FAQs

Registration for Family Weekend 2026 will open at noon ET on Wednesday, August 5.

Advance registration for ticketed events will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 9. We encourage families to register early, as some events may sell out.

Beginning Thursday, September 10, only general Family Weekend registration will remain open. Ticketed events and events requiring advance registration (as noted on the Schedule of Events) will no longer be available.

We are unable to accept registrations over the phone.

The registration fee includes the following:

• Access to Family Weekend events, educational sessions, and workshops
• President’s Open House and college/school/program receptions
• Terp Family Festival and other family-friendly activities throughout the weekend
• Opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to the football game on September 26
• Opportunity to purchase tickets to Family Weekend ticketed events
• Membership/access to the Eppley Recreation Center on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
• Family Weekend giveaway item (one per family)

The registration fee also covers the cost of Family Weekend online and onsite registration services, registration materials, facility rentals, staff, and service fees. Family Weekend is an independent, self-supported event for University of Maryland families and is not financed by the University of Maryland, tuition dollars, or student fees.

We hope your student will attend all Family Weekend events with you, but they aren't automatically included. You will need to register each individual family member attending Family Weekend, including your student(s). For events that require tickets, be sure to purchase a ticket for your student(s) as well.

Family Weekend is an independent, self-supported event for University of Maryland families and is not financed by the University of Maryland, tuition dollars, or student fees.

The registration site updates in real-time as registrations are completed. 

It is possible that tickets to "sold out" events will become available if current ticket holders make changes to or cancel their Family Weekend registration. When this occurs, their tickets are released and become available online. You are welcome to log on to the Family Weekend registration site (using your Registration Code) at any time to see if any tickets for a particular event become available.

Additionally, our team regularly monitors registrations and works with campus partners to encourage them to expand their event capacity or consider adding a second offering when possible.

Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; this is the most equitable system possible. We regret that certain events sell out. More than 7,000 parents, family members, and students attend Family Weekend each year, and some events sell out quickly due to their popularity and limited availability of space on campus. Our team regularly monitors registrations and works with campus partners to encourage them to expand their event capacity or consider adding a second offering when possible.

More than 60 different events and activities are offered during Family Weekend. We are committed to providing a variety of options that appeal to a broad spectrum of family members, as well as presenting specific events that can accommodate all Family Weekend participants. Special events included in the Family Weekend Registration Fee (e.g., President's Open House, Terp Family Festival, Eppley Recreation Center, etc.) are open to all participants, as are many other events during the weekend for which there is no extra fee. Additionally, we have an unlimited number of tickets for those who wish to enjoy the barbecue buffet during the Terp Family Tailgate & Festival on McKeldin Mall (one of the highlights of the weekend).

Check back in July for a full list of events included in the Family Weekend Registration Fee. 

We are unable to provide a waitlist for closed events. It is possible that tickets to "sold out" events will become available if current ticket holders make changes to or cancel their Family Weekend registration. When this occurs, their tickets are released and become available online. You are welcome to log in to the Family Weekend registration site (using your Registration Code) at any time to see whether tickets for a previously sold-out event have become available.

Families will be able to register onsite to attend events and programs included in the general Family Weekend registration fee. Ticketed events and events requiring advance registration (as noted on the Schedule of Events) will not be available for onsite registration.

Your Family Weekend confirmation is immediate and sent to you via email after completing the online registration form. Tickets for events that require a printed ticket (except football tickets*) during Family Weekend will be issued when you check in at the Family Weekend Welcome Center (located in the Stamp Student Union).

Access to purchase discounted football tickets is provided immediately following registration for Family Weekend. Football ticket purchases are completed on a separate website, and tickets are provided electronically following purchase.

You can make adjustments to your registration or cancel your entire registration at any time before 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 9. Changes to your registration should be made by accessing the online registration form using the unique Registration Code listed on your Family Weekend confirmation. To cancel your entire registration, please send an email to familyweekend@umd.edu and include the Registration Code and your name as found on the confirmation letter.

Cancellations received by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 9, will receive a refund for purchases, with the exception of the following:

• T-shirts are not refundable after Wednesday, August 26.
• Donations are non-refundable.
• Terrapin Club Membership is non-refundable.

Eligible refunds will be posted to the credit card used for the original payment less a $30 cancellation fee. We are unable to refund payments after Wednesday, September 9.

The price point for meals is established by the food/catering team and they determined the discounted price for youth meals as "9 and under." The Office of Family Engagement provides a Family Weekend Registration Fee discount for youth 12 and under.

The 2026 Family Weekend t-shirt will be available for purchase through the Family Weekend registration form from August 5–26, 2026.

No. T-shirts must be purchased in advance via the Family Weekend registration form by the August 26 deadline.  We only order the exact number of shirts purchased, and extra inventory is not available.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer t-shirt exchanges. Because shirts are ordered based on purchases, we do not have additional sizes available. Please review the size chart carefully before placing your order.

