Taxes

What You Need to Know

All international students and scholars must file tax forms by April 15 for the previous year to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For example, tax forms due on April 15, 2025 covered the calendar year 2024. Failure to file a tax return by the due date is a federal and state offense.

Most international students and scholars are considered non-residents for the purpose of filing taxes. Note: non-resident for tax purposes is defined differently than non-resident for immigration purposes. If you are a resident for tax purposes, you must file different tax documents than the ones listed below. Most tax preparation services would be able to assist. 

Those who did not earn income must file a Form 8843 - Statement for Exempt Individuals. Your tax return or Form 8843 must be filed by April 15th. 

Those who received income in the previous calendar year (including those on post-completion work authorizations) must file the appropriate tax forms. 

Federal tax filing overview video

Federal tax webinar by Sprintax

If You Earned Income: File an Income Tax Return

When someone earns money a portion of it is automatically deducted and sent directly to the government. The purpose of filing your tax return is to report all your sources of income to the government, what taxes you already paid, and what you still owe. At the end of the process, you calculate how much in total you should have paid. If you paid more than what you owe during the year, you get a refund. On the other hand, if you didn't pay enough, you must pay the difference.

• How to File a Tax Return

  The University of Denver has arranged free access to an online tax service for you called Sprintax. Sprintax will guide you through the tax preparation process, arrange the necessary documents and check if you’re due a tax refund. If you were a DU student or on OPT through DU in a given year, ISSS will send you a Sprintax code and additional instruction the following February/March. 

  To prepare your tax return using Sprintax, all you need to do is:

  1. Look out for the email in February/March with the unique code to enter on your Sprintax order so that there is no cost for you to file the US federal tax return.
  2. Complete the online questionnaire.
  3. Enter your unique code in the box on the ‘Review your order’ page.
  4. Sprintax will prepare your federal tax return. Sprintax can prepare your state tax return, if they are required, at your own cost.

  Once you complete the preparation process in the Sprintax software, you must print, sign and mail your documents to the IRS. 

  If you have any questions, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat facility.

  If you want to file state tax returns yourself, you can find the required forms and instructions at the Colorado Department of Revenue's website. You are also welcome to use an alternative tax filing resource at your own cost. 

  ISSS staff are not tax professionals and we cannot help you file your taxes. 

If You Did Not Earn Income: File Form 8843

Form 8843 is an informational statement required by the U.S. government. It demonstrates that you are a non-resident for tax purposes. All F-1 and J-1 visitors and their dependents in F-2 or J-2 status must submit Form 8843. For any non-resident who did not earn income in the previous year, Form 8843 does not need to be submitted with a tax return.

• How to File Form 8843

  To prepare your tax return using Sprintax, all you need to do is:

  1. Look out for the email in February/March with the unique code to enter on your Sprintax order so that there is no cost for you to file the US federal tax return.
  2. Complete the online questionnaire.
  3. Enter your unique code in the box on the ‘Review your order’ page.
  4. Sprintax will prepare your federal tax return. Sprintax can prepare your state tax return, if they are required, at your own cost.

  Once you complete the preparation process in the Sprintax software, you must print, sign and mail your documents to the IRS. 

  If you have any questions, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat facility.

Tax Documents

Form 1042-S

If a student receives a scholarship that is greater than the cost of tuition, the excess amount is considered taxable income which must be reported when filing U.S. taxes. This scenario is almost exclusive to student athletes. The Form 1042-S can be generated by the Office of Payroll (payroll@du.edu).

Form 1098-T

This form might be issued by the Office of the Bursar to US citizens and permanent residents who had qualified tuition and related expenses. If an international student needs the Form 1098-T, they can contact the Bursar (bursar@du.edu). In most cases, this form is not necessary and a student would instead use personal records of paying tuition and related expenses for the purposes of their tax return.

Form 1099

This form reports miscellaneous income such as interest earned on bank accounts.

Form W2

This form reports your wage earnings if you worked during the tax  year. If you had more than one employer, you should get a W-2 from each employer.

• Internal Revenue Service
• Colorado Department of Revenue