If you had no income, the non-refundable portion of any education credit you might be eligible for would have nothing to be applied to. In other words, you can't get a credit since you have no taxable income or tax liability for that credit to decrease.
Only the American Opportunity Tax Credit can be received as a refund, but that credit can only be used 4 times per student and also is not available to grad students.
Below are the filing requirements for 2018:
FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR TAXPAYERS: UPDATED FOR
TAX YEAR 2018
Single
under 65 $12,000
65 or older $13,600
Head of Household
under 65 $18,000
65 or older $19,600
Married, Filing Jointly***
under 65 (both spouses) $24,000
65 or older (one spouse) $25,300
65 or older (both spouses) $26,600
Married, Filing Separately
any age $5
Qualifying Widow(er) with dependent child
under 65 $24,000
65 or older $25,300
FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPENDENTS:
Single dependents—
Were you either age 65 or older or blind?
No. You must file a return if any of the
following apply. 1. Your unearned income was more than $1,050. 2. Your earned
income was more than $12,000. 3. Your gross income was more than the larger of—
a. $1,050, or b. Your earned income (up to $11,650) plus $350.
Yes. You must file a return if any of the
following apply. 1. Your unearned income was more than $2,650 ($4,250 if 65 or
older and blind). 2. Your earned income was more than $13,600
($15,200 if 65 or older and blind). 3. Your gross income was
more than the larger of— a. $2,650 ($4,250 if 65 or older and blind),
or b. Your earned income (up to $11,650) plus $1,950 ($3,5500 if 65 or
older and blind).
Married dependents—
Were you either age 65 or older or blind?
No. You must file a return if any of the
following apply. 1. Your gross income was at least $5 and your spouse files a
separate return and itemizes deductions. 2. Your unearned income was more than
$1,050. 3. Your earned income was more than $12,000. 4. Your gross income was
more than the larger of— a. $1,050, or b. Your earned income (up to $11,650)
plus $350.
Yes. You must file a return if any of the
following apply. 1. Your gross income was at least $5 and your spouse files a
separate return and itemizes deductions. 2. Your unearned income was more than
$2,350 ($3,650 if 65 or older and blind). 3. Your earned
income was more than $13,300 ($14,600 if 65 or older and blind).
4. Your gross income was more than the larger of— a. $2,350 ($3,650 if 65 or
older and blind), or b. Your earned income (up to $11650) plus
$1,650 ($2,950 if 65 or older and blind)
CLICK
HERE for IRS Pub 501 Exemptions, Standard Deduction, Filing Information
