Tax Workshop | Photo by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
On March 27, the University Center for International Education organized a workshop for non-working international students, providing valuable resources and support related to tax returns.
Workshop schedule
Aya Nakayama, international student program coordinator at Wright State University, is one of the people who helped coordinate this event.
“We are organizing tax workshops once in every week for the international students who are not working here in the U.S.A. For the next two weeks, we will host [programs] so that we can reach more students and enlighten them regarding the importance of submitting tax files. Also, we organize a virtual meeting for those who are working here,” Nakayama said.
For non-working students, there are two workshops every week. These workshops are on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in the Student Union Rathskeller room and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in the Student Union Discovery room.
There is a virtual meeting every Monday at 10 a.m. for working students.
Who needs to file?
According to the WSU website, everyone who was physically present in the U.S.A. on a F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2, H-1B or TN visa at any time during the previous calendar year (even for one day) must file a Federal Income Tax Return by April 15. This includes dependents.
All international students who were in the U.S.A. before Jan. 1, 2024, will need to file taxes whether working or not.
“It is very important for the international students to submit their tax return on time. We are helping them by providing valid information and also how they can do all the paperworks,” Zahra Zare, tax coordinator at UCIE, said.
Benefits
International students will find these programs highly beneficial, as many were previously unaware of the need to file tax returns. A significant number of students who are not employed on-campus in the U.S.A. mistakenly believe that submitting tax returns is unnecessary for them.
Miftahul Mahmud, an Electrical Engineering major, is one of many students who were unaware.
"I have acquired more information about the tax return. It is crucial for me because I did not work in 2023, and I was unaware that I still needed to submit a tax return. Now, I understand how to do this, whether I am a non-working or working student,” Mahmud said.
How and where to submit
Non-working international students have to download the 8843 form and fill it out accordingly. After that, they have to send it to the Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service in Austin, TX. Students can submit their 8843 form to UCIE, which will send it on behalf of the students.
UCIE’s tax return workshops offer valuable resources for international students to improve tax preparation skills. Attendees, whether in-person or virtual, receive expert guidance and support to navigate tax complexities effectively, contributing to enhanced financial literacy and confidence in managing taxes.
