Taxes
All international students and scholars living in the United States are required to comply with federal, state and local laws with respect to filing taxes. International Student Affairs is here to provide you with resources that are designed to guide you through this process, but since it is not a licensed tax office, it cannot provide you with individual assistance when it comes to filing your own taxes.
TAX YEAR 2017
All international students and dependents present in the U.S. for any length of time in calendar year 2017 must file Form 8843, regardless of income earned. This includes minor children. If you or your dependents do not have U.S. earned income, this is the only form that must be submitted to the federal government, and it is essentially a verification of legal status and presence. Please access the online form and follow the instructions for completion and submission. For assistance, we recommend you set an appointment with the Shepherdstown VITA site located at the Catholic Campus Ministry House at 101 W. High Street—there will be no cost for that assistance. Appointments are made in advance by calling (304) 876-0231 and are available March 6 and 13, between 12:00 noon and 5:00 pm. Please bring your passport and immigration documents.
For those who have U.S. earned income in 2017, you must file separate federal and state tax returns no later than April 15, 2018. In addition, depending on your location of residence, you may also need to file a city or metropolitan tax return. For all of these, you will need to have your Form(s) W-2 before beginning the tax forms. These are distributed by employers in late January. To assist in completing Form 8843 and the federal and state tax returns, we recommend you seek free tax preparation assistance at the Shepherdstown VITA site located in the Catholic Campus Ministry House (101 W. High Street). As above, appointments are made in advance by calling (304) 876-0231 and are available March 6 and 13, 2018, between 12:00 noon and 5:00 pm. Please bring your passport, immigration documents, W-2 forms, and social security card.
This is a serious requirement and your filing is due no later than April 15, 2018.