Families registered for Family Weekend will be provided with a Family Weekend parking permit and parking map when they check in at the Family Weekend Welcome Center. The map will indicate the recommended parking areas and appropriate times for their use. The Family Weekend parking permit is valid only for parking on Friday, September 25, and Sunday, September 27. 

Families wishing to park on campus on Saturday, September 26, must purchase a game day parking permit, regardless of whether they attend the football game. Unfortunately, game day parking is unable to be included with the Family Weekend parking permit.

Additional parking information for Family Weekend will be available on our Parking page as it becomes available.

Parking is available near all campus facilities for vehicles displaying disabled parking identification. For individuals without an ADA-accessible license plate or placard, drop-off areas are available near most buildings used for Family Weekend. Shuttle-UM service is provided free of charge throughout the weekend for various locations around campus. Review additional information about accessible parking and campus guidelines.

Due to the football game on Saturday, September 26, parking on campus will be limited to game day permit holders. Families may purchase game day permits at umd.aceparking.com once they become available. Families wishing to park on campus on Saturday must purchase a game day parking permit, regardless of whether they attend the football game. Questions regarding Game Day Parking can be directed to the Department of Transportation Services at 301.314.3687 (DOTS) or transportation@umd.edu.

Families may also park in the College Park Metro garage. Free Shuttle-UM service is available from the College Park Metro to campus (104 College Park Metro route). The shuttle runs three hours prior to kickoff until 30 minutes after kickoff, and halftime until one hour after the final whistle. Additional game day parking information is available on the DOTS website.

ADA parking on Saturday, September 26
Anyone with an ADA placard or plates can go directly to the Stadium Drive Garage (SDG) North entrance located next to the stadium (road signs for ADA parking will help guide you).

For ADA permit holders looking for close parking on football game days:

• If a guest coming to the game has pre-purchased a game day parking permit for ANY lot on campus, they must display both the ADA permit and the game day permit to the attendant at Stadium Drive Garage (SDG) North.
• If a guest does NOT have a game day parking permit, they can go directly to Stadium Drive Garage (SDG) North and pay via credit card with the display of an ADA permit.

Parking regulations will be enforced throughout the weekend, so please pay close attention to the information provided and the posted parking restrictions on campus.

*Check back in mid-July for an updated map.

We have tons of events planned just for you. We encourage you to arrive early on Friday so you can make the most of the weekend. Events wrap up Sunday afternoon.

How long you stay is up to you. We hope you stay as long as you are able. 

Classes are not officially canceled for Family Weekend, and there is no university-wide adjustment to the academic schedule. Faculty are not expected to alter class meeting times, so students should plan to attend classes as usual. If a Family Weekend event conflicts with a class, we encourage students to contact their instructor in advance to review attendance expectations. Some instructors may offer flexibility, but arrangements are made at the faculty member's discretion.

Yes! Family Weekend is an opportunity for families to enjoy and learn more about the institution, and the more you know about the University, the better you will be able to support your student throughout their educational career. If your student does not want to attend, it is probably just a statement of their need to assert some independence or autonomy, which is natural. Many families attend Family Weekend and see their student only occasionally. Others have their students with them at everything—it really depends upon the student. If you want to come, we hope you will join us.

The show must go on! Events scheduled in outdoor locations have alternate indoor sites in case of inclement weather. Since we never know what kind of weather a Chesapeake-area autumn will bring, we encourage you to come prepared with a jacket or sweatshirt and an umbrella.

We won’t know the official game time until the Big Ten announces it (typically 7-10 days before the game). As soon as it's confirmed, we’ll update the Schedule of Events and share the details via email (be sure you're signed up for the Terp Family eConnection). We hope for a Saturday 3:30 p.m. kickoff, but if the kickoff is at noon, the Terp Family Festival & Tailgate will be adjusted as necessary.

Sign language interpretation can be provided upon request for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. Please note this request in the Accommodations section of the registration form, and our team will contact you. Requests for interpreters must be made no later than Wednesday, August 26.

Events are held in accessible areas and buildings unless otherwise noted on the Schedule of Events. Drop-off areas are available near most buildings used for Family Weekend for those without an ADA-accessible license plate or placard. Specific transportation needs may be accommodated by our Paratransit service, provided by the Department of Transportation Services. Note: The University of Maryland does not provide wheelchairs.

Parking is available near all campus facilities for vehicles displaying disabled parking identification. For individuals without an ADA-accessible license plate or placard, drop-off areas are available near most buildings used for Family Weekend. Shuttle-UM service is provided free of charge throughout the weekend for various locations around campus. Review additional information about accessible parking and campus guidelines.

A list of area hotels is available on the Conferences & Visitor Services website, and many more can be found through a simple web search. Hotels fill quickly, so we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible.

We encourage you to do so (and we're pretty sure your student will enjoy the treat). There are tons of great options near campus and in neighboring cities. Yelp can be used to identify local places to eat. If you do plan to take your student to dinner, we strongly advise you to make a reservation BEFORE you arrive for Family Weekend since reservations will fill up.

If you can't find what you're looking for, contact Family Engagement at terpfamily@umd.edu.