International student filing taxes with 1098-T - Need help with non-resident status

Hey everyone, I'm an international student from India studying at Arizona State University and I'm super confused about filing my taxes for the first time. My university just sent me a 1098-T form, and I have no idea what to do with it. I'm here on an F-1 visa for the past 8 months, and I'm trying to figure out if I need to file as a resident or non-resident. The 1098-T shows tuition payments of $24,780 and scholarships of $16,500. I also worked on-campus for about 15 hours per week making around $14 per hour. My parents covered the rest of my expenses through wire transfers from India (about $12,000 for the year). I heard something about the "substantial presence test" but I'm confused if I even qualify since I'm on a student visa. Does anyone know if I can claim education tax credits? And do I file a 1040 or 1040NR? I tried using TurboTax but it keeps asking me questions I don't understand about tax treaties and "exempt individuals." Any help would be really appreciated! I'm getting anxious as the deadline approaches and I don't want to mess this up!

0 coins

18 comments

Liam Sullivan

•8M

Based on what you've shared, you'll need to file as a non-resident alien using Form 1040NR. As an F-1 visa holder for less than 5 years, you're typically considered an "exempt individual" for the substantial presence test - which means you don't meet resident status requirements regardless of how many days you've been in the US. For your 1098-T, unfortunately most international students don't qualify for education credits like the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit. These are generally only available to US citizens and resident aliens. You should also file Form 8843 (Statement for Exempt Individuals) along with your 1040NR. For your on-campus income, you should have received a W-2 form that you'll need to report. The money your parents sent you from India is considered personal gifts and doesn't need to be reported as income.

0 coins

Liam Sullivan

•8M

Most international students on F-1 visas are considered non-residents for tax purposes for up to 5 calendar years. After that point, you might need to apply the substantial presence test to determine your status. There are exceptions based on treaty countries, so your specific situation may vary. For tax software, many international students find Sprintax works better than the mainstream options like TurboTax or H&R Block, as it's specifically designed for non-resident tax situations. Some universities even provide Sprintax access codes at a discount for their international students, so check with your school's international student office.

0 coins

Giovanni Colombo

•8M

You just upload your tax documents securely and their system analyzes everything - it checks for all possible deductions, credits, and treaty benefits specific to your status and country. It gave me a detailed breakdown of what I qualified for and what I didn't. They provide detailed guidance on exactly what forms you need to file and how to complete them correctly based on your specific situation including foreign income. It's not just generic advice - it's personalized based on your actual documents.

0 coins

StarStrider

•8M

I want to apologize for being skeptical earlier about taxr.ai. I decided to try it with my complicated situation (Japanese student with scholarship, RA stipend, and 1098-T), and I'm honestly impressed. The service caught that I was eligible for a tax treaty benefit I had no idea about, which saved me almost $1,200! It also clearly explained why I couldn't claim the American Opportunity Credit despite having a 1098-T. Much better than the generic "help" I got from my university's financial office.

0 coins

Dylan Campbell

•8M

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about your international student status (which I did last year when my tax forms got complicated), I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS on my own with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They called me back when they had an agent on the line - way better than waiting on hold for hours!

0 coins

Dylan Campbell

•8M

It uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. Once it gets through to an agent, it calls you and connects you directly. You don't have to do the waiting yourself. The service doesn't have "special access" to the IRS - it just handles the painful waiting process for you. The trick is they have systems that can stay on hold for hours so you don't have to. When I used it, I went from spending 3 days trying unsuccessfully to get through to speaking with someone in under 30 minutes.

0 coins

Dmitry Sokolov

•8M

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it because I needed clarification on Form 8843 for my international student status before filing. I expected nothing, but within 45 minutes I was actually talking to a real IRS person who answered my specific questions about reporting my scholarship on 1040NR. Completely worth it just for the mental health benefit of not listening to that awful hold music for hours. I'm honestly shocked it worked as advertised.

0 coins

Ava Martinez

•8M

Yes, most international student offices help identify which forms you need. For F-1 students, that typically includes Form 1040NR, Form 8843, and potentially others depending on your specific situation. Many offices also provide workshops during tax season specifically addressing common concerns like how to handle your 1098-T and scholarship reporting. Some even offer one-on-one sessions with trained volunteers through programs like VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).

0 coins