Janice Lozano
International students at Georgetown University are required to file taxes. The university offers support to international students, scholars, and professionals to help them understand their tax obligations for the upcoming tax season. While IS advisors are not tax specialists, the university provides access to Sprintax, a tax software program for non-residents, to assist with tax filings. International students with F-1 or J-1 status in 2024 will receive instructions and a promo code for Sprintax in February 2025. Additionally, students with complex immigration histories or uncertainty about their tax residency status can use Sprintax to determine their U.S. tax residency.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tax filing requirements for international students | International students, scholars, and dependents with F-1/F-2 or J-1/J-2 status who were physically present in the US in 2024 must file at least one tax form, regardless of income. |
| Software for tax filing | Georgetown University offers Sprintax, a tax software program for non-residents, to assist F-1 and J-1 students and scholars in completing their tax forms. |
| Tax forms | International students may need to file Form 8843, Form 1095-A (if they purchased a health insurance plan), Form 1042-S (if they received non-employment income or applied for tax treaty benefits), and state tax returns. |
| Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) | If international students earned US source income, they need an SSN or ITIN to file federal and state tax returns. If they had no income, an SSN or ITIN is not required for Form 8843. |
| Deadlines | Federal tax returns are due by April 15, 2025, and state tax returns by the same date, but they do not need to be received by then. |
| Tax credits and deductions | Non-residents and residents have different tax forms, credits, and deductions. Residents may be eligible for federal tax return educational tax credits, while non-residents are not. |
| Tax treaty benefits | Residents do not have access to tax treaty benefits, but there may be exceptions. |
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What You'll Learn
F-1/F-2 and J-1/J-2 visa holders
International students and scholars at Georgetown University who held F-1/F-2 or J-1/J-2 status and were physically present in the United States in 2024 must file at least one tax form, even if no U.S.-sourced income was earned.
Students and scholars who held F-1 or J-1 status in 2024 will be emailed a promo code and instructions to use Sprintax, a tax software program for nonresidents for tax purposes, in February 2025. This software will help them complete their 2024 tax forms.
Students (and their spouses and dependents) are nonresidents for tax purposes for the first five calendar years they are in F-1, F-2, J-1 or J-2 status due to being exempt from taking the IRS Substantial Presence Test. Scholars (and their spouses and dependents) are nonresidents for tax purposes for any two years within the past six calendar years they are in J-1 or J-2 status due to being exempt from taking the IRS Substantial Presence Test.
If you did not fill out the Nonresident Alien Student Out-of-the-Country Certification Form with the Georgetown Tax Department, or if U.S. tax withholding was erroneously applied to your paychecks or non-employment income, you may be issued a U.S. income document. You must file a federal tax return to receive the tax withholding amount back as a refund. In this situation, you will need to follow the OGS Tax Filing Instructions to file your federal tax return. If filing from outside the United States, the deadline is extended to June 15, 2025.
Students admitted to full-time, in-person programs of study at Georgetown are eligible for F-1 status. Non-degree exchange students study in J-1 status. Degree-seeking students may be required by their funding sponsor to apply for J-1.
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Non-U.S. income
International students at Georgetown University who were physically present in the United States in 2024 are required to file at least one tax form, regardless of whether they earned any U.S. source income. This can be done through Sprintax, a tax software program for nonresidents.
If you earned income in the U.S. in 2024, you must send your federal tax return to the IRS by April 15, 2025, and your state tax return to the corresponding state tax agency by the same date. You will need to compile your Form 1040NR (federal tax return) and may need to submit a state tax return for the state in which you resided.
If you did not earn any U.S. source income in 2024, you must still file Form 8843 and supporting documents by June 15, 2025.
Employment income earned by a foreign government or international organization is typically exempt from U.S. income tax as it is considered non-U.S. source income. However, the University is required to withhold tax on certain types of payments, such as royalties, non-qualified scholarships, fellowships, stipends, and prizes.
It is important to note that if you are a resident for tax purposes, any income earned worldwide is subject to U.S. taxation, and you must report your worldwide income.
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Tax residency status
International students, scholars, and all dependents who held F-1/F-2 or J-1/J-2 status and were physically present in the United States in 2024 are required to file at least one tax form, even if no U.S.-source income was earned.
F-1 and J-1 visa holders are generally considered nonresidents for tax purposes for their first five calendar years in the United States. The year of entry counts as the first year, even if only a portion of that year was spent in the country. After the fifth calendar year, they become residents for tax purposes.
