What is the IRS Form 1098-T?
The Form 1098-T is a statement that colleges and universities are required to issue to certain students. It provides the total dollar amount paid by the student for what is referred to as qualified tuition and related expenses (or “QTRE”) in a single tax year.
When will I receive my Form 1098-T?
Your Form 1098-T will be available to you electronically on or before January through the Student Administration System: Viewing and Printing Your 1098-T Tax Form.
Why don’t the numbers on Form 1098-T equal the amounts I paid to UConn during the year?
There are potentially many reasons for this discrepancy. First, the amount in Box 1 only represents amounts paid for qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) and does not include payments made for room and board, insurance, health service fees, or parking which, though important, are not considered mandatory education expenses for tax purposes. Secondly, Form 1098-T reports amounts that the student paid in a certain year, and the pay date does not necessarily correspond to the dates that the classes were attended. For example, tuition for the Spring semester is typically billed in the prior year so a student may have paid tuition for the Spring semester in November even though classes don’t start until January. The best and most accurate source of information about the amounts that you paid for qualified tuition and related expenses will be your Fee Bills.
Does the 1098-T include charges for books?
No, the University does not include amounts paid for books in Form 1098-T. You should consult with your tax advisor to determine if payments for books, equipment or fees should be considered when preparing your income tax returns and determining eligibility for education tax credits or deductions.
What semesters are included in my Form 1098-T?
Typically, charges are posted to your student account in November for the Spring semester and in June for the Fall semester. Box 1 of Form 1098-T reflects payments made during the calendar year for qualified tuition and related expenses and it is not based on when the classes were attended or billed to the student account. Your Term Fee Bills will show the dates payments were posted to your account and are a valuable resource for determining the semesters that are included in your Form 1098-T. You can access your Term Fee Bills in the Bursar Services Tile in the Student Administration System.
I am a graduate student and I received fellowship payments. Where is my fellowship reported on my Form 1098-T?
For Form 1098-T purposes, fellowships are considered financial aid and will be reported in Box 5 as a (scholarships, grants, fellowships). Form 1098-T reports activity occurring in the calendar year. Therefore, if the total aid you received during the calendar year (reportable in Box 5) exceeds the qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) paid during the same calendar year, you will not receive a Form 1098-T.
I am a graduate fellow who is entitled to receive health or dental insurance at a reduced rate. How is this reported on my Form 1098-T?
Since insurance (both medical and dental) is not considered to be a qualified tuition and related expense, this expense it is not reported on your Form 1098-T. However, if the University subsidizes the cost of your insurance then the University subsidy is reported in Box 5 of the Form 1098-T.
I graduated in May; do I have a Form 1098-T?
Some May graduates will not be issued a Form 1098-T because there is a possibility that payments for QTRE for Spring were made on or before December 31 of the preceding calendar year. If a student paid for the Spring semester and any other outstanding QTRE charges in the preceding calendar year, then the student would not receive a Form 1098-T.
How do I prepare my tax returns without a Form 1098-T?
Form 1098-T reports payments received from the student for qualified tuition and related expenses (Box 1) during the preceding calendar year. However, if the student receives scholarships, grants and/or fellowships in the preceding year in excess of the amounts they paid in QTRE, the University is not required to issue a Form 1098-T to the student. When determining your eligibility for education related tax credits and deductions, you will need to report the amount you paid for qualified education and related expenses. Therefore, your Term Fee Bills will be the best and most accurate source of information for amounts paid for qualified education and related expenses. This is true regardless of whether you receive a Form 1098-T or not.
My accountant says that the University must provide me with a form 1098-T.
The University in not required, by the IRS, to furnish a Form 1098-T in the following instances:
- If payments are for courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program.
- If the enrolled student is a nonresident alien, unless requested by the student.
- Students whose qualified tuition and related expenses are entirely waived or paid entirely with grants/scholarships.
- Students for whom you do not maintain a separate financial account and whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement between an institution and the student's employer or a governmental entity, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.
My SSN is wrong on my Form 1098-T. Can I have a new one sent to me?
If your SSN is incorrect, please email 1098t@uconn.edu and our staff will have the Update SSN Request task assigned to your StudentAdmin portal. Once you have the task assigned, you will be able to update your SSN electronically in StudentAdmin. You will then be issued a new 1098-T.
I can’t get access to my Form 1098-T because I have graduated and have forgotten my access information.
Please contact the ITS Department at (860) 486-4357 to have your NetID password reset in order to access to your Student Administration Account.
I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do with this Form 1098-T. HELP!
We are unable to provide tax advice. For guidance you may want to consider IRS Publication 970 in addition to the IRS’s guide to Choosing a Tax Professional.
I am a Canadian student and need a TL11A Tuition and Enrolment Certificate. Can you complete it for me?
Yes. Canadian students, to obtain a TL11A Tuition and Enrolment Certificate, please email 1098t@uconn.edu and a staff member in the Office of the Bursar will complete Part 1 – Educational institution's certification for you.
For questions regarding Form 1098-T that are not answered here or on our Tax Form 1098-T webpage, please email 1098t@uconn.edu.