Howard University SAT & ACT Score Requirements: What You Need to Get In (2026)

Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Howard's admitted-student SAT middle 50 is approximately 1050 to 1290 and ACT middle 50 is 20 to 26. Howard's own published averages are 1184 SAT, 24 ACT, and a 3.66 unweighted GPA.
• Howard is test-optional. Applicants can choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
• The published acceptance rate is approximately 35 percent (10,362 admits from 29,391 applications).
• Howard is the most prominent HBCU in the country, often called "the Mecca," with 13 schools and colleges and a deep tradition of producing Black professional, political, and cultural leaders.
• Howard's HUFS merit aid program auto-considers all admitted students. The top tiers (Founders, Capstone) cover tuition plus housing for applicants with strong test scores and GPA, with no separate scholarship application required.

What SAT or ACT Score Do You Need for Howard?

Howard does not publish a competitive minimum and uses a holistic review. What it does publish, through its official admission profile, are average admitted scores along with overall application volume:

Half of Howard's admitted students sit inside roughly 1050 to 1290 on the SAT and 20 to 26 on the ACT, with the school's reported averages at 1184 SAT, 24 ACT, and 3.66 unweighted GPA. Practical target: aim for a 1184 SAT or a 24 ACT to land at the published average. A 1290 or 26 puts you at the 75th percentile and into competitive merit-scholarship territory.

Howard's admission profile page explicitly notes that these academic figures "do not represent the minimum GPA required for admission" or "minimum scores required for admission." Holistic review weights the full file, with strong fit, recommendations, and demonstrated leadership all carrying weight.

Howard Is Test-Optional

Howard maintains a test-optional policy for first-year applicants. Three implications for your application:

• You choose whether to submit scores. Test-optional applies to all first-year applicants. Without scores, your file is reviewed holistically based on transcript, rigor, GPA, essays, and recommendations.
• Test scores still matter for HUFS merit aid. Howard's tiered Howard University Freshman Scholarship (HUFS) program uses both test scores and GPA to determine eligibility and award amount. Submitting strong scores is the most direct path to the top scholarship tiers.
• Self-reporting is accepted at application. Submit scores via the Common Application or your Howard portal. Official score reports are required only after admission, before enrollment.

If your scores are at or above Howard's published averages (1184+ SAT or 24+ ACT), submit. If your scores are at or above the Capstone or Founders thresholds (1300+ SAT or 29+ ACT), submitting unlocks the largest merit awards. If your scores fall below the 25th percentile (under 1050 SAT or 20 ACT), go test-optional and let the rest of the file carry the application.

Howard's 13 Schools and Colleges

Howard is structured as a major research university with 13 schools and colleges, several of which offer direct undergraduate admission. The structure shapes how applicants present themselves:

• College of Arts and Sciences: The largest undergraduate school. Broad liberal arts and sciences foundation.
• School of Business: Direct admit for business majors. Strong recruiting pipeline into finance, consulting, and accounting.
• College of Engineering and Architecture: Strong on math and science rigor expectations. Architecture program features studio-based curriculum.
• School of Communications: One of Howard's most distinguished schools, with strong programs in journalism, broadcasting, film, and PR. Notable alumni: Phylicia Rashad, Ta-Nehisi Coates.
• College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences: Direct-admit BSN with clinical pathway.
• College of Pharmacy: Six-year PharmD pathway available for qualified incoming students.
• School of Education: Education and human development programs.
• School of Social Work: Undergraduate BSW track.
• Other professional schools (Dentistry, Medicine, Law, Divinity): Primarily graduate or professional, but Howard's pipeline produces a meaningful share of Black doctors, dentists, lawyers, and theologians in the country.

For applicants targeting selective programs (Communications, Business, Engineering, Pharmacy), positioning your application around fit with the specific school carries weight. Howard's short-answer prompts read for genuine engagement with a particular field, not generic Howard enthusiasm.

Howard University Freshman Scholarships (HUFS)

Howard's merit aid pipeline is structured around the Howard University Freshman Scholarship (HUFS) program. All admitted students are automatically considered; no separate scholarship application is required. Awards are determined by SAT or ACT scores plus high school GPA at admission. The seven HUFS tiers in descending order of selectivity:

Three things to know about HUFS:

• Eligibility is automatic. Howard reviews every admitted student for HUFS. There is no internal scholarship application; submitting your strongest test score and GPA at admission is the most direct path to the top tiers.
• One award per student. A student qualifies for the highest single tier they meet, not multiple awards.
• Renewal requires academic performance. Top-tier awards (Founders, Capstone) require maintaining a 3.30 cumulative GPA at Howard for renewal across four years.

