Taxes

Rice 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.

Tax forms are due to the IRS by April 15th of each year.
Stay tuned for information regarding Sprintax Returns license codes!
Codes will be available starting March 1.

Filing taxes in the United States can be a confusing responsibility. Failure to comply with IRS regulations can produce serious consequences. Even if no taxes are owed, it is required by law to comply with filing procedures. Penalties can range from fines to interest on taxes not paid to incarceration if convicted of tax fraud or evasion. While Rice cannot file your taxes for you, we have compiled the following resources/guidance to assist you.

**NOTE: For questions or concerns regarding issues with previous years' tax returns, please contact the IRS directly by phone at their International Taxpayer Assistance line (1-267-941-1000)

Sprintax Returns Access Code

Visit https://bit.ly/OISS-taxcode24 to request a Sprintax discount code for 2024 tax year!

This link is exclusively for members of the Rice University international community. OISS sponsors these codes at no cost to you.

**Sprintax Returns codes are only valid for a particular tax year, you must use a new code every year**

Discount codes are based on availability, first-come, first-served.

Sprintax Returns is a web-based software program designed to assist internationals with tax form preparation. It is available to Rice international students (both F-1 and J-1 status) who have been in the U.S. for less than 5 years, or international scholars on J-1 status who have been in the U.S. for less than 2 years and are considered non-residents for tax purposes.

**If you are unsure of your tax residency status, you may go to Sprintax, create an account, and Sprintax will assist you in determining your tax status prior to purchasing the software.
• If you are found to be a non-resident for tax purposes, you can then use Sprintax Returns to complete your tax forms.
• If you are found to be a resident for tax purposes and cannot use Sprintax Returns to complete your tax form preparation, you may visit the IRS website for free file assistance options.

Using Sprintax Returns:

  1. Use the license for the correct tax year
  2. Gather all your tax documents before beginning (including W-2's if you worked, 1042-S if you received a fellowship or scholarship, etc.). If you file too early and later discover you forgot to include a tax document, you will need to prepare an amended return that is an entirely separate process. For information on receiving these forms from Rice, please see https://controller.rice.edu/tax-home.
  3. Follow the instructions provided by Sprintax very carefully, so that you don't miss any steps.
  4. If you need an ITIN because you are not eligible for an SSN, please see OISS and read ITIN Process
  5. If you need to file State Taxes because you worked in a state that charges State Income Tax, you may purchase a Sprintax Returns software license to assist you in filing those taxes. Please visit Sprintax.

Additional Resources

• Short webinar on main principles of non-resident tax – Click here
• Sprintax Returns software walkthrough video – Click here
• Sprintax Returns e-filing video – Click here

Sprintax Calculus

Sprintax Calculus, separate from the Sprintax Returns system, is used to determine your U.S. tax residency status and possible tax treaty eligibility. The Rice Tax Office will set up a Sprintax Calculus account for you. If you have not received an email with your Sprintax Calculus login instructions within one week of your start date, please contact the Tax Office at ForeignNationalTax@Rice.edu.

If you are a nonresident alien using Sprintax Returns to file your tax return (Form 1040-NR), any personal, contact, or 1042-S data from your Sprintax Calculus account will flow to your tax return.

Tax Webinars

How to Prepare for the U.S. Tax season (post by Sprintax)

OISS partners with Sprintax to offer webinars specifically for the Rice international community. Sprintax also offers general webinars throughout the spring, as well as webinars for taxes related to OPT/CPT employment.

Rice U exclusive webinars:

These webinars are offered exclusively to the Rice international community.

• Wednesday, February 26th @ 2:00-3:00pm – Register here
• Wednesday, April 2nd @ 2:00-3:00pm – Register here

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

General webinars:

In these tax webinars, international students, scholars and professionals will be run through everything they need to know about nonresident tax for the 2024 tax season. Topics will include who must file, tax residency, FICA, State returns, implications of misfiling as well as how to use Sprintax Returns to prepare a compliant tax return. Remember, taxes are due April 15, 2025!

• Wednesday January 22nd @ 3pm ET – Register here
• Thursday February 6th @ 1pm ET – Register here
• Tuesday February 18th @ 12pm ET – Register here
• Tuesday March 4th @ 4pm ET – Register here
• Wednesday March 19th @ 2pm ET– Register here
• Wednesday March 26th @ 1pm ET – Register here
• Thursday April 3rd @ 3pm ET– Register here
• Thursday April 10th @ 12pm ET – Register here
• Monday April 14th @ 1pm ET – Register here

Tax Basics and Frequently Asked Questions

Learn all about taxes in the United States and get answers to frequently asked questions – http://oiss.rice.edu/taxbasics.

Tax Events Deadlines

  • January 31: W-2 and/or 1099 provided by employers. For Rice forms, please see https://controller.rice.edu/tax-home for more information.
  • February/March: OISS hosts a Tax Seminar with a tax expert as a guest speaker 1-2 times per year, (see Tax Workshops section above for details). The tax expert speaks mainly on tax law for internationals.
  • March 15: Form 1042 and 1042-S due to IRS by Payroll. For more information, please see https://controller.rice.edu/tax-home.
  • April 15: Forms 1040NR and 1040NR-EZ due to IRS by individuals (if Nonresident Alien receives compensation).
  • June 15: Form 8843 due to IRS (if Nonresident Alien does not receive compensation and that is only form that is required to be filed.)

SSN and ITIN Process

A SSN or ITIN is needed to facilitate payment for scholarships, fellowships, employment in the U.S., and to file a U.S. tax return. If you are not eligible to apply for a SSN, you may need to request an ITIN in order to receive tax treaty benefits and to file a U.S. tax return.

NOTE: If you are only required to file form 8843 for your U.S. tax return, then no SSN nor ITIN is required.

CPT/OPT Pre-employment Tax Support

Please see https://oiss.rice.edu/cpt-opt-tax for information on a helpful resource.

Additional Resources

AARP Tax Aide Program
Volunteers provide free tax return preparation assistance to foreign students and scholars, for both the non-resident and resident alien tax forms. Walk-ins are welcome (please arrive at least 1 hour before closing):

University of Houston - Downtown VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program
Free Tax Preparation by IRS Certified Preparers. See https://www.uhd.edu/academics/business/acci/vita/Pages/default.aspx for more details.

Other Resources

Please note: The OISS staff is not trained nor qualified to give any tax advice.