Howard University unenrolled more than 500 first-time-in-college students after they failed to meet specific financial and payment deadlines for the fall semester.
Howard University confirmed that 502 first-time-in-college students were unenrolled from the fall 2026 semester after failing to meet established payment and financial aid deadlines. The university stated that students were provided with multiple communications from March through July regarding tuition requirements and payment plans. A’Zariah Miles, a 17-year-old student from Knoxville, Tennessee, was among those impacted. Her mother, Kendra Miles, noted that an automated system prevented the family from signing up for a payment plan due to the total amount owed. Other students, such as Saniah Collins, expressed frustration after learning they lost their spots despite significant effort to secure scholarships. While the university acknowledged that timing differences between financial aid and final charges may have caused issues, the school maintained that confirming enrollment is essential for planning academic programs and housing. Experts noted that the mass removal of students in a single day was a significant move, as the university must now review individual cases to determine if reinstatement is appropriate.