Tax Season Information
TAX FILING SEASON: All international students and scholars who were in the U.S. in any visa type other than B visa for any period of time during the year 2012 must file a 2012 income tax return or statement with the U.S. federal government. The deadline for filing taxes is April 15, 2013. Some international students and scholars may also be required to file a New Jersey state income tax return.
The FAQ’s will very likely answer all of your tax filing questions!
Princeton University offers GLACIER Tax Prep (GTP), free tax filing software for international students and scholars to make your tax filing obligations easier. If you do not wish to use GLACIER Tax Prep to file your taxes, you will need to either file them on your own or use an outside professional tax preparer.
RESIDENT ALIEN TAX FILING: If you are a “resident alien for tax purposes,” you will not be able to use GTP since it is designed only for NONRESIDENT ALIEN filers. Refer to FAQs 21-23 for resources on how to file your U.S. RESIDENT taxes.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the complex nature of U.S. tax laws, only authorized tax preparation professionals are eligible to advise you on the specifics of your individual tax return. Staff members of the Davis International Center or other University staff are not professional tax preparers and cannot advise you on how to complete your tax forms.
TAX FILING DEADLINES: U.S. federal income tax forms must be postmarked to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by April 15, 2013. If you were present in the United States during any part of 2012 on a visa other than a B visa, there is at least one form you must complete. If you were not in the United States at all during 2012, you do not need to complete any tax forms at this time.
TAX FILING WORKSHOPS: We offered two workshops presented by guest speaker Donna Kepley, President of Arctic International LLC, Glacier TAX PREP on March 7 at 12:00-2:00 pm and 3:00-5:00 pm. For more information about Donna Kepley and the GLACIER Tax Prep WORKSHOPS - SEE FAQ #17. GTP is easy to follow. If you missed the workshops, you should be able to file your taxes using GTP on your own.
ADDITIONAL HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT TAX ISSUES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, AND VISITORS AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY:
Taxation of Scholarships & Fellowships
Student Tax Reporting and Withholding Information
Scholar and Student Payroll Taxes Deduction Information
Payroll Taxes & Treaty Benefits
Payments to Foreign National Guests, Speakers, & Entities
Other non-resident alien (NRA) tax issues at Princeton University
Federal Income Tax Brochure
(With permission from NAFSA, Association of International Educators)
This brochure is designed to offer general guidelines only for non-resident federal income tax obligations, including determining tax residency, which forms must be filed and when.
