Sprintax

The ISO has teamed up with Sprintax to provide you with an easy-to-use tax preparation software designed for nonresident students and scholars in the U.S.

Please be sure to access the University of Rochester’s Sprintax portal through our direct link to ensure Sprintax covers your federal filing fee.

Step by Step Guide on How to File Your Nonresident Tax Forms (F and J)

1. Gather the documents you may need for Sprintax.

Document	Description
Passport
Visa/Immigration information, including form I-20 (F status) or form DS-2019 (J status)
Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (if you have one)	This is not needed if you had no income and the 8843 is the only form you have to file.
W-2	This form reports your wage earnings if you worked. If you had more than one employer you should get a W-2 from each employer. It is issued by the end of January for the previous year. Make sure all employers from last year have an up-to-date address for you.
1042-S	This form is used to report: 1. Stipend, scholarship, fellowship income and travel grants (not tuition reduction or exemption) 2. Income covered by a tax treaty 3. Payment for other types of services (eg by the semester as a note-taker) If you received this type of income, the 1042-S will be e mailed to you by 15 March by the payer. *Note: Only Nonresident Aliens receive this form. If your tax status changes to a Resident Alien you will not get a 1042-S. Login to Sprintax to check your tax status if you’re not sure.*
US entry and exit dates for current and past visits to the US	In addition to passport stamps, you can review or print your US travel history here
1099	This form reports miscellaneous income. Can be interest on bank accounts, stocks, bonds, dividends, earning through freelance employment
1098-T	This form is NOT needed and can NOT be used for a nonresident tax return because NRAs are not eligible to claim education expense tax credits.

2. Create a Sprintax Account.

Access Sprintax via the University of Rochester’s direct link to ensure Sprintax covers the costs of the federal tax return and 8843. Open your Sprintax account by creating a User ID and password, or if you have an existing account on Sprintax you can login using your existing credentials.

3. Follow the Sprintax instructions.

If you did not earn any U.S. income: Sprintax will generate a completed Form 8843 for you and each of your dependents (if you have any).

If you did earn U.S. income: Sprintax will generate your “tax return documents”, including Form 1040NR, depending on your circumstances.

4. If required, complete your state tax return.

After you finish your federal return, Sprintax will inform you if you need to complete a state tax return. If so, you have the option to use Sprintax for an additional fee. However, it is your choice to use them or to do the state tax return on your own.

5. Read the instructions for filing/mailing your returns.

Remember to read the instructions that Sprintax provides.

You will be required to download, print and sign your federal tax return and mail it to the IRS. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to E-file your federal tax return. However, this will depend on certain eligibility criteria. You can learn more about eligibility in this Sprintax blog – https://blog.sprintax.com/nonresident-federal-tax-efiling-live/

If you have a state filing requirement, you must also mail this to the appropriate tax authorities.

Finally, if you only need to file Form 8843, this will also need to be mailed to the IRS.

Need Sprintax Support?

If you need help while using Sprintax, you can contact their support team using the options below:

24/7 Live Chat Help – hello@sprintax.com
Refer to their FAQs

Sprintax Webinar Schedule

Sprintax Nonresident Tax Webinar: In these webinars, international students, scholars and professionals will be run through everything they need to know about nonresident tax. 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.

Dates to be announced January 2025

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.

Dates to be announced January 2025

Sprintax Education Tax Videos and Blog

You also have access to the Sprintax YouTube account where there are a number of educational videos on nonresident taxes. These will provide further clarity on nonresident tax and how to use Sprintax. Sprintax also offer a range of useful content on their blog to help you file your return.

DISCLAIMER: The International Services Office (ISO) and the school are NOT permitted to assist any student/scholar with any IRS tax form preparation or tax related questions. The information provided is intended for your benefit. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Sprintax, a certified tax preparer or a local IRS field office.