Deadline for 2025 Tax Forms
Filing Your 2025 Taxes: What You Need to Know
If you were in the U.S. at any time during 2025 as an international student, you are required to file tax forms鈥攅ven if you didn鈥檛 earn any taxable income. Filing on time helps you stay compliant with IRS regulations and avoid penalties. Below is a timeline to guide you through the process and key deadlines.
Deadline for 2025 Tax Forms
April 15, 2026
All international students who were present in the U.S. during 2025 must file tax forms with the IRS. This includes income tax forms and/or a Statement of Exempt Individual.
2025 Nonresident Tax Filing Timeline
鉁� November 14, 2025
Last day to sign up for a discounted Sprintax code for the 2025 tax year.
鉁� December 5, 2025
Last day to pay for the discounted Sprintax code
Missed it? You鈥檒l need to purchase the code at the regular price directly with or find a nonresident tax professional yourself.
鉁� January 2026
Start gathering your tax documents
- The University will issue tax statements (Form W-2, 1042-S, or 1095-C) by mail or online, based on your delivery preference.
- Questions? Contact via the .
鉁� February 2026
- Students who purchased the discounted Sprintax code will receive it by email.
- Forms 1042-S and 1099 will be distributed to eligible individuals.
Important: Include all income statements in a single tax return filing.
鉁� April 15, 2026
Final deadline to file your 2025 tax forms with the IRS.
Tax FAQs:
Q: Who is considered Resident or Nonresident for Federal Tax Purpose?听
A: Generally, most international students who are on鈥�F-1 visas鈥痑re considered鈥�nonresidents for tax purposes. International undergraduate students on an F-1 visas are automatically considered nonresidents for their first听
five calendar years in the US. If you鈥檝e been in the US for longer than the five year periods,鈥痺ill determine your US tax residency. Office of International Student Services recommends you check your US tax residency every year before filing your tax form. You can find your tax residency status on Sprintax website. Go to and create an account. The Substantial Presence Test is free on the website.听
Q: What is the basic background of US taxes? I just don鈥檛 understand it.听
A: When students get a paycheck from a campus job, or GA/GPSI (or get a scholarship or tuition waiver in exchange for performing services for a college or earning interest on an account at a local bank), you may owe income tax to the US government and to one or more states.听
For example, if a student is supposed to make $300 in a month, his or her paycheck is always a little bit less than the actual wages (like maybe $250) because an estimated amount of tax has been 鈥渨ithheld鈥� from it. Students need to fill out and mail in tax forms to the IRS (or file the forms electronically) for any year in which they receive taxable income by April 15 of the following year.
If more tax was withheld than the student owes, he or she will receive a refund. If more tax is owed, it must be paid when the return is due. When filling out tax forms, students will include information on how much money they made, how much money was already taken out in 鈥渢ax withholding鈥� from their paychecks, how long they鈥檝e been in the US, and what country they are from.
After completing the federal tax forms using Sprintax, students can fill state tax forms with Sprintax on their own. Note that the discounted Sprintax access code covers the only services for federal tax forms. Not all states have an income tax, and the tax laws for the states that do are considerably different, but the general rule is that any state return you must file is due on the same date as the US return. 缅北禁地 is a state that has a state income tax so students in 缅北禁地 must also file a state income tax form.
Q: What will Sprintax help me with?听
A: Sprintax will help you鈥μ�
- determine your 鈥渞esidency for tax purposes鈥�.
- determine which tax forms you need to complete.
- determine if are eligible for tax treaty benefits or a standard deduction.
- assist with completion of the1040-NR form.
- prepare a completed federal tax form for you to print, sign, and mail in and what documents to attach to it.
Q: How do I get started?听
A: After you receive your Sprintax access code and have gathered the required documents (see next question below), go to鈥�, create an account, and complete the online questionnaire. You will need to enter your access code in the box on the 鈥楻eview your order鈥� page at the end.听
Q: What documents do I need in order to use Sprintax?听
A: You will need the following鈥μ�
- your access code available from ISS
- Passport
- I-20
- Social Security Number (SSN) or ITIN if you had any US sources of income
- US entry and exit dates found stamped in your passport or accessed in the travel history portion of your I-94 record on the CBP website
- foreign and US addresses
- Tax forms that have been mailed to you or that you have been instructed to download from the University (including, but not limited to W-2, 1042-S, and 1099). Be aware that you may not have any of these, or you may have more than one. For example, the W-2 is used by an employer to report how much salary they paid to an employee during a year, and what taxes were withheld, and a copy of the W-2 is sent to the employee. If you did not work as an employee, you will not receive a W-2. If you worked for 3 different employers, you would receive a W-2 from each of them.
