TerpsEXCEED

Want to learn more about TerpsEXCEED? 

Please join us for our Annual Open House to learn about TerpsEXCEED at the University of Maryland, College Park on Wednesday, November 4th, 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Registration and event details will be released Thursday, October 1st, 2026. 

Click here to view the Slides for last year's open house

If you are interested in visiting campus, we often recommend that families or schools schedule the Terrapin tour through the UMD Admissions office. Please reach out to us with any further questions following your scheduled tour

Eligibility Requirements

We’re looking for applicants who meet the following criteria: 

• Age 19-26 at the start of the fall of the first year. 
• Clearly documented intellectual disability and not able to otherwise typically attend UMD: must provide the most recent IEP and psychological assessment
• Completed high school with a diploma, modified diploma, or certificate of completion: must provide documentation
• Expresses desire and motivation to attend TerpsEXCEED at UMD, a large university (UMD, College Park has roughly 40,000 students)
• Must be able to be legally responsible for understanding and adhering to the UMD Code of Conduct
• Exhibits appropriate behavior for a college campus setting: Able to follow rules and exhibits reasonable judgment to maintain personal safety and responsibility 
• Understands and respects personal and social boundaries 
• Demonstrates ability to communicate with staff, faculty, and mentors 
• Has an open full Vocational Rehabilitation case with the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services
• Has work experience: volunteer, service learning, unpaid, and/or paid work experience 
• Enjoys engaging in social activities and has an interest in joining student organizations 
• Demonstrates maturity and responsibility necessary to participate in coursework, career experiences, campus life, and inclusive dorm living 
  • Able to remain unsupervised for extended periods of time 
  • Access to and ability to effectively use a smartphone for communication, safety, and navigation 
  • Able to manage self-care (personal hygiene, waking up/going to bed independently, clothing, room maintenance)** 
  • Able to independently handle medication, specialized dietary, and/or medical needs** 
  • Able to be aware of and manage time and activities (get up on time, get to classes and activities on time without full-time, one-on-one support) 
  • Able to learn to navigate campus and dorm life and manage downtime 
  • Able to be appropriate in a typical college classroom setting (engage with course material for basic understanding and response) 
  • Able to adapt to changes in schedules or support

** Although TerpsEXCEED does not provide specialized medical or personal care, families may choose to hire personal support (Please note: Peer mentoring support is available as needed, but not 24/7)