J-1 visa holders who are scholars are typically considered nonresidents for their first two calendar years in the United States. Similarly, the year of entry is counted as the first year, even if they were only present for part of that year. After the second calendar year, they become residents for tax purposes.
Individuals in the United States on an H-1B, O-1, or TN visa who have been present for more than 183 days of the tax year are typically considered residents for tax purposes.
It is important to note that individuals may be considered dual-status residents, where they are considered nonresidents for part of the year and residents for the remainder. This may occur, for instance, when an individual changes their visa status during their time in the United States.
To confirm tax residency status, it is recommended to use resources such as Sprintax, which is a tax software program designed for nonresidents, or refer to IRS publications, such as Publication 519 "U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens."
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Tax treaties and benefits
International students, scholars, and their dependents at Georgetown University who held F-1/F-2 or J-1/J-2 status and were physically present in the United States in 2024 are required to file at least one U.S. tax form, even if no U.S.-source income was earned. Nonresidents are taxed differently and have limited access to tax credits and deductions compared to U.S. citizens and residents. However, nonresidents may be eligible for tax treaty benefits, which most U.S. citizens and residents cannot use.
Students (and their spouses and dependents) are considered nonresidents for tax purposes for the first five calendar years they hold F-1, F-2, J-1, or J-2 status, as they are exempt from taking the IRS Substantial Presence Test. Scholars (and their spouses and dependents) are considered nonresidents for tax purposes for any two years within the past six calendar years while holding J-1 or J-2 status, also due to their exemption from the IRS Substantial Presence Test. Nonresidents must use special tax filing software to prepare their federal tax forms.
To determine eligibility for tax treaty benefits, nonresident students who receive payments (e.g., payroll, stipends, fellowships, awards, grants) from Georgetown University should register in the Glacier system. Once registered, the Glacier system will evaluate eligibility for tax treaty benefits and generate the necessary tax treaty forms for signature and submission. If a nonresident student believes they are eligible for tax treaty benefits but did not apply with the Georgetown Tax Department or a relevant off-campus organization/business tax department before receiving their tax forms, they can still apply for tax treaty benefits retroactively through Sprintax.
The United States has income tax treaties with several foreign countries, allowing residents or citizens of those countries to be taxed at a reduced rate or exempt from U.S. income taxes on certain types of income. Students should refer to IRS Publication 901 for information on U.S. tax treaties.
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Tax forms and software
International students at Georgetown University who were physically present in the United States in 2024 are required to file at least one federal tax form with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Even if no U.S.-source income was earned, this requirement must be fulfilled. This is where tax software comes in.
OGS at Georgetown University has purchased a license for Sprintax, a tax software program for non-residents, to assist F-1 and J-1 students and scholars in completing their 2024 tax forms. Students and scholars who held F-1 or J-1 status in 2024 will be emailed a promo code and instructions to use Sprintax in February 2025. Sprintax can help determine which federal tax forms are needed and if a state tax return is required.
Sprintax also assists with filing an ITIN application (Form W-7) in tandem with the federal tax return. Form W-7 is required for those who received U.S. non-employment income, such as scholarships, and are therefore ineligible to apply for an SSN.
Other U.S. commercial tax software, such as Turbotax, H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, and TaxAct, can also assist with tax preparation. However, these may come with additional fees for state tax returns.
It is important to note that IS Advisors at Georgetown University are not tax specialists and cannot provide tax advice or help complete tax forms. For specific tax questions, students are directed to Sprintax, which offers tax workshops and webinars to answer queries.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, international students at Georgetown University need to pay taxes. U.S. tax filing is a legal requirement for international students who were physically present in the country during the tax year, regardless of whether they earned an income or not.
International students with F-1 or J-1 status can use Sprintax, a tax software program for non-residents, to complete their tax forms. Students with F visas can also use SprinTax, a free tax preparation software offered by Georgetown College.
If you worked entirely outside the United States during the tax year, your income will be considered non-U.S. source income, and you will not receive a Form W-2.
If you received non-employment income or applied for tax treaty benefits, you will be issued a Form 1042-S in the second week of March or earlier. You will be notified via email from [email protected].
Yes, you may need to file a state tax return in addition to your federal taxes. If you moved for school and worked in two states, you may need to file two part-year returns. Check with your state tax website to confirm if you need to pay state taxes as a student.
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