Tax season is here, and the University of Houston-Downtown’s (UHD) annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (UHD VITA) is underway through April 14, 2026. The program showcases the university’s unique blend of volunteerism, professionalism, expertise, and a commitment to caring for others while spotlighting UHD’s Marilyn Davies College of Business, home to one of the largest MBA programs in the region.
UHD VITA provides free income tax preparation with electronic filing to individuals who need assistance in preparing their federal income tax returns, namely:
- People who generally make $67,000 or less.
- Persons with disabilities.
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers.
- College students.
- International individuals.
- Older adults (no income limit).
UHD VITA is offered Tuesday-Saturday in-person (no appointment necessary) and online by appointment. Appointments may be scheduled online. The VITA program is closed March 10-14 for spring break. The schedule is:
- Tuesday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in-person (Room B226, Shea Street Building, 320 N. Main), and virtually.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. (N412 and N414, One Main Building), and virtually.
UHD VITA is under the leadership of Dr. Arpita A. Shroff (Chair) and Dr. Hanife Topal (Site Coordinator). For the 2026 tax season, more than 140 UHD student volunteers were trained to provide free income tax preparation and electronic filing to individuals who needed assistance preparing their federal income tax returns.
For more information, email freetaxhelp@uhd.edu or visit VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
###
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. UHD educates approximately 14,000 students annually, boasts more than 73,000 alumni, and offers 47 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 23 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as No. 12 in Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs for Veterans and No. 21 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs (tie). The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings and No. 3 for student experience. TheStockWatcher.com called UHD a “notable institution providing high-quality online MBA programs. UHD ensures that its graduates are well-prepared to succeed in their chosen career paths.”
For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
