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Taxes: FAQs

Commonly Used Abbreviations and Definitions

FAQ
Abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions
GTP
Abbreviation for Glacier Tax Prep
Glacier
Glacier Tax Compliance
IRS
U.S. Internal Revenue Services
ISC
UW Integrated Service Center
SFS
UW Student Fiscal Services
ISS
UW International Student Services

Definitions of foreign nationalresident alien, and nonresident alien for tax purposes can be found here: Foreign Nationals Payment & Tax Information – Definitions

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Access codes are prepaid by UW. For free access to GTP, you must enter through the ISS website; using the following link. You will not need an access code through the ISS website.

If you enter GTP externally, GTP will not recognize your affiliation with UW and you will be charged.

Tax Information – How to File

This most likely means that GTP has not gone live yet. Normally, the GTP link goes live around mid-February. Check newsletter emails from ISS for the specific date.

Tax Information

Resident alien status will prevent you from being able to use GTP. Review the FAQ on resident alien status.

No. Students classified as resident aliens for tax purposes must file taxes through different tax resources.

Examples:

  • The IRS’s free filing service: IRS – Free Filing
  • Other tax software programs
  • Professional tax accountants
  • UW Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (UW VITA): UW VITA
  • GTP also has information regarding how to file taxes as a resident alien

If you worked on campus:
Log into Glacier Tax Compliance and choose Review/Print My Forms. Click the Print Forms button by the Tax Summary Report. The Tax Residency Status on the Tax Summary Report will show if you are considered a nonresident alien or resident alien for tax purposes.

If you did not work on campus:
Begin the filing process through GTP. If GTP determines that you are a resident alien, GTP will tell you how to file your taxes.

About Resident Alien Status:
Resident alien status is determined by a formula of days spent in the U.S. GTP is programmed to make that designation by entry/arrival status recorded on your I-94 document. This is called the Substantial Presence Test.

Students with resident alien status for tax purposes cannot files taxes using GTP because the tax rules are different. Review the FAQ on resident alien status.

Being a resident for tax purposes does not change your immigration status; it only changes your tax status.

No. If you receive resident alien status at any point during the year, the federal government assumes that status for the first day of the calendar year in which you were considered a resident alien.

You will still maintain tax exemptions allocated to you during your nonresident alien status.

To file taxes as a resident alien, review the FAQ on resident alien status.

Withholdings are done directly through your employer.

If you worked on campus:
Nonresident alien tax withholdings are automatically set to Single based on IRS rules. Tax Elections in Workday cannot be changed until you become a resident alien. If you are a resident alien for tax purposes, withholding changes can be made in WorkDay.

If you worked off-campus:
Contact your employer directly.

Review the information on the following pages for specifics:
Workday: Year-End Tax Resources

ISS: Before You File: Documents to Save

Employed Off-campus:
Your employer is responsible for issuing your W-2.

  • Employers are required by federal law to issue your W-2 by 31 January.
  • If you have not received yours, contact your employer.
  • Be sure to verify that your employer has your correct e-mail and home mailing address.

Employed On-campus:

  1. Go to Workday website
  2. Click on Log in to WorkDay with your UWNetID
  3. Click on Pay
  4. Click on My tax documents
  5. Click on View/Print for current tax year
  6. Print tax form(s)

Nonresident alien employees that participated in a tax treaty for the tax year or were paid through scholarship/fellowship payments (stipend) will be issued a 1042-S tax form.

Resident aliens cannot use GTP to file. GTP will provide suggestions of other programs for you to use.

Nonresident aliens who still have grayed-out functionality should try answering yes to all questions and check if that permits you to continue. Do not try to change any of the information as you will be able to do that later in GTP. At the end of the process, it will ask if you wish to go from Glacier to Glacier Tax Prep (GTP). Click yes and you will then enter the GTP software.

If you still cannot access GTP, then use the following link to continue to GTP: Glacier Tax Prep

Please read the next FAQ: “Glacier Tax Compliance record has been terminated.”

You should be able to continue to log in, but you will not be able to change your records.

Answer yes to all of the questions to continue to Glacier Tax Prep (GTP).

If you still cannot access GTP, then use the following link to continue to GTP: Glacier Tax Prep

If you worked on campus, start the process in Glacier Tax Compliance. Glacier Tax Compliance will transfer data to GTP.

If you worked off-campus or did not work at all, set up an account through GTP.

Access both Glacier Tax Compliance and GTP links from this ISS webpage: Tax Information & Workshops

GTP tax tool will prompt you to clarify from which state(s) you worked.

Use GTP to determine if you are required to file tax forms annually.

Yes. As long as you are classified as a nonresident alien, you can use GTP.

International students at UW should use Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) to determine if they are required to file tax forms regardless of changes in visa status.

Students with employment last year:

You can initiate the process in GTP.

GTP may charge you for accessing tax reports other than the current tax year.

To complete the filing for previous years, each report must be printed and mailed in separate envelopes.

Students with no employment last year–Form 8843 only

Students in F-1 status must submit Form 8843 to the IRS every year for the first five calendar years of study in the U.S., regardless of income.

If you did not submit Form 8843 in previous years, please log in to Glacier Tax Prep (click on “Did not work on-campus” button).

