Tax Year 2023 Tax Filing DEADLINE: Monday, April 15, 2024
The US IRS deadline for filing a tax return if you had US income in 2023 is Monday, April 15, 2024. Students who did not have US income but were present in the US in 2023 (even one day) still need to file the form 8843. This can be done using Sprintax.
Do I need to do taxes?
Yes. Even if you did not work or earn income in 2023, you must file form 8843 with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to maintain your visa status if you were physically in the U.S. with F or J status at any point in 2023 (January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023).
Even if your country has an income tax treaty with the U.S., you must file form 8843 to maintain your visa status. More information about tax treaties and Sprintax services can be found HERE.
Can ISS help me with the step-by-step process for filing my taxes? I want to schedule an appointment to make sure I am doing it correctly.
Unfortunately, ISS staff are not certified tax professionals, so it would not be appropriate for us to answer specific questions about your tax case.
ISS partners with Sprintax to assist you in meeting your tax filing obligations as an international student. ISS will email your personal Sprintax Access Code in early February 2024. Your code will be sent to your DePaul email address and will allow you to access the Sprintax Tax Filing Software. Sprintax is designed to guide you through the tax process and answer your questions, and we recommend contacting them first if you have any questions. You can contact Sprintax directly at hello@sprintax.com or via the chat feature on their website.
Sprintax (or another tax service) told me I need to get certain tax documents from my school. Where do I get them?
The 1098-T form is distributed by Student Accounts via Campus Connect. You can find instructions for accessing the 1098-T HERE and contact studentaccounts@depaul.edu if you have questions. All other tax documents are distributed by Payroll—you should contact Payroll for these documents at payroll@depaul.edu. Payroll is extremely busy during tax season, so plan on allowing at least 2 weeks between contacting Payroll and receiving your documents.
Need Sprintax Support?
If you need help while using Sprintax, you can contact their support team using the options below:
ISS has teamed up with Sprintax to provide you with easy-to-use tax preparation software designed for non-resident students and scholars in the U.S. We (and all other university staff) are not qualified or allowed to provide individual tax advice.
After you login to Sprintax, you will be asked a series of questions about the time you have spent in the U.S. over recent years. Sprintax 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 it to respond to a series of guided questions. Sprintax will complete and generate the tax forms you need to send to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).
If Sprintax determines you are a resident alien for federal tax purposes, you won't be able to continue using the software.
If you earned more than $0 of taxable US source income, you may need to file a federal tax return with the IRS. Use your Sprintax access code (Emailed to you by ISS in early February 2024) to file your federal tax return at no cost. Depending on your circumstances you may also need to file a state tax return(s) at your own cost. Please note that only the federal filing fee is waived with Sprintax; if you owe taxes, you will still need to pay them.
1) Gather the documents you may need for Sprintax.
| Passport |
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| Visa/Immigration information, including form I-20 (F status) or form DS-2019 (J status) |
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| 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 |
This form 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 |
This form is used to report:
1. Stipend, scholarship, fellowship income and travel grants (not tuition reduction or exemption)
2. Income covered by a tax treaty
3. Payment for other types of services (e.g. by the quarter/semester as a note-taker)
If you received this type of income, the 1042-S will be mailed to you by March 15th by the payer.
Note: Only Non-resident Aliens receive this form. If your tax status changes to a Resident Alien you will not get a 1042-S. Login to Sprintax to check your tax status if you're not sure. |
| U.S. entry and exit dates for current and past visits to the U.S. |
In addition to passport stamps, you can review or print your U.S.travel history here |
| * 1099 |
This form reports miscellaneous income. Can be interest on bank accounts, stocks, bonds, dividends, earning through freelance employment |
| 1098-T |
This form is is NOT needed and can NOT be used for a nonresident tax return because NRAs are not eligible to claim education expense tax credits. |
2) Create a Sprintax Account.
You will receive an email from ISS in February providing you with a link to Sprintax to set up your account as well as your unique code to use on Sprintax. This unique code will cover the costs of the federal tax return and 8843 at no cost to you. Open your new Sprintax account by creating a UserID and password or if you have an existing account on Sprintax you can log in using your existing credentials.
3) Follow the Sprintax Instructions.
If you had No U.S. Income: Sprintax will generate a completed Form 8843 for you and each of your dependents (if you have any).
With U.S. Income: Sprintax will generate your "tax return documents", including either a 1040NR-EZ or a longer form 1040NR, depending on your circumstances.
4) (With US Income only) If required, complete your state tax return.
After you finish your federal return, Sprintax will inform you if you need to complete a state tax return. If so, they will give you the option to use Sprintax for an individual fee. However, it is your choice to use them or to do the state tax return on your own.
