Enrolling in a Masters Program outside the US and Form 1098-T

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
July 27, 2021
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The academic program I'm enrolled in this fall is outside the US and will not provide a Form 1098-T. The program can send me a document that states all tuition payments made. Is this document sufficient for claiming tuition expenses on my tax returns (and as it relates to any education deductions)?

Not A Product Question

rjs

Employee

In order to claim a tax credit or deduction for your tuition, the school has to be an "eligible educational institution." The following is from IRS Publication 970.

"An eligible educational institution is any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the U.S. Department of Education."

"An eligible educational institution also includes certain educational institutions located outside the United States that are eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the U.S. Department of Education."

"The educational institution should be able to tell you if it is an eligible educational institution."

So you have to find out if the program you are enrolled in is an eligible educational institution. If it's not, the lack of a Form 1098-T doesn't matter because you can't get a tax benefit for your tuition anyway.

Hal_Al

Employee

In order to be an eligible educational institution, the school must be eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the Department of Education.

Enter your school at the link below, to see if it's on the dept. of education list.

https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/schoolSearch?locale=en_EN (choose foreign country for state)

If your school is on the list, answer that you qualify for an exception when TurboTax asks if you got a 1098-T.