Janice Lozano
Sprintax is a tax preparation software designed for international students, scholars, and their dependents to help them prepare their tax forms. The number of forms international students need to upload on Sprintax depends on their residency status, income, and state. Generally, international students on F-1 visas are considered nonresident aliens and are only taxed on US-source income. They may need to file Form 8843, Form 1040-NR, Form 1099, Form W-7, and state tax returns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who is Sprintax for? | International students, scholars, their dependents and alumni |
| What does it help with? | Determining federal tax status, residency status, and preparing tax forms |
| What forms does it help with? | 8843, 1040-NR, W-7, 1042-S, 1099, 1098-T, W-9, 1040X |
| What is the cost? | Free for federal forms, $44.95 for state forms |
| What if I'm a resident? | You cannot use Sprintax and should refer to Resources for Filing a Resident Tax Return |
| What if I've already filed resident forms? | You can file an amended tax return with Sprintax for a fee |
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Determining residency status
The residency statuses for tax purposes in the US are 'resident', 'nonresident', and 'dual-status alien'. Most international students on F, J, M, or Q visas are considered nonresident aliens for tax purposes. F1 visa holders are automatically considered nonresident aliens for their first five years in the US, and scholars (and their dependents) on J visas are automatically considered nonresidents for their first two years in the US. After this period, they will be considered 'resident aliens' if they pass the 'green card test' or the substantial presence test for the calendar year.
Sprintax can help determine your residency status and prepare your tax return. It will help you determine the forms you are required to file. To do this, you will need to answer a series of questions about the time spent in the US, the immigration status(es) held, and any US-source payments received.
If you are a nonresident alien, you must file a nonresident tax return. Nonresident aliens have to report only their US-sourced income, and interest on US savings and checking accounts is not taxable for nonresidents. If you are a resident alien, you cannot use Sprintax and should refer to resources for filing a resident tax return.
If you are not eligible for a Social Security Number, you will need to apply for an ITIN to file your tax return correctly. The Sprintax software has been designed to guide you through your ITIN application.
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Form 8843
All nonresident aliens in the US on F-1, J-1, F-2 or J-2 visas are required to file a Form 8843. This form is not an income tax return. Instead, it is a statement filed for the US government if you are a certain type of nonresident alien for tax purposes (including spouses and dependents of certain nonresident aliens).
In Part 1 of your Form 8843, you will need to include the following information:
- Personal details (as they appear on your passport)
- Your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) – if you have one. You generally don’t need an SSN or ITIN to file a Form 8843, but if you have been assigned one, you must include it. The exception to this is for those who can be claimed as dependents on a US tax return. These dependents must have either an SSN or ITIN.
- Your current non-immigrant status – unless this has changed since you entered the US. In this case, you should also enter the date your change of status was approved.
In Part 2, teachers and trainees are required to include details of what academic institution or program they were involved in during the previous year. You should include details of your academic institution or program and answer the rest of the questions according to your personal circumstances.
If you are filing Form 1040-NR, you should mail Form 8843 to the address shown in your tax return instructions. However, if you have no income and are only filing Form 8843, you should print Form 8843 and mail it to the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, TX 73301-0215 by the due date (including extensions) for filing Form 1040-NR.
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State tax returns
State tax laws vary across the United States, with nine states imposing no income tax. These include Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you work or invest in a state that has an income tax, you will likely need to file a state tax return, separate from your federal tax return. Each state has its own income tax regulations, forms, and definitions of tax status. For instance, you may be a nonresident alien for federal tax purposes but be considered a resident for state tax purposes.
Sprintax can help determine if you need to file a state tax return. If you do, the software will guide you through the process of filing your state return, in addition to your federal return. However, you will need to complete your federal tax form first before moving on to your state taxes.
The specific state tax forms you need to upload will depend on the state in which you worked or earned income. For example, nonresidents of Alabama filing state taxes need to submit Form '40NR', while nonresidents of Arizona need to submit Form '104NR'.
It is important to note that state tax returns are not included in the discount code provided by some universities, and you will be charged a fee for using Sprintax to file your state return.
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W-7 form
International students in the US are entitled to claim a tax refund by filing a tax return. However, US and state income tax laws are complex and vary from state to state. Sprintax is a tax preparation software designed to help international students, scholars, their dependents, and alumni prepare their tax returns.
Sprintax helps international students determine their federal tax residency status ("nonresident alien" (NRA) or "resident alien") and the forms they need to file. If you are a nonresident alien, you must file a nonresident tax return. Sprintax will help you prepare your Form 8843 and nonresident federal tax return. If you are a resident alien, you cannot continue to use Sprintax and should refer to the Resources for Filing a Resident Tax Return page for information.
If you are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN), you will need to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in order to file your tax return correctly. You can apply for an ITIN with the IRS directly by completing a W-7 form. Sprintax has been designed to guide you through your ITIN application. Every year, the Sprintax Forms solution helps thousands of international students to complete their W-7 form and secure their ITIN, stress-free.
When filing a W-7 form with a tax return, the IRS requires your passport to be certified (not notarized by a notary public). An acceptable certification method is to have your passport verified by an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC), which will also authenticate your W-7 application. An appointment is required for this. You will need to take your original tax return and W-7 application and original documents.
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1040-NR form
International students in the US who are classified as "nonresident aliens" (NRAs) are required to file tax returns using Form 1040-NR, the primary form for nonresident aliens filing US tax returns. This form is used to report US-sourced income, including wages, salaries, tips, rental property income, and taxable scholarships or fellowship grants. It is important to note that income earned outside the US by nonresident aliens does not need to be reported on Form 1040-NR.
To complete Form 1040-NR, nonresident aliens will need to provide personal information such as their name, address, and an identifying number. If a nonresident alien has a Social Security Number (SSN), they should enter it on the form. If they do not have an SSN, they can use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), which can be obtained by completing a W-7 form.
Form 1040-NR also includes schedules that may need to be completed, depending on the individual's circumstances. Schedule A (Form 1040-NR) is used to calculate itemized deductions. Schedule NEC (Form 1040-NR) is used to determine the tax on income not connected to a US trade or business and to calculate capital gains and losses from property sales not linked to a US business. Schedule OI (Form 1040-NR) is used to provide additional information, such as claiming benefits under a tax treaty.
In addition to Form 1040-NR, nonresident aliens may also need to file Form 8843, regardless of whether they had US income or not. Sprintax is a software tool designed to assist international students and scholars in determining their federal tax status and completing the required forms, including Form 8843 and the nonresident federal tax return. Sprintax helps users navigate the complex US tax regulations and determine if they need to file state tax returns, which vary depending on the state. It is recommended that international students use Sprintax or seek guidance from tax experts to ensure compliance with US tax laws and avoid mistakenly filing resident tax returns.
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Frequently asked questions
The number of forms international students need to upload on Sprintax depends on their individual circumstances. However, all international students are required to file a U.S. federal tax return, even if they have no U.S. source income. This includes Form 8843, which must be filed with the IRS by 15 April 2025 if you had no U.S. income, and by the deadline for your tax return if you did. If you are a nonresident alien, you will also need to file Form 1040-NR (federal tax return) to assess your federal income and taxes.
Even if you did not earn any income during your time as an international student in the U.S., you still need to file Form 8843 with the IRS.
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to upload additional forms on Sprintax, such as Form 1099 for reporting miscellaneous income, including freelance earnings or interest on bank accounts, or Form W-2 for reporting U.S. earnings. If you are not eligible for a Social Security Number, you will need to apply for an ITIN and complete a W-7 form.
