Taxes for International Students

Everyone living in the United States, including F-1 students, must file federal and state income tax forms whether they earn money in the United States or not. All F-1 students and their dependents must file Federal Form 8843. If you have received income in the U.S., you may file taxes using Federal Form 1040NR, if you meet its requirements. You can find all forms and information on the IRS website.

Please be advised that the Office of International Services does not specialize in international tax law and cannot answer questions regarding your individual tax filing requirement; however, as tax filing time approaches in February and March, the Office of International Services can provides information regarding where to locate tax forms and advice.

Please review the frequently asked questions below for more information.

For additional help with your tax return, the Sprintax online tax preparation software is available for all international students at Lasell University. It is an easy-to-use online tool to prepare your tax return at a low cost . You can see how it works in this Sprintax video.

Do I Need to File Taxes?

Yes. Even non-U.S. citizens are required to file taxes each year, even if just to report the number of days you have been present in the United States. This is true even if you did not earn income. Generally, taxes are divided into federal and state, and the requirements for each may be different.

All international students, along with their dependents, should file a Form 8843, even if you have not received income.
If you have received income in the past calendar year, you will also likely need to complete a Form 1040NR, and/or other tax forms based on employer arrangement and citizenship status. You can find all forms and instructions on the IRS website.

Why Should I File Taxes?

All international students and their dependents are required by law to file a tax return. Filing a tax return may also provide you with the following benefits:

You may receive a refund from the government
Protect taxation of your worldwide income
Fulfill your visa obligations

When Should I File?

The tax deadline is generally April 15th for the previous tax year (January to December). Most forms required to file taxes will be mailed to you and/or available online by February for the previous year tax year.

What Forms Do I Need?

Between January and mid-March, individuals will start receiving mail or emails with tax information and documents. These documents may come from multiple sources, including your employer, your school, or your health insurance company. Do not discard these documents. Some examples of forms you may receive include: Form W-2, Form 1095-C, Form 1098-T, Form 1099-MISC.

How Do I File?

Option 1: All forms are available online from the IRS website. You can print these forms, complete them for each family member, and submit them to the IRS for processing.

Option 2: Use a tax preparation software. There are many software companies available online for free or for purchase that provide step-by-step guides to filing.For additional help with your tax return, the Sprintax online tax preparation software is available for all international students at Lasell University. It is an easy-to-use online tool to prepare your tax return at a low cost . You can see how it works in this Sprintax video.

Option 3: Pay to have a tax professional or accountant to help you file. This is a good option if your tax or financial situation is complex.

I did not file last year. What should I do?

If you missed the filing deadline or did not file in the previous year, you can still file. If you don't owe the U.S. government money, you likely will not face any penalty for filing late. We do, however, encourage all students to file their taxes on time to avoid possible penalties.

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