After you log in to Glacier Tax Prep, you will have an option to print tax forms from previous years. Please print the 8843 for previous years and complete each form separately. You will need to mail each year’s Form 8843 in a separate envelope to the IRS. You may use the most recent 8843 as an example when completing the earlier ones.

International students must print out and mail documents to the IRS.

GTP will prompt you to complete these steps and provide the IRS’ mailing address.

GTP does not automatically e-file your tax return.

Print
  • You must physically print your return document.
  • Save a copy of your return document.
Mail
  • Place your printed return document in an envelope.
  • Address it to the IRS (address found at the end of GTP process).
  • Buy postage and mail your return to the IRS.
Wait
  • IRS processing times can be lengthy.
  • Once IRS receives your return, they will send you a receipt notice.
  • Keep waiting.

Yes. If you were in the U.S. as a student during the tax year in question, start the process in GTP to determine if you need to file.

The GTP web platform works anywhere you have internet access.

ISS advises that you complete your GTP session on a secure internet connection.

GTP will not remind you to file.

If you do not file, the IRS will not refund any overpayment.

Print
  • You must physically print your return document.
  • Save a copy of your return document.
Mail
  • Place your printed return document in an envelope.
  • Address it to the IRS (address found at the end of GTP process).
  • Take your envelope to a reliable post service and ask for a tracking number.
  • Monitor the tracking number to ensure delivery.
Wait
  • IRS processing times can be lengthy.
  • Once the IRS receives your return, they will send you a receipt notice.
  • Keep waiting.

Correct! Glacier Tax Compliance and Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) are the two systems that UW uses.

Glacier Tax Compliance (GTC) is only used by students who work for UW.

  • It is a secure, web-based application used by the UW to determine the correct taxation on wages for Foreign National employees.
  • Failure to complete Glacier Tax Compliance information and provide documents to the ISC Payroll Office may result in inaccurate tax withholding and/or loss of tax treaty benefits.
  • You should update Glacier Tax Compliance any time vital information changes. Vital information would include your immigration status, your immigration status expiration date, renewing a tax treaty each year, and entering your social security/ITIN number. A new Glacier packet needs to be sent to the ISC Payroll Office when these changes are made. You should update Glacier Tax Compliance any time your information changes.

Glacier Tax Prep (GTP) is used by ALL international students to file the correct tax documents.

  • It is a web-based system and free for you to use.
  • This system does not transmit your taxes to the IRS.
  • International students must mail their tax report and documents to the IRS. Details are provided at the end of your GTP session.

Student Employees: If you work on campus, you will use both Glacier Tax Compliance and GTP.

If you do not receive any pay/stipend funds from the UW or do not work at all, you will only use GTP.

This question is for students who worked on campus in 2020.

To access GTP through Glacier, simply log into your Glacier individual record through the ISS link “Did Work On Campus.

  1. Accept the User Agreement by clicking the button “I Accept”. This will take you to the Main Menu “What Would you Like To Do Today?”
  2. Choose the link “Complete my U.S. tax return using Glacier Tax Prep”. Glacier will ask you to verify important information.
  3. Please click Yes to continue to GTP. Information that needs to be updated can be done after accessing GTP.

Terminated Employees in Glacier Tax Compliance can still access GTP. Any updates to address information will need to be done on the GTP screen. On the “Welcome to GTP” screen you can enter GTP to complete your U.S. income tax return.

Glacier has already transferred some of your information into GTP, so you will not have to enter all of your personal information again. Please review this information carefully.

If you are considered a resident alien, you will not be able to file with GTP.

For nonresident aliens, start with GTP to verify if you should be using the GTP process.

You may also need to submit an amended tax return and may need to consult a tax professional. Please review the FAQs on the GTP website.

Nonresident aliens at UW should use GTP to file their taxes. Other tax systems do not consider international tax components and therefore calculate your taxes incorrectly.

Yes. Use your UW NetID credentials to log in through the ISS website.

GTP Access: You can still access Glacier Tax Compliance and use the GTP link as long as you remember your Glacier login and password. You will not be able to change your information in Glacier Tax Compliance.

Office Services and Resources
ISS
  • For general tax, GTP log in, and workshop session info: Tax Information & Workshops
  • Check newsletters which are emailed weekly.
  • If you have general questions and cannot locate the information, use the Contact ISS Form
ISC
SFS SFS can help you with regards to tax-related tuition information, which includes:

  • Educational tax credits
  • Deduction eligibility related to tuition and tuition fees.
  • Helping you determine if your scholarships, fellowships, grants, or tuition reductions are taxable.
  • Tax treaties

Nonresident Alien Students Federal Tax Information
For more help on these topics, please check the tax workshop’s PowerPoint Presentation here: Federal Tax Guide for Non-U.S. Residents (pdf)

UW Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (UW VITA) UW VITA offers free tax prep services to international students: UW-VITA
GTP
  • Provides how-to videos.
  • Offers step-by-step guidance during the filing process.
  • If you encounter a technical issue, contact GTP directly through their contact us link.
  • Use your NetID and password to log in to your account for access.
IRS Customer Service
  • To be routed to the best resource, make sure to specify that you are a nonresident alien for tax purposes.
  • Link to telephone service: IRS Telephone Assistance

Still need specific tax advice?
If you need tax advice, contact a tax professional specializing in international tax law. Only tax professionals are allowed to provide you with specific tax advice.