For applicants with a 1300+ SAT or 29+ ACT, Howard offers one of the strongest HBCU value plays through Capstone or Founders. Combined with federal Pell, state aid, and outside scholarships (Gates, Coca-Cola, UNCF, etc.), the net cost to high-achieving applicants can be very low.

The Howard Experience: "The Mecca" and HBCU Heritage

Howard is widely regarded as the most prominent HBCU in the country. Founded in 1867, Howard sits in the heart of Washington, DC, and produces a meaningful share of Black professionals across virtually every field:

• Notable alumni: Thurgood Marshall (first Black Supreme Court justice), Toni Morrison (Nobel Prize in Literature), Kamala Harris (Vice President), Chadwick Boseman, Phylicia Rashad, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Stokely Carmichael.
• HBCU leadership: Howard ranks among the top HBCUs in research funding, professional school output, and graduate school placement.
• DC location. Howard's proximity to Capitol Hill, federal agencies, and the World Bank produces a strong internship and career pipeline in policy, government, and law.
• Student life: Strong Greek life tradition (Howard is the founding chapter of several Black Greek organizations), Howard University Marching Band ("Showtime"), and an active campus culture rooted in Black excellence.

For applicants seeking an HBCU experience with national reach, Howard sits alongside Spelman, Morehouse, Hampton, and FAMU at the top tier. Howard's combination of Washington DC location plus 13 schools makes it especially well-positioned for students targeting policy, law, journalism, business, and the professions.

Howard Application Deadlines

Howard runs Early Action and Regular Decision rounds with priority deadlines for both admission and scholarships:

Two strategic notes:

• Early Action is the strongest single move. EA is non-binding (you can apply EA to Howard and Early Decision elsewhere). EA produces decisions earlier and gives you the strongest scholarship consideration.
• Apply via the Common Application. Howard accepts the Common App. The Howard supplement asks short-answer questions about your interest in Howard specifically, your intended school, and your engagement with the Howard community.

Howard GPA Requirements and Course Rigor

Howard's admit pool average runs around 3.66 unweighted, with admitted students typically presenting:

• English: 4 years.
• Math: 4 years (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, plus a fourth math; Calculus or beyond strongly recommended for Engineering, Pharmacy, and pre-med tracks).
• Science: 3 to 4 years (with at least 2 lab sciences; 4 years preferred for Engineering and pre-health).
• Social science: 3 years.
• Foreign language: 2 years of the same language.

For competitive Engineering, Business, and Communications applicants, AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors coursework at the maximum level your school offers strengthens the file meaningfully. Howard's holistic review weights both rigor and grade trajectory.

What Howard Weighs Beyond Test Scores

Howard's holistic review considers academic and personal factors. In rough order of weight:

1. GPA and course rigor. Strong, consistent grades in challenging coursework.
2. Standardized test scores (when submitted). Used in admission and HUFS merit aid review.
3. Essays and supplements. The Howard supplement asks why Howard, why your intended school, and what you bring to the community. Specific responses about Black excellence, fit with Howard's mission, and personal narrative outperform generic ones.
4. Activities, leadership, and community engagement. Howard looks for students who will actively contribute to the campus community.
5. Recommendations. A counselor letter and one or two teacher letters are typical. Strong, specific letters from teachers who know your intellectual habits well outperform generic ones.
6. Demonstrated interest. Not separately weighted, but applying EA, attending information sessions or virtual events, and engaging with admissions communications all register implicitly.

Howard does not require interviews for general admission.

A Realistic Prep Plan for Howard-Level Scores

If Howard is your target and your current practice SAT is 1000 or ACT is 19, here is a workable pathway to the admit middle 50 (and HUFS scholarship territory):

1. Sophomore spring to junior summer. Take one timed official Bluebook SAT and one ACT. Pick whichever scores higher in percentile.
2. Junior fall. Begin structured prep, two to three hours per week, with full timed tests every two to three weeks. Focus on your weakest section first.
3. Junior spring. First official sitting. Lock in your strongest section. Aim for at least the 25th percentile of admits (1050 SAT or 20 ACT) by this point.
4. Summer before senior year. Heavy prep window. Push toward Howard's published average (1184 SAT or 24 ACT). Push toward Capstone Scholarship territory (1300+ SAT or 29+ ACT) for the largest merit awards.
5. September or October of senior year. Second official sitting. For the November 1 EA deadline, scores from August or October administrations arrive in time.

