Student Affairs
Taxes
Tax Information for International Students and Scholars
Stanford University cannot provide individual tax advice. We can only provide basic general guidelines to get you started in preparing your taxes. No information on this site may be considered formal tax advice. Consult appropriate tax counsel as necessary.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires all international students and scholars to file federal tax forms, whether or not they had earned income during the tax year. In addition, F-2 and J-2 dependents must also file certain tax forms. In the US, tax forms are filed in the current year for the previous year.
If you had any US source income in 2016, the tax-filing deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2017. If you had no US source income in 2016, you have until Wednesday, June 15, 2017 to file appropriate forms.
All international students and scholars must also file state tax forms if their income in 2016 was more than a certain amount. J-2s may also need to file.
If you arrived in the US after December 31, 2016, you do not have to file any tax forms for 2016.
Tax definitions of resident and non-resident are different from immigration definitions. This information is for students and scholars who qualify as non-residents for tax purposes. If you are a resident for tax purposes you will need to complete the same tax forms as US citizens. You can either prepare your own tax return or hire a qualified professional tax preparer.
Tax Tutorial
See additional general tax information
Recordings of tax webinars held on March 6th and 28th, 2017
Glacier Tax Prep Software for Federal Tax
Bechtel International Center, in cooperation with the Controller’s Office, provides a free online tax software package Glacier Tax Prep to all international students and scholars in F or J status at Stanford University who are considered non-residents for tax purposes. This software provides you with guidance on filing your taxes and has tax experts available via email for individual tax questions.
Glacier Tax Prep can be used to determine your resident status for tax purposes and prepare your federal income tax forms. However, it does not file the tax return electronically. You must print, sign, and mail the tax returns/forms generated by Glacier Tax Prep.
You are not obligated to use this software, and you can complete the tax forms on your own or use the services of a professional tax firm. Stanford cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of your tax return.
Regardless of how you choose to complete your tax forms, you should keep all copies of your tax returns. You may need them when applying for future immigration benefits.
If you will be receiving a 1042 form from Stanford payroll, please wait till you receive it before using the software.
California State Tax
International students and scholars may also be responsible for filing California State Taxes. Although, Glacier Tax Prep Software assists with filing federal taxes, you will need to seek alternative software options (Examples: CA Tax Board, Sprintax, Turbotax, HR Block) for completion of state taxes. The information provided below is offered directly by the State of California Tax Board. Please review their "Individual Filing Requirements" section for more information.
