This page provides some general information about United States and Wisconsin taxes on income including some resources for help with questions you may have about tax form preparation and other tax questions. Staff members at the Office of International Education (OIE) are not tax specialists and cannot advise you about taxes.

Overview

As a Foreign National student or scholar, you need to file tax forms each year with the IRS, even if you earned no income. It is your responsibility to understand and meet your tax obligations. The deadline to file taxes is typically April 15 if you were present in the United States in the previous calendar year (before January 1). If April 15 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due day to file federal income taxes is the next business day.  

IRS tax forms can be printed from the links below. Occasionally, the Milwaukee Public Library offers U.S and Wisconsin tax forms (hard copy) at the library entrance.

In addition to the IRS tax forms, you will need a W-2 form from any employers from the past year in order to file your taxes. Employers must provide the W-2 form to their employees by January 31. 福利在线 W-2 forms can be printed from your 鈥淢y Jobs鈥� account. ("My Jobs" can be accessed under the "Key Resources" section at the bottom of the 福利在线 main website.)  Students who were enrolled at another university during the previous tax year should contact the appropriate office at their former campus. Students who were performing OPT or CPT during the previous tax year should contact the human resources office at their former employer.

U.S. Federal Income Taxes - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

IRS representatives have stated that all international students are required to file federal income tax returns even if they do not owe any tax payments. These forms are available at the . Of special interest to international students is Publication 519: U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens and Publication 1915: Understanding Your IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The  of the IRS website also provides helpful information.

For students who earned U.S.-source income during the most recent tax year, including scholarships, those federal forms are probably the 1040NR-EZ and the Form 8843 or the 1040NR and the Form 8843. The filing deadline for sending completed forms and any payments is usually April 15.  (Note: The tax year being filed for is always the calendar year that ended the December before the April when forms are filed.)

Students who had no income from the U.S. during 2022 are required to file only. The deadline for sending completed is usually April 15. 

Wisconsin State Income Taxes - The Wisconsin Department of Revenue

Most F-1 and J-1 international students/scholars will need to file the individual Form 1NPR by the filing deadline of April 15. To confirm your filing requirement, you should carefully read the "Who Should File" section of the 1NPR instructions. You should also carefully follow all the form instructions when filling it out to ensure you are filing out the form correctly. The  is a great resource for general Wisconsin tax questions as well as 1NPR information including:

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Tax Preparation Assistance and Resources

Glacier Tax Prep:
If you have been employed at 福利在线, you may be familiar with the Glacier payroll system. This system also provides tax preparation assistance for a moderate fee. The Glacier Tax Prep software will determine if you are a resident or a non-resident for tax purposes and will offer a step-by-step process to complete your federal tax forms. Learn more and purchase an individual access code for .


Sprintax is an online  tax preparation software service that is especially designed for international students and scholars who are non-residents for tax purposes that will guide you through each part of the federal 1040NR tax return process, as well as state income tax processes, for a modest fee. (There are also a limited number of discount codes available on a first come first serve basis for their federal filing services by using the code F25MARQ60.) 

If Sprintax identifies you as a resident for tax purposes you cannot work with Sprintax and may wish to engage a qualified tax advising service for assistance completing your U.S. and Wisconsin state income taxes.

In addition to its online tax preperation softeware, Sprintax also offers a number of other sources informaiton about income taxes including:

1) Tax webinars that take international students, scholars and professionals through an overview of what they need to know about non-resident tax for the 2025 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. These webinars take place on: 

Wednesday, January 28 @12 pm EST -  
Thursday, February 5 @ 1pm EST 鈥�  
Tuesday, February 10 @ 7pm EST 鈥�  
Wednesday, February 18 @ 3pm EST 鈥�  
Tuesday, February 24 @ 10am EST 鈥�  
Thursday March 5 @ 12pm EST -  
Wednesday, March 11 @ 1pm EST 鈥�  
Monday, March 16 @ 2pm EST -  
Friday, March 27 @ 11am EST -  
Wednesday, April 1 @ 1pm EST -  
Tuesday, April 7 @ 8am EST -  
Tuesday, April 14 @ 2pm EST -  

2) Sprintax has an that covers many of the frequently asked questions received from nonresidents. Here, you will find webinars, FAQs, articles, and more.

3) You also have access to the 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.

(IRS)
The IRS number for toll-free recorded tax information is 1-800-829-1040.

The Milwaukee IRS office is located at 211 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53203. You may receive individual assistance by visiting or calling (414) 231-2100. The office is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Be sure to inform whomever you speak with about your United States legal status (such as F-1 or J-1) so that you may receive information that is accurate for you.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers on-site assistance with tax questions. You can learn about Milwaukee VITA and   The closest VITA site to 福利在线 is at MATC.

The IRS website also has useful information on federal taxation for F-1 and J-1 visitors including:

Other State Forms

If you need tax forms from states other than Wisconsin, you can link to other state websites from the Internal Revenue web site (see information above on IRS). State forms and information materials are available for download and printing.

Remember to keep photocopies of your tax records and filings. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recommends that these documents be retained for seven (7) years.