International Student Services

Taxes

ISS staff are not tax professionals. ISS strongly encourages you to use Glacier tax Prep software provided by UW.

Glacier Tax Prep is free for UW international students! Please direct any questions about using Glacier to: support@online-tax.net.

The deadline to submit tax information (whether you worked in the U.S. or not) is always in April each year.

The most common form to submit is Form 8843. You need to submit it even if you’ve earned no income. Glacier Tax Prep will help you with this form.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: I didn’t work in the U.S. Do I need to do tax forms?

Yes, F-1 students must file forms each year even if no income was earned.

Q: When are taxes due?

The deadline to file taxes is every April. For the due date for the current tax year, it is best to review official information from the IRS.

Q: When should I start to prepare my tax returns?

You should wait until March to prepare your tax returns because UW offers free access to tax preparation software designed specifically for international students. The software will be available starting in March each year.

Q: Where can I get my 1098-T Form?

The 1098-T form and questions can be found from UW Student Fiscal Service. However, educational tax credits can only be claimed by U.S. citizens and resident immigrations (such as green card holders), so you may not be eligible to receive a 1098-T Form.

Q: Why shouldn’t I use off-campus software?

Software designed for U.S. citizens does not include necessary questions to fully understand an international student’s tax situation. If the software does not fully understand your situation, it might give you wrong information and incorrect advice! It also can give you the incorrect type of forms by mistake. In addition, software for U.S. citizens/residents will not check for tax treaties with your county of citizenship.

Possible exception: If you used Glacier last year, and it instructed you that you can now file as a “resident alien for tax purposes” you might be OK to use off-campus software now. However, if you have any doubt about the tax filing process or your tax rates, wait until March and double-check your status with our special software first.

Q: I already used software called Glacier when I started my university employment. Do I need to do something else?

Yes. This is because Glacier has 2 parts. The part you complete when you start work with UW (called Glacier Tax Compliance) helps the university correctly manage your paychecks while you are working.

The Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) system available in March is different. The Glacier Tax Prep software can help international students prepare their personal annual report for the U.S. government’s tax agency (IRS). This report has information on your immigration situation, tax status and – if applicable — taxable income. Even if you used Glacier Compliance when you began working, you will also need to use Glacier Tax Prep in March to prepare your personal forms.

Q: I have OPT authorization to work off-campus. I didn’t set up a Glacier account when I started working. Can I still use Glacier Tax Prep?

The free access to Glacier Tax Prep is for any UW international student (this includes students on OPT/STEM). You can be employed off-campus or on-campus and use it.

Q: May I still use Glacier Tax Prep if I changed from F to H visa status?

This is a complex issue. Please try Glacier first. If there are any issues, the program will refer you to a tax attorney or to a suitable alternative.