It is tax filing season! All international F and J students are required to report their presence in the U.S. Students who worked or earned money in the U.S. during the 2024 calendar year are also required to file an income tax form.
International Education staff cannot give guidance on filing taxes, and this site is intended for general information purposes. F and J visa students who earned money in the U.S. in 2024 may consider using a fee-based, non-resident tax preparation software called Sprintax to file tax by April 15, 2025.
Students are not required to use Sprintax; however, it is one of few reputable companies provides non-resident tax preparation services, which is different from TurboTax commonly used by U.S. citizens and residents. International Education has fifty (50) $5 discount codes available while supplies last. Students who earned income use the code to pay directly to Sprintax.
Common Tax Forms/Documents
W-2 Form – This form reports your wage earnings if you worked in 2024. You must have a W-2 form from each employer you worked for in 2024. Contact your employer(s) if you do not have your W-2.
Form 1099-INT – This form reports miscellaneous income such as interest income from a U.S. bank, saving, credit union, etc.
Form 1098-T– Most F-1/J-1 visa students do not need this form if they are filing a nonresident tax return, because they are ineligible to claim education expense tax credits.
Some students may be eligible if they are:
- Married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- Claimed as a dependent by a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- If they have been in the U.S. for more than 5 years and filing as a resident.
International students requesting a 1098T must have a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and file a resident tax return. Further questions, please contact 1098Help@bellevuecollege.edu.
Form 8843 – F-1/J-1 students and all their dependents who were physically present in the U.S. during the calendar year 2014 should complete and mail this form to Internal Revenue Service Center.
Form 1040NR – Most F-1/J-1 students who earned U.S. source income in 2024 use this form to file nonresident tax return.
Form 1040 – Some F-1/J-1 students who have earned U.S. source income in 2024 and have been in the U.S. for more than 5 years use this form to file resident tax return.
Three Common Tax Situations for F and J Student Visa Holders in the US. All international F and J students must file certain tax form(s).
If you were physically present in the U.S. and DID NOT earn U.S. source income during the calendar year 2024 (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2024). Complete Form 8843 only and mail it to IRS by June 15, 2025
- Form I-20 for F-1 students or Form DS-2019 for J-1 students
- Passport
- F-1 or J-1 visa
- Most recent I-94 record
- Your current U.S. and foreign addresses
- Travel records to identify your U.S. entry and exit dates in 2024
Make a copy of your completed Form 8843 and store it with your other important documents. Send it to this address via U.S. postal mail:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
Austin, TX 73301-0215
June 15, 2025
International Education (IE) and Global Leaders plan to offer a few workshops for Form 8843 during Winter and Spring quarter. Sprintax software is not required if you are filing Form 8843 only.
Other resources:
- IRS Website at irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8843
- Sprintax “How to file Form 8843 – instructions for nonresident aliens” at blog.sprintax.com/tax-form-8843-filing-instructions/
If you were physically present in the U.S. and EARNED U.S. source income during the calendar year 2024. Complete Form 8843 AND Form 1040NR and send both to IRS by April 15, 2025.
- Form I-20 for F-1 students or Form DS-2019 for J-1 students
- Passport
- F-1 or J-1 visa
- Most recent I-94 record
- Your current U.S. and foreign addresses
- Travel records to identify your U.S. entry and exit dates in 2024
- Form W-2* from each of your employer
- Form 1099 if any. Example: Form 1099-INT is an IRS form issued by banks to show any interest you may have earned in a year
- Your social security number
(*) Your employer should have mailed your W2 to your local address or issued it electronically. If you do not have your W2 form from each employer, contact them immediately.
April 15, 2025
It’s not required, but it is helpful. Create a login and password to use Sprintax software and services.
Pay Sprintax directly for the federal income tax ($54.95). Washington state has no income tax.
Use this form to request for a $5 discount code while supplies last.
- Watch a short video from Sprintax for instructions about your residency status for tax purposes.
- Read “Residency for tax purpose” by Sprintax
- Read “Determining an individual’s tax residency status” by IRS
Sprintax Nonresident Tax Webinar Schedules
- Thursday February 6th @ 1pm ET – Register here
- Tuesday February 18th @ 12pm ET – Register here
- Tuesday March 4th @ 4pm ET – Register here
- Wednesday March 19th @ 2pm ET– Register here
- Wednesday March 26th @ 1pm ET – Register here
- Thursday April 3rd @ 3pm ET– Register here
- Thursday April 10th @ 12pm ET – Register here
- Monday April 14th @ 1pm ET – Register here
Watch Sprintax Short Videos at Sprintax – YouTube
Read “Filing an international student tax return – US tax season survival guide for students on F-1 visa” by Sprintax
Generally, F and J students are considered as nonresident aliens for tax purposes for the first 5 years in the U.S. Students who have been in the U.S. for more than 5 years may need to file as a resident.
No. Sprintax is for nonresident tax filing. TurboTax is a popular tax preparation software for U.S. resident tax return.
Last Updated January 30, 2025