Taxes

The following information will give you a basic understanding of your responsibilities and tell you how to get more information. Do not construe the information presented here as individual tax advice. Federal income tax obligations of students of F, J, or M status:

  • Everyone in the United States, regardless of immigration status, is responsible each year for submitting a complete and accurate income tax statement to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an agency of the U.S. Treasury Department. Americans call the process "filing a tax return." Foreign students, regardless of whether they work or earn income while in the United States, must file an appropriate return each year.
  • In many countries, the government assesses and collects from individuals the tax they owe. In the United States, however, it is each individual's personal responsibility to meet his or her tax obligation; the government will not do it for you, but it will penalize you if you do not do it yourself.
  • The International Student Office staff is neither qualified nor permitted to give individual tax advice. Students with complicated tax situations may wish to consult with a tax preparation service, professional tax accountant, or tax attorney who is knowledgeable about nonresident tax law. During the spring semester, the Office of International Student Services sends out an email with all pertinent links on it and, if possible, organizes a tax seminar where we bring an international tax expert to the campus from H&R Block to assist students with their tax forms and with any tax questions they might have. (The bulk of this information was taken from NAFSA's International Student Handbook)
  • The following two web sites can help you figure out your tax responsibilities: Windstar Technologies' "U.S. Taxation of Foreign Students and Scholars" and the U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.

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