5) Mail your completed federal and/or state forms to IRS and/or state tax authorities.
Remember to read the mailing instructions that Sprintax provides. If you have dependents, each one must mail their 8843 in a separate envelope.
What is a 1098-T form?
Do international students need Form 1098-T?
- Students file Form 1098-T to claim tax education credit. Generally, international students cannot claim the tax education credit though some students are eligible if they are deemed to be Resident Aliens for tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) substantial presence test.
How can international students request a Form 1098-T from DePaul University?
- In order to obtain a Form 1098-T, a student must have a social security number (SSN). Students who do not have a SSN may apply for an individual tax identification number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Once a student has a SSN or ITIN, s/he must complete the Personal Information Change Request form found on DePaul's University Registrar website. Students will be required to provide an official document that indicates their ITIN from IRS and a copy of a valid passport showing the same name associated with the ITIN.
- Once the ITIN information has been updated with the University Registrar, the student may request Form 1098-T from Student Accounts by either a) calling or visiting OneDePaul to speak with a Student Accounts Counselor or b) emailing a request to Student Accounts.
- Once a Student Accounts counselor confirms that the student has eligible tuition charges for the tax year, the request for Form 1098-T will be processed.
Generally, most international students & scholars who are on F or J visas are considered non-residents for tax purposes. International students on J1 & F1 visas are automatically considered non-resident for their first 5 calendar years in the US, while Scholars/Researchers on J visas are automatically considered non-residents for 2 out of the last 6 calendar years in the US. If you’ve been in the US for longer than the 5 or 2 year periods, the Substantial Presence Test will determine your tax residency.
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain, a Social Security number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
IRS issues ITINs to help individuals comply with the U.S. tax laws, and to provide a means to efficiently process and account for tax returns and payments for those not eligible for Social Security numbers. They are issued regardless of immigration status, because both resident and nonresident aliens may have a U.S. filing or reporting requirement under the Internal Revenue Code. ITINs do not serve any purpose other than federal tax reporting.
For more information about the ITIN including how to determine if you need one and how to apply please see the IRS website.
Social Security / Medicare TaxesIRS Publication 519 entitled U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens indicates that no Social Security or Medicare taxes are to be withheld from earnings for services performed to carry out the purpose for which an F-1 student was admitted to the United States. The types of services exempt from Social Security and Medicare withholding include on-campus work, practical training, and economic hardship employment (IRS Publication 519, p. 39, Students and Exchange Visitors).
International students are exempt from these withholdings as long as they are considered to be a "non-resident alien" for tax purposes. Students maintaining legal F-1 status are generally considered to be a non-resident alien if they have been in the United States for a period of less than five years.
If you would like to avoid paying these taxes, please talk with the payroll department of your on-campus or practical training job.
A message from the USCIS Public Engagement Division:
Do not fall victim to scammers who call and say they are with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)! There has been an increase in aggressive phone scams where people call and threaten you with police arrest or deportation if you don't pay them.
Even if you do owe taxes...
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The IRS will NEVER call and demand immediate payment over the phone.
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The IRS will NEVER try to threaten or intimidate you, demand payment with a prepaid debit card, or ask for your credit card or debit card number over the phone.
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The IRS will NEVER threaten to call the police or immigration agents if you don't pay.
If you get a call like this, report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration by calling 800.366.4484 or visiting www.tigta.gov. Also, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.
For more information on tax scams, watch videos and read this IRS Tax Tip. If you think you owe taxes, you can call the IRS at 800.829.1040 and they can help you arrange a payment plan.
Visit uscis.gov/avoidscams or uscis.gov/eviteestafas to learn how to recognize and avoid immigration scams and find authorized legal services.
You also have access to the
Sprintax YouTube account where there are a number of educational videos on non-resident taxes to provide further clarity on the subject of using Sprintax and non-resident tax. These videos will provide further clarify on nonresident tax and how to use Sprintax. Sprintax also offer a range of content on their
blog to help you file your tax return.
For additional assistance with filing your federal or state tax returns, you may wish to contact one of the following professional tax services.
Important Deadlines
The IRS deadline for filing your 2023 tax return is April 15, 2024.
Your free personal access code to Sprintax tax preparation will be emailed to your DePaul email address in early February 2024.
Disclaimer
International Student and Scholar Services staff are not licensed tax professionals. ISS and the university are NOT permitted to assist any student/scholar with any IRS tax form or tax related questions. The information on this page is provided as general advice as a service to our students. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Sprintax, a certified tax preparation professional or a local IRS field office.