TerpTax
The Graduate School has partnered with TerpTax and the Robert H. Smith School of Business to provide a free, comprehensive tax preparation service for UMD graduate students.
Housed in the Robert H. Smith School of Business since 2015, TerpTax is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) chapter—a program created by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free tax return preparation to the community.
Appointment Information
TerpTax will begin operating from February-April out of Van Munching Hall. Virtual appointments are also available. Visit their website to learn how to prepare for your appointment and to schedule a virtual appointment with a TerpTax representative. This is a completely free service for UMD graduate students, and they are available to help you with a variety of tax issues including filing your federal and state taxes.
Please note that appointments are on a first-come, first-serve basis. We advise students to make an appointment as soon as possible because there are a limited number of openings, especially as it gets closer to the tax filing deadline of Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
TerpTax also offers a "Self-Prepare" version of their services. With this option you prepare your own return on the provided software and will be assigned an experienced volunteer to answer any questions you may have, either on the software or tax issues.
For International Graduate Students
Are you on a F-1 or J-1 visa? OPT/CPT? Your visa status requires you to stay compliant with mandatory annual tax filings to the Internal Revenue Service. Failure to comply can seriously risk your current visa and/or any plans you may have to transition to H1-B in the future. TerpTax is able to help our international students with just the tax requirements.
Glacier Tax Prep is a software program available to international students to assist with preparing tax returns. Visit the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website to learn everything you need to know about Glacier Tax Prep, including how to access and use the service. All questions should be directed to ISSS or the individual services.
If you use an online e-filing tax software service that you purchase from external vendors, make sure you are filing the correct form. It is more likely than not that you need to file Form 1040NR and are specifically not allowed to file Form 1040. Further, almost all F status and J status visa holders need to file Form 8843 every year even if you have no income. To the best of our knowledge, no commercial online tax service provides the Form 1040NR for free. Moreover, many states do not recognize treaty benefits so you may have a state tax filing requirement even if you do not have such a requirement for the federal.
If you have already filed a Form 1040 as opposed to a 1040NR please make an appointment with TerpTax to determine if that is correct for you and, if not, they will assist you in making the correction. Failure to comply with the tax law here could interfere with your visa status at any time.
Workshop Recordings and Information
In February 2025, Professor Samuel Handwerger of UMD's Smith School of Business and TerpTax advisor, partnered with Graduate Student Legal Aid, The Graduate School, and ISSS to host one tax workshop geared towards international students.
Visit the links below to access the recording and materials, and get guidance on how to handle common tax issues. For help with more complex questions, we have shared free resources for one-on-one tax support.
Speaker: Professor Samuel Handwerger, UMD Smith School of Business, TerpTax Advisor
Co-host: Debby Mikutsky, Graduate Student Legal Aid
Tax Information for Domestic Students
For International Students
- Workshop Recording (2/18/2025)
- ISSS – Tax FAQs
Questions?
Visit terptaxumd.org for more information about the program, including appointment times, what materials to bring to your appointment, and contact information. All questions about tax preparation and this service should be directed to TerpTax.
The Graduate School thanks the students who lead and volunteer with TerpTax and the Robert H. Smith School of Business for their continued support. We would also like to thank Sam Handwerger, the faculty member who volunteers to assist TerpTax and the many community members they serve!
Updated on December 19, 2025