A Little About Howard University
Howard University is a private, research university founded in 1867 in Washington, D.C. Howard has a reputation as a historically black university, even though it has other races of students there. It produces more African American Ph.D. holders than any university in the United States, is a leader in STEM fields and is regarded as a top-leading research university in the United States.
At Howard University, all undergraduates are expected to complete a university-wide core curriculum in courses like English composition and Afro-American studies. After which, students can choose majors from different academic fields, including Afro-American studies, French and music therapy. Howard University also boasts many extracurricular activities, as seen in many student organizations, fraternities, sororities and academic clubs.
Howard University is often considered the Harvard of Blacks and its nickname is The Mecca. It is the leading university among the historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Due to its prominence among other black universities and its benefits, many students apply to study at Howard University.
After applying to a university, the next thing on students’ minds is how to pay for their education. Some students have parents who can afford to pay for their education, while others have to depend on loans, grants and scholarships, usually referred to as financial aid.
Understanding Financial Aid
Financial aid is the money given to help students pay for their college education. It can come from various sources, such as the United States Federal government, the state where the student resides, the university or college the student is applying to, a private organization, or a non-profit organization. This financial aid usually covers tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies and transportation.
Classes of Financial Aid
As earlier stated, financial aid includes loans, grants, scholarships and work-study programs. Here’s what each of them signify:
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Loans
Loans refer to money borrowed from the federal or state government or the university, which must be repaid by the student with accompanying interests.
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Grants and scholarships
These refer to money that is freely given to the student for the purpose of education. That is, they won’t be repaid by the students.
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Work-study
These refer to a situation where a student works while studying to fund his or her educational needs. It can be gotten through the campus student employment service or sourced personally by the students.
As with other universities, Howard University offers financial aid to students who are unable to begin and complete school on their own.
Categories Of Howard University Scholarships
The scholarship and financial aid programs available at Howard University fall into three categories, namely:
1. Merit-based Scholarships
A student who performed excellently in academics during his or her time in high school or during a previous college year is eligible for a merit-based scholarship. As the name implies, it is help offered to the student based on merit. The following factors can determine if a student is eligible for a merit-based scholarship:
- High ACT or SAT scores
- High GPA
- An impressive resume of extracurricular work such as community service, field projects and volunteer work.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Letters of recommendation from mentors
2. Needs-based scholarships
How about students who do not meet the requirements for a merit-based scholarship? Will they lose out completely? No. That’s why the needs-based scholarship was prepared.
Students who need sponsorship to attend school outside of merit are eligible for this scholarship if they can prove that their family’s annual income is below the limit provided by the institution.
The following requirements are necessary for needs-based scholarship:
- Applicants who are U.S. citizens must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
- International applicants must fill out the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) form.
- The social life of the student must be outstanding, as stipulated by Howard University’s handbook.
Both the merit-based scholarship and the needs-based scholarship are sponsored by Howard University and the federal government.
3. External scholarships
External scholarships refer to the scholarships offered by organizations outside of Howard University or the Federal Government.
The funding is sent directly to the student’s account and is for certain target groups, which could be based on:
- Gender
- Level of study
- Religious affiliation
- Course of study
- Racial minority
Now that we’ve known about the various categories of financial aid a prospective Howard University student can receive, it’s time to go to the main reason for this article, and that is information about the Howard University Achievers Scholarship.
Facts About Howard University Achievers Scholarship
The Howard University Achievers Scholarship falls under the needs-based scholarship offered by Howard University. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of specifics about the scholarship, which makes me think that information is reserved purposefully and privately for only students of the university. However, there is information about the group under which this scholarship falls, and that’s what I will share with you.
First of all, the Howard University Achievers Scholarship is a scholarship under the Howard University Freshman Scholarship (HUFS). This means that Howard University freshmen or students who just graduated high school are eligible for this scholarship. There is no need to apply, as their status as freshmen automatically qualifies them.
Secondly, the Howard University Achievers Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship. This means it is offered to students who can prove that they cannot sponsor themselves in school and are not eligible for the merit-based scholarship.
Thirdly, the Howard University Achievers Scholarship is one of the 7 scholarships offered to incoming First Time in College Students (FTIC) also known as freshmen. A freshman can only be offered one out of the seven.
Eligibility For Howard University Achievers Scholarship
To qualify to receive the Howard University Achievers Scholarship, the following criteria must be met:
- The student must be a freshman at the university, either a graduate from high school or newly admitted into an academic program at Howard University.
- The student must provide evidence that his or her family cannot sponsor the cost of education by showing his or her family’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which must be in the range stipulated for financial aid.
- The student will have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form if they are a domestic (U.S.) citizen or the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) form if they are an international student.
It is important to note that the HUFS awards expire after 4 years of enrollment in the institution or if the undergraduate student graduates before completing 4 years. This means that if a student is running a 5-year course, the scholarship will discontinue after the 4th year or if the student finishes all course work in the third year and graduates, the scholarship will automatically be discontinued.
Application For Howard University Achievers Scholarship
Unlike other scholarships, the HUFS under which this scholarship falls does not require a separate application. As soon as a student applies to Howard University from high school or as a freshman, the student is automatically eligible for this scholarship.
The student’s application already contains all the documents required to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship board just does the review. The only form the student might fill out is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which might be done upon application to the school.
This means that during the student’s process of applying to Howard University, there’s a section that asks how the student hopes to pay for the education. If the student needs financial aid, he or she will then fill out the form and submit it along with the university application.
Why Choose Scholarships or Grants Over Other Forms of Financial Aid?
Scholarships and grants are the only form of financial aid that don’t require anything from the student except for studying hard and maintaining a good GPA. Thus, the student is able to fully concentrate on studies, graduate and begin a life after graduation without being held back.
Loans, on the other hand, have to be repaid after graduation. So the first few years or more after, the individual is crippled with paying off loans. He or she cannot focus on his or her career with joy until the loans have been fully paid, which sometimes takes years to accomplish depending on how fast the individual gets a job and how well he or she is paid.
Work-study requires the student to work and study, which sometimes might not work out well. A student may dedicate himself or herself to studying and get kicked out for not paying fees or work hard to pay fees and flunk out of school due to bad grades. So, you see why scholarships and grants are the best option for a student, right?
This article has explored the world of scholarships at Howard University. It has helped you know about Howard University, built a reason for financial aid and also shown you the various types of financial aid provided at Howard University. It has also explained the Howard University Achievers Scholarship to you and how it works.
Now, you don’t have an excuse not to apply to Howard University.
Go do it!
Yours, Mary John
