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Taxes

Filing Tax Forms for the 2023 Tax Season

Even if you did not earn any income, if you were physically in the US on F or J status anytime between January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023, you're obligated to file a Form 8843 with the IRS (the Internal Revenue Service, or 'IRS', are the US tax authorities).

Meanwhile, if you earned more than $0 of taxable US source income, you may need to file a federal tax return with the IRS. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may also need to file a state tax return(s).

Tax Filing Deadline

April 15, 2024 is the last day for residents and nonresidents who earned US income to file Federal tax returns for the 2023 tax year.

Who is Considered a Resident or Nonresident for Federal Tax Purposes

Generally, most international students & scholars who are on F, J, M or Q visas are considered nonresidents for tax purposes. International students on J-1 & F-1 visas are automatically considered nonresident for their first five calendar years in the US, whilst Scholars/Researchers on J visas are automatically considered nonresidents for two out of the last six calendar years in the US. If you've been in the US for longer than the five or two year periods, the will determine your tax residency.

How to File

 is an easy-to-use tax preparation software designed for nonresident students and scholars in the US. We (and all other university staff) are not qualified or allowed to provide individual tax advice.

After you login to , you will be asked a series of questions about the time you have spent in the US over recent years. will then determine your tax status. If it determines that you are a "nonresident alien" (NRA) for federal tax purposes, you can continue to use the software to respond to a series of guided questions. will then complete and generate the tax forms you need to send to the tax authorities.

However, if determines that you are a resident alien for federal tax purposes, you won't be able to continue using the software and you can use something like TurboTax, only if you are a resident for tax purposes.

Gather the Documents Needed

  • Passport
  • Visa/Immigration information, including form I-20 (F status) or form DS-2019 (J status)
  • Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (if you have one). This is not needed if you had no income and the 8843 is the only form you have to file.
  • W-2 form which reports your wage earnings if you worked. If you had more than one employer you should get a W-2 from each employer. It is issued by the end of January for the previous year. Make sure all employers from last year have an up-to-date address for you.
  • 1042-S form to report. If you have received this type of income, the 1042-S will be mailed to you by March 15 by the payer. Only Nonresident Aliens receive this form. If your tax status changes to Resident Alien you will not get a 1042-S. Login to Sprintax to check your tax status if you're not sure.
  • US entry and exit dates for current and past visits to the US. In addition to passport stamps, you can review or print your US travel history here.
  • 1099 form to report miscellaneous income. This income can be interest on bank accounts, stocks, bonds, dividends, earnings through freelance employment.
  • 1098-T form is not needed and can not be used for a nonresident tax return because NRAs are not eligible to claim education expense tax credits.

Sprintax Instructions

If you did not earn any US Income: will generate a completed Form 8843 for you and each of your dependents (if you have any). This form can also be completed easily on paper at no cost to you.

If you did earn US Income: will generate your "tax return documents", including either a 1040NR-EZ or a longer form 1040NR, depending on your circumstances.

After you finish your federal return, will inform you if you need to complete a state tax return. If so, you will have the option to use for an additional fee. However, it is your choice to use them or to do the state tax return on your own on paper.

Filing and Mailing Returns

Remember to read the instructions that provides.

You will be required to download, print and sign your federal tax return and mail it to the IRS. If you have a state filing requirement, you must also mail this to the tax authorities.

Finally, if you only need to file Form 8843, this will also need to be mailed to the IRS.

Support

If you need help while using , you can contact their support team using the options below:

You also have access to the where there are a number of educational videos on nonresident taxes. These will provide further clarity on nonresident tax and how to use Sprintax. Sprintax also offer a range of useful content on their  to help you file your return.

  • stipend, scholarship, fellowship income and travel grants (not tuition reduction or exemption)
  • income covered by a tax treaty
  • payment for other types of services (eg by the semester as a note-taker)

Disclaimer: The Office of Global Support and Student Engagement (OGSSE) and the school are not permitted to assist any student/scholar with any IRS tax form preparation or tax related questions. The information provided is intended for your benefit. Any questions or concerns should be directed to , a certified tax preparer or a local IRS field office.