Stanford
Student Services
Income Statement

Other Tax Forms and Taxable Income

Other Tax Forms Provided by Stanford

Taxable Income

Tax Exemption for International Students

Note: The University cannot provide tax advice, please consult with a professional tax advisor.

Annual Tax Form Distribution

What is the W-2 Form?

The W-2 Form is an Income Statement. If you received paychecks via the Payroll system for any salaried appointment on campus (e.g., RA-ship, TA-ship, etc.), you will receive a W-2.

Stanford must report all employee taxable wages and the associated taxes paid to federal and state agencies. At the beginning of each tax year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31), Stanford sends a completed W-2 Wage and Tax Statement Form (W-2 Form) to each employee, which they can use when filing their federal and state income tax returns.

Work performed in California is subject to tax withholding and reporting to California, regardless of residency status.

For questions or requests to receive the W-2, please submit a Service Now Request to Payroll at: Payroll Questions

For further details, see IRS Understanding the W-2

What is the difference between the 1098-T and the W-2?

The 1098-T is a tuition statement, unlike the W-2 which is an income statement. The W-2 reflects the amounts received from your salaried appointments and how much was levied in federal and state taxes. 

Please refer to Understanding the W-2

What is the 1042-S?

  • The 1042-S reports on the total amount of fellowships and or grants you receive from Stanford if you are an international student. 
  • US citizens and US permanent residents do not receive this form.
  • Non-resident students will receive a 1042-S reporting this income for use in filing their federal tax return.

To place a request: Request for the 1042-S

What is the difference between the 1098-T and the 1042-S?

The 1042-S is a fellowship form. This form reports the total amount that our international students receive in fellowships or scholarships from the university during the calendar year. The form reflects the total amount you received in fellowships/grants from Stanford. Unlike the 1098-T, which also reports on the total amount paid for QTRE.

IRS 1042-S Reference Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding

What is the 1095?

If you need a form to confirm health insurance coverage, you can request the 1095 form. Please see: Health Insurance Form

What is the 1099?

If you receive a prize or a monetary award for over $600, the payroll office will provide you with the 1099. Payroll Questions

What is the W-4? 

The W-4 is the form you use to designate your tax withholding claims. This form can also be submitted to change your tax withholding status during the calendar year.

Please see: Tax Withholdings Allowances - Stanford Payroll Department.

What is considered taxable income?

Please refer to page 40 of IRS Publication 970.

Can I use the 1098-T to calculate the total amount that is considered taxable from my fellowships?

You may use the 1098-T to help you perform your own calculations to determine the possible amount of taxable income. 

First, deduct the total amount reflected in Box 5 from Box 1. The result reflects the portion of the scholarships or fellowships that may be taxable as the funds might have paid directly for non-tuition related expenses (eg., housing, meal plan). It is also important to consider the stipend refunds you received from the fellowships when performing your calculations.

However, a simple subtraction may not return an accurate result for tax purposes. 

Box 1 may not include all of the payments you made to Stanford: it only includes payments that were applied to Qualified Tuition and Tuition Related Expenses. If your payments applied to non-tuition related expenses, such as housing or meal plans, those figures are not included in the total reported in Box 1.

Please note that many scholarships and fellowships are applied to tuition with first priority; your payments are applied to remaining tuition charges only after such scholarships and fellowships have been applied. 

Box 5 does not include your “out of pocket” payments; it only includes the fellowships and scholarships received from Stanford. And, the funding reported in Box 5 might be covering charges that are not reflected in Box 1, such as housing or other fees.

 

How do I know if I qualify for an exemption from paying federal tax on my fellowships?

If you are an international student who is receiving fellowships, the portion of the fellowship less excludable fees will be assessed federal taxes. The federal tax is calculated by Payroll (Financial Services Management Group) and posted as a charge on your student financial account. 

If your country maintains a tax treaty with the U.S. (see list of countries Tax Treaties,) you can submit a W-8BEN Tax Treaty Form plus attachments to Payroll for reduced federal taxation on their fellowship payments. A Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN) is required to claim the tax treaty. Please see:  Claim Tax Treaty for a Fellowship

If there is a tax treaty with my country, how do I claim exemption for a salary appointment?

If you are an international student and your country has a tax treaty with the USA, you can submit form 8233 to Payroll to be exempted from paying federal taxes. Please refer to the following web pages: