International Tax Assistance Program

Contact ITAP

The University of Georgia
210 Memorial Hall
Athens, Georgia 30602

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST
Monday-Friday (excluding holidays)

The IRS Tax Filing Deadline in 2024 for the 2023 Tax Year:
April 15, 2024

As an international student  in the US, it’s very important that you comply with US tax law and understand the tax filing requirements of your visa. If any of the following circumstances apply to you during calendar year (January 1 – December 31) 2023, you MUST file a US tax return:

  • You worked in the US
  • You received a stipend, grant or allowance in 2023
  • You had no earnings

If you were working, you would’ve been subject to Federal and State taxes and therefore must file a tax return each year.  If you did not work or receive income in the US you’re still legally obliged to file a tax return to declare no earnings

International Tax Assistance Program

The University System of Georgia works with Sprintax Tax Prep to help guide international students who work on campus through the tax preparation process. 

Filing taxes in the US can be complex due to intricate tax laws. Our aim is to guide you in determining if you need to file, what to file, when to do it, and the resources available for assistance. This helps ensure compliance with visa status regulations.

The US federal and state governments tax income, scholarships, and various financial gains. Taxes are typically withheld before payment, and individuals must file reports by a specific deadline after the tax year ends to reconcile payments made with government expectations. If your payments fall short of the total tax due, you’re responsible for paying the shortfall. Conversely, if you’ve overpaid, you’ll receive a refund from the federal and/or state revenue department.

 

NOTE: The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, phone call, text message, or social media.

The ITAP program will begin in February 2024, once all government documents have been issued and filing forms are ready. Be on the lookout for emails starting in January and throughout the spring semester from ISL regarding your filing obligations!

Note: UGA uses Glacier for tax withholding (employer payroll compliance and record keeping). Sprintax* is used for tax filing.

* Sprintax software is provided by International Student Life, with additional support from the Office of International Education and the University System of Georgia.

FAQs

Yes! Every international student in the United States is required to file tax paperwork, even if they have not worked.

No- if you are considered a Non-Resident for Tax Purposes. The discounted Sprintax software provided by ISL is the only tax software that UGA’s non-resident international students should use. Other programs may give you incorrect paperwork and require amended tax returns at a later date. ISL is only able to provide support to non-residents for tax purposes who utilize Sprintax software.

Due to the large volume of international tax assistance requests in years past, ISL, along with the other universities in Georgia, have determined that providing the Sprintax program was the most cost and time effective approach to providing quality and accurate assistance to international students and scholars. As such, the cost of providing Federal filing codes and running the ITAP program with workshop volunteers requires financial resources. The $10 fee assessed by ITAP helps ISL offset the costs associated  with this service. It is important to understand that tax assistance for anyone typically costs some sort of fee. ISL is committed to keeping this fee as low as possible while also accounting for expected costs with running this service.

Yes! After registering for ITAP and purchasing a Sprintax code, you will receive information on how to sign up for Sprintax workshops held either in-person or Zoom. Note that ISL Staff ARE NOT tax professionals. We are able to assist with general questions related to Sprintax. 

You will need to file resident forms. Unfortunately, ISL cannot assist students who need to file resident tax forms. Resident tax forms are available online or at local libraries, or you can use software like Turbo Tax. There also are free online tax software programs at the federal IRS website for resident tax issues.

Each student’s situation is unique. Tax return results can vary due to income differences, tax treaty details, and days present in the USA. ISL strongly advises you from comparing your results with others, as it will often lead to confusion and unnecessary concern.

Scammers often send fake IRS or UGA emails, appearing genuine with “irs.gov” or “irsservices@uga.edu” addresses. These phishing attempts use subject lines like “Tax Refund Payment” and ask for personal details via a link—avoid clicking these links.

If you get such an email, don’t click any links. Instead, save the email using “save as” and forward it as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov. Remember, the IRS won’t initiate email contact without consent. While they may email if you’ve provided your address, they won’t include links for refunds or request sensitive details like SSN or bank info. For further queries, contact the International Tax Assistance Program at isltax@uga.edu.

Here is a list of mailing locations in Athens. You can buy envelopes and postage at these locations. We also recommend getting a tracking number, so you will know if your forms were delivered. The IRS will not contact you to confirm receipt of forms. 

Tax Filing Webinars provided by SPRINTAX

Sprintax Nonresident Tax Webinar (EAP)

In these tax webinars, international students, scholars and professionals will be run through
everything they need to know about nonresident tax for the 2023 tax season.

Topics will include who must file, tax residency, FICA, State returns, implications of misfiling as
well as how to use Sprintax to prepare a compliant tax return.

Sprintax Nonresident Tax Overview for OPT/CPT

Topics covered in these webinars will include residency for tax purposes, tax liabilities when

on OPT/CPT and pre-employment tax forms when on OPT/CPT. The Sprintax team will also

provide an overview of Sprintax Forms which can be used to prepare your pre OPT/CPT

employment tax documents.