Score targets to anchor on: 1050 SAT or 20 ACT for the admit 25th percentile, 1184 SAT or 24 ACT for Howard's published average, 1290 SAT or 26 ACT for the upper end of admits, 1300+ SAT or 29+ ACT for Capstone Scholarship eligibility (with 3.25+ GPA), and 1400+ SAT or 32+ ACT for Founders Scholarship eligibility (with 3.50+ GPA).

For adaptive practice, try the Larry Learns SAT platform or the Larry Learns ACT platform. If you are still deciding which test fits you, see our SAT vs ACT guide, and use the SAT score calculator to convert raw practice scores. For section-specific prep, our SAT math topics and ACT math topics guides break down what each test covers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Howard SAT and ACT Scores

What is the average SAT score for Howard University?

Howard's published average admitted SAT is 1184. The middle 50 percent range is approximately 1050 to 1290. Capstone and Founders Scholarship recipients typically score above 1300 and 1400, respectively.

What is the average ACT score for Howard University?

Howard's published average admitted ACT composite is 24. The middle 50 percent range is approximately 20 to 26. Top scholarship recipients score in the 29 to 33 range.

What are Howard's SAT requirements?

Howard is test-optional. There is no published minimum SAT, but Howard's published average admitted SAT is 1184 and the middle 50 range is approximately 1050 to 1290. Self-reported scores are accepted at application; official scores are required only after admission.

What are Howard's ACT requirements?

Howard is test-optional. The published average admitted ACT is 24, with a middle 50 range of approximately 20 to 26. Test scores are not required for admission but are used in HUFS merit scholarship review.

Is Howard test-optional?

Yes. Howard maintains a test-optional policy for first-year applicants. Students can choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores, and applicants without scores are not disadvantaged in the admission decision. However, scores are used to determine HUFS merit scholarship eligibility, so submitting strong scores can unlock significant aid.

What GPA do I need for Howard?

Howard's published average admitted unweighted GPA is 3.66, with a middle 50 range of approximately 3.4 to 3.8. There is no strict minimum. Course rigor (AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment) is weighted in the holistic review.

What is Howard's acceptance rate?

Approximately 35 percent. Howard's most recent published numbers show 10,362 admits from 29,391 applications. Howard is one of the most selective HBCUs in the country.

What is the Howard University Freshman Scholarship (HUFS)?

HUFS is Howard's tiered merit aid program for incoming first-year students. All admitted students are automatically considered; no separate application is required. Awards are determined by SAT or ACT scores plus high school GPA. Tiers include Founders (top tier, full tuition + room + board + book voucher), Capstone (tuition + fees + room), Presidential, Achievers, Leadership, Opportunity, and Access Grant. A student qualifies for the highest single tier they meet.

What scores do I need for the Capstone or Founders Scholarship?

The Capstone Scholarship requires SAT 1300 to 1390 or ACT 29 to 31 plus a GPA of 3.25 or higher. The Founders Scholarship requires SAT 1400 to 1490 or ACT 32 to 33 plus a GPA of 3.50 or higher. Renewal across four years requires maintaining a 3.30 cumulative Howard GPA. Pushing your test score above the Capstone threshold is one of the highest-ROI prep targets at Howard.

When are the Howard application deadlines?

Early Action is November 1 (non-binding). Regular Decision is February 15 (with a March 1 supporting-document deadline) and decisions release in early April. Howard accepts the Common Application. Apply via Early Action for the strongest scholarship consideration and earliest decision.

Does Howard offer Early Decision?

No. Howard offers only non-binding Early Action and Regular Decision. There is no binding Early Decision option. EA is the strongest single move for applicants with Howard as a top choice.

How many schools and colleges does Howard have?

Howard has 13 schools and colleges. Undergraduate-focused units include the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, College of Engineering and Architecture, School of Communications, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, School of Education, and School of Social Work. Howard also operates professional schools in Dentistry, Medicine, Law, Divinity, and Graduate Studies.

Why is Howard called "the Mecca"?

"The Mecca" is a longstanding nickname for Howard reflecting its central role as the leading HBCU in the country and a gathering place for Black intellectual, cultural, and political life. Notable alumni include Thurgood Marshall, Toni Morrison, Kamala Harris, Chadwick Boseman, and Phylicia Rashad.

How does Howard compare to other HBCUs?

Howard is widely considered the most selective HBCU by national admit rate (~35 percent vs ~21 percent at FAMU, but Howard's overall admit rate is meaningfully higher than FAMU's). Howard's admitted SAT range (1050 to 1290) is roughly comparable to FAMU (1080 to 1230) and Spelman (1170 to 1370). Howard's defining differences are its DC location, its 13-school structure, and the depth of its national alumni network. Among public-and-private HBCUs combined, Howard typically ranks first in research funding, graduate-school placement, and national reputation.