- Academic institution (name, address, phone)
Q: I had an income from the campus job last year. Where can I find my W-2 form?听
A: Contact University Payroll and Benefits office in BSB 85 or by accessing . They will assist you with tax statements.听
Q: How can I file a state tax return form?听
A: If you live in Springfield and need to file the 缅北禁地 State Tax return form, you have two choices.听
- State tax assistance is available for you to fill in the state tax form in the (101 W Jefferson St, Springfield, IL). Bring a copy of your federal tax return form, Form 8843, and income statements like W-2 or 1042-S so that the assistant will fill out IL-1040 for you.
- Purchase a service to fill out state tax forms, for instance, IL-1040, from鈥�.
The 2025 缅北禁地 Tax Filing deadline is April 15, 2026.
If you live in Springfield, but you need to file a state tax form to the other states, Sprintax service will be useful.
If you lived and/or worked in more than one US state during the calendar year you may have to file tax returns in all the states in which you lived or worked that have state income tax. You should check the state revenue website of the other state(s) where you lived and worked to figure out your tax filling obligations.
Q: What if I did not make any money last year and did not receive any taxable scholarships?听
A: You still have to complete IRS Form 8843 (Statement of Exempt Individual). In general, students who were inside the US last year but had no income must:听
- 颁辞尘辫濒别迟别鈥�(Statement of Exempt Individual) (PDF) -top section, parts 1 and 3 and signature on the back, then mail it to the address listed on the instructions, which you can find in 鈥淲hen and Where To File鈥� in page 3.
- All dependents of F-1 students are also required to complete IRS Form 8843 (Statement of Exempt Individual).
Q: I am an F-1 student who came to the US last year and had an income. Can I use TurboTax for my tax filing?听
A: No. As a non-resident for tax purposes, you cannot use TurboTax to prepare your tax returns. The service supports Resident returns. Find services that can support nonresident tax returns (Form 1040-NR鈥痑nd Form 8843) like Sprintax or Glacier Tax Prep (GTP). However, if your tax residency is determined 鈥淩esident for tax purposes鈥� by the you may use TurboTax or H&R Block. You can find your US tax residency also on the Sprintax website.听
Q: I am a nonresident alien/F-1 student. Can I claim an education tax credit with the 1098-T?听
A: No, you cannot do in general except for some special circumstances. The University issues Form 1098-T, , to students, including international students. This form is used to report to the student the amount of tuition and related expenses that the University received from the student and reported to the Internal Revenue Service. This document is used by the student to verify to the Internal Revenue Service the correct amount of education expenses paid by the student that qualify for one of the education credits.听
In its Publication, at page 31, the Internal Revenue Service explains:
If you are a nonresident alien for any part of the year, you generally cannot claim the education credits. However, you may be able to claim an education credit under the following circumstances.
- You are married and choose to file a joint return with a U.S. citizen or resident spouse as discussed under Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident in chapter 1.
- You are a dual-status alien and choose to be treated as a U.S. resident for the entire year. See Choosing Resident Alien Status in chapter 1.
Accordingly, unless an international student falls into one of these exceptions, and files a return on Form 1040 computing and paying their tax as if they were a U.S. resident, they cannot claim a credit for the amounts shown on the Form 1098-T. There is no place to claim the credit on Form 1040-NR, which are the correct forms for filing by nonresident alien students.
Q: Do I need 1095-B, or C to file my tax returns?听
A: This reports on health care coverage. The information is not needed for nonresident alien tax returns. However, you should keep it yourself.听
Q: Whom can I contact for my refund?听
A: If you have any questions about your refund, the IRS may help. Please go to its website, 听
Q: Can I ask the ISS office questions about my tax return filing?听
A: No. The ISS office does not provide tax advice and is not authorized to answer tax-related questions. Income tax reporting and payment are the individual responsibility of every person in the U.S.听
Essential Tax Forms & Resources for Nonresident Aliens
If you are an international student classified as a nonresident alien, here are the key forms, guides, and resources you need to understand and comply with U.S. tax laws:
Important Forms
1. Form 1040-NR
What it is: U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return.
Why you need it: If you earned any taxable income from U.S. sources during 2025, you must file this form with the IRS.
Download (PDF)
2. Form 8843
What it is: Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals with a Medical Condition.
Why you need it: Required to claim nonresident status. File it with your tax return or by itself if you had no taxable income.
Download (PDF)
3. Form 8833
What it is: Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure.
Why you need it: If your country has a tax treaty with the U.S. that affects your tax obligations, you must attach this form to your return explaining how the treaty applies to you.
Download (PDF)
Helpful IRS Publications
- Publication 4011 鈥� Quick guide for foreign students and scholars.
View (PDF)
- Publication 519 鈥� Detailed U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.
View (PDF)
Additional Resources
- IRS Website 鈥� General information for students and scholars.
Visit
- Tax Treaties 鈥� Check if your country has a tax treaty with the U.S.
View
- State Tax Obligations 鈥� If you lived or worked in more than one U.S. state, you may need to file in each state that has income tax.
Find
鉁� Tip: Always include all income statements in one federal tax return and check state requirements separately.