Maryland Governor Wes Moore is offering expedited admissions help and financial relief as Howard University works through the fallout from removing hundreds of incoming students just weeks before fall classes. Howard students still searching for a college option after the school’s recent enrollment shakeup now have another path, with state officials offering expedited admissions assistance and an $800 credit to eligible students who enroll within the University System of Maryland this fall.
Moore announced the plan on July 30, directing the Maryland Higher Education Commission and University System of Maryland to create a coordinated process for affected students. The effort will help students locate available programs, review financial aid options, and seek expedited late admissions consideration at participating USM institutions that still have capacity.Students who enroll at a participating institution can also receive an $800 credit toward money already spent on nonrefundable Howard enrollment and housing deposits. The announcement gives affected Howard students another option as the fall semester rapidly approaches.
Howard’s fall classes are scheduled to begin August 17, leaving families with limited time to resolve their status at Howard or secure enrollment somewhere else.
“These students worked hard, earned admission to college, and were preparing to begin the next chapter of their lives,” Moore said. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities are pillars of education, research, and excellence for our entire country, and we support any young person pursuing their future through higher education. Maryland is moving with urgency to give them a clear path forward, with hands-on support, expedited admissions assistance, and financial relief, so they can stay on track toward earning their degree.”
The Maryland response comes after Howard removed 502 first-time college students from its incoming class. Howard confirmed that the students’ accounts had not reflected required enrollment and financial obligations by deadlines previously communicated by the university.
Howard said the affected students had been receiving information about enrollment requirements, payment expectations, and deadlines beginning in March. The university said students who failed to meet established requirements involving payment, an approved payment arrangement, or reporting of scholarships and other financial aid were informed that Howard could no longer hold their places in the incoming class.
Howard said it communicated with incoming students and families throughout March, April, May, June, and July using emails, financial aid information, videos, and Bison Prep sessions.
The situation has shifted since the initial notices were sent. Interim Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick told the Associated Press on July 29 that more than 200 of the 502 students initially removed had since been readmitted.
Frederick said the university began meeting and speaking directly with students and parents after the unenrollment notices. Those conversations led to some reinstatements after the university reviewed individual circumstances and financial documents.
Frederick told the AP that some students had outstanding tuition balances after financial aid and scholarships were applied, while others had issues involving unreported immunizations. He also acknowledged that the volume of calls from families became overwhelming, although he said emails were answered.
“There were no issues as far as what we communicated,” Frederick told the AP, maintaining that Howard had communicated unpaid tuition requirements since March.
About 2,200 incoming students remained enrolled after the original 502 students were removed, according to figures Frederick provided to the AP. Howard received roughly 37,000 applications for the incoming class.
That leaves some Howard students and their families deciding what to do next. While some are still pursuing reinstatement, others may be weighing whether there is enough time to enroll somewhere else before classes begin.
The $800 figure also lines up with two major deposits listed among Howard’s published charges for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Undergraduate students pay a $300 enrollment deposit, while students seeking campus housing face a $500 housing good faith deposit. Howard describes those deposits as nonrefundable out-of-pocket charges that are credited to a student’s account once the student is actively enrolled.
Maryland’s announcement says the state credit is intended to offset nonrefundable enrollment and housing deposits affected students paid to Howard. For qualifying students who enroll at a participating USM institution, the relief could cover the combined value of those two deposits.
“The University System of Maryland is committed to helping these displaced students,” University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay Perman said. “Our goal is to help these students continue with their education with as little interruption as possible.”
University System of Maryland Board of Regents Chair Linda R. Gooden also addressed students caught in the disruption.
“We feel for the students who were excited and ready to continue their educational journey at Howard University,” Gooden said. “Here in Maryland, the University System of Maryland is set in lockstep with the Moore-Miller Administration in support of students and ready to provide options for these students who need to continue pursuing higher education and their future with zeal.”
Maryland is not the only place creating alternatives for students affected by Howard’s decision. Schools and university systems in other areas have also moved to give students additional options as the fall semester gets closer.
New York, for example, offered impacted residents expedited late admissions consideration at participating SUNY and CUNY campuses with available space. The state also offered an $800 credit to offset unreimbursed deposits previously paid to Howard.
The response from multiple public university systems shows how quickly Howard’s enrollment controversy expanded beyond a dispute over student accounts. Hundreds of students had been making plans for housing, courses, financial aid, and the beginning of college when they learned that their spots were no longer being held.
Howard has since reopened the door for hundreds of those students, but some families may still need another option.
For students considering Maryland, Moore’s office says affected individuals should contact the Maryland Higher Education Commission through its Office of Student Financial Assistance at osfamail.mhec@maryland.gov. The office is providing personalized guidance about available financial aid options and possible routes into participating USM institutions.
With more than 200 students already readmitted by Howard, the number of students who will ultimately need another college home remains unsettled. For those who remain displaced, Maryland’s expedited admissions process and $800 credit offer another route to begin college this fall without simply walking away from money already committed to their original plans.
