and policy ecosystem and to the broader Black business community nationally. The School of Communications is one of the most celebrated in the country for producing journalists, broadcasters, and communications professionals who have shaped American media.
The College of Arts and Sciences provides the liberal arts foundation, with strong programs in political science (reflecting DC’s political ecosystem), African American studies, chemistry, biology, and psychology. The Howard Gallery of Art, the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (one of the most significant archives of African American history and culture in the world), and the Howard University Libraries provide research infrastructure that reflects the institution’s deep investment in preserving and transmitting Black history and culture.
Getting Your Student’s Stuff Home Between Semesters
Washington DC is accessible by Metro and rail for the Mid-Atlantic, but for families flying in from across the country, the end-of-semester logistics are real. Storage Scholars specializes in student storage with residence hall pickup and delivery.
Full printable Howard dorm packing list
You Are a Howard Family Now
The Mecca is not a place that can be explained.
It is the experience of arriving at a university that has been producing excellence for 158 years: the alumni list that includes Supreme Court justices and Nobel Prize winners and Oscar recipients and senators, the campus where the Moorland-Spingarn collection preserves 200 years of Black history, the U Street corridor five minutes from the front gate where Duke Ellington played the Howard Theatre, the October Homecoming that is unlike any other college event in America.
Your student chose to be part of something specific, historically significant, and ongoing.
HU, YOU KNOW.
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Last updated: May 2026. Tuition, dates, and policies subject to change. Verify all time-sensitive information at howard.edu and howard.edu/housing.
Where to stay near Howard University
Hotels near campus fill up fast on move-in and Family Weekend. This live map shows places to stay near Howard University. Drag the map or change the dates to fit your trip.
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What is Howard University’s graduation rate?
Howard University graduates 59.6% of students in four years; another 10.4 points finish within six. About 90.9% of first-year students return for sophomore year. Each bar is compared to the national average, marked by the vertical line.
10.6 pts above national
6 pts above national
9.9 pts above national
Here is how to read these numbers: the four-year and six-year rates show how many students finish on time and eventually, and retention shows how many return after the first year. Wherever your student lands, the habits that keep them on track matter most: a full, well-sequenced course load, an advisor meeting every term, and using campus support early. See why most students don’t graduate in four years and how to choose the right classes in the right order.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, most recent available data. National averages: NCES. Figures are for first-time, full-time bachelor’s-seeking students.
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Academic Calendar
Key dates for the Howard University 2026-2027 academic year. Always verify at the official Registrar page before making travel plans.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 first day of classes | August 17, 2026 |
| Howard Homecoming Week | October 11-18, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving recess | November 26-27, 2026 |
| Fall reading period | November 30-December 2, 2026 |
| Fall finals | December 7-11, 2026 |
| Spring 2027 first day of classes | January 11, 2027 |
| Spring recess | March 7-15, 2027 |
| Spring finals | Late April 2027 (est.) |
| Commencement | May 2027 (est.) |
Winter break housing: Most Howard University residence halls close for winter break. Students who need to stay on campus must apply for break housing through Residential Life in November. Check the housing portal for specific closure dates and application deadlines.
What to Pack for Howard University
Every dorm is different, but these are the items parents of Howard University students buy most. Ship directly to campus and skip the trunk-stuffing stress.
Twin XL Bedding Set
Sheets, comforter, and pillowcases — buy before you arrive so the bed is ready day one.
Shower Caddy & Flip Flops
Shared bathrooms require these. Get a hanging caddy and waterproof sandals before move-in.
Surge Protector Power Strip
Most dorms allow 6-outlet surge protectors with USB ports. Check your school’s policy first.
Want the full list? See our complete college packing list →
Shipping to campus? Students get 6 months of Amazon Prime for Young Adults free, then half price on the student’s own account. Here is how it works.
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