How can students file taxes for free?

Whether students even have to file a tax return

Whether you’re required to file depends on:

• Filing status
• How much you earned
• What kind of income it was

There’s no special rule regarding when a student has to file, but students can often be claimed as a dependent even after they turn 18, which can affect their requirement to file. Be sure to discuss whether you are being claimed as a dependent with your parents or guardian prior to filing your return. If you’re not a dependent, you should follow the typical filing requirements.

For 2026, a dependent must file if their earned income, meaning wages, tips, and taxable scholarship amounts used for anything other than tuition, was more than $16,100 ($15,750 for tax year 2025), or if their unearned income, like interest or dividends, was more than $1,350. If you have both types of income, you must file once your combined income tops the larger of $1,350 (up to $15,300) plus $450. Also, if you have self-employed earnings, then that threshold is lowered to $400.

Keep in mind that even below those thresholds, filing can still put money back in your pocket. Say you earned $6,800 from a part-time campus job as your only income and had $410 in federal income tax withheld from your paychecks. Because $6,800 is under the $16,100 earned-income filing threshold, you’re not required to file. But filing anyway means the IRS sends that $410 back to you as a refund.

Some potential free filing options for students

Source: 1, 2

How dependent status changes your taxes

Being claimed as a dependent on your parents’ return changes two things:

1. Whether you’re required to file.
2. Who gets to claim education credits for your tuition.

Your parents or guardians can claim you as a dependent if you’re a full-time student under 24 who doesn’t provide more than half of your own support. Something to discuss with your parents or guardians is who actually provides the majority of support. Note that student loans solely in your own name or with you as the primary borrower count as your own support.

If they claim you, they’re the ones eligible to take the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) or Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) for your qualified education expenses, not you. If you’re paying your own way and no one claims you, you can take those credits on your own return instead. Talk to your parents before tax season so you don’t accidentally both try to claim the same student.

Documents and education credits students should have ready

Before you sit down to file, these are some common documents or information to gather:

• Your Social Security number (SSN)
• Form W-2 from any job you held during the year
• Any 1099 forms for freelance or gig income
• Form 1098-T from your school
• Last year’s AGI, if you filed before, to sign your return electronically
• Any other forms or documents that your preparer asks you about (e.g., your ID, receipts, documents related to passive income)

By January 31, your school should send you Form 1098-T, a tuition statement showing what you paid during the year, which you can use for figuring out education tax credits.

How to find a VITA site on or near campus

Many colleges host their own VITA site staffed by trained student and community volunteers during tax season. Here’s how to find one:

1. Use the IRS’s VITA/TCE site locator tool.
2. Check with your school’s financial aid or accounting department; many campuses run their own site each spring.
3. Confirm you meet the income guideline, $69,000 or less.
4. Gather your documents (SSN, W-2s, 1098-T, and prior-year AGI) before your appointment, since sites can book up fast during peak season.