To all recipients of scholarships and grants in 2023:

If you receive scholarship and grant aid that totals more than the cost of tuition, fees, and books in the calendar year 2023, you may have taxable financial aid that should be included in your U.S. income tax return. In some cases, this may also be included in state and city income tax returns. We may assist you with a dean’s discretionary grant for taxes attributable to your scholarship and grant aid from college, federal, and state sources. 

To complete the refund and payment process for your tax liability, you need to follow three steps:

  1. Calculate the amount of taxable scholarship or grant aid you received in 2023 using the Worksheet for Calculating Taxable Scholarship or Grants. It's important to note that you should not rely on Form 1098-T for this calculation.

  2. Submit a copy of your completed Worksheet for Calculating Taxable Scholarship or Grants, along with your 2023 federal and state tax returns (if applicable) and any 2023 W-2(s) reflected in your tax returns, to the Office of Financial Aid.

  3. Once you receive the refund for your tax liability, follow the specific instructions provided for each jurisdiction to make the required tax payments.

The deadline for submission of documentation is the last day of the spring classes, May 7th.

To avoid potential delays in processing and the inconvenience of amending your tax return, please, check the following list of common errors before submitting your documentation:

  • Misreporting the taxable scholarship using the 1098-T form - The information used in preparing Form 1098-T, related to tuition tax credits, is for billed tuition and scholarship and grant aid applied to your student account during the calendar year 2023. 
  • Reporting the taxable scholarship figure on the wrong line of the tax return - Amherst College doesn’t report taxable scholarship amounts on Form W-2, so please include any taxable amount on Schedule 1, line 8r: Scholarship and fellowship grants not reported on Form W-2.
  • Omitting outside scholarships or grant aid in calculating the taxable portion of scholarship - You must consider any scholarship or grant aid you receive from outside sources relating to the 2023 calendar year, regardless of the amount.

Federal Tax Returns

If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, whether you must file a federal income tax return depends on your gross income, your filing status, your age, and whether you are a dependent. Common filing statuses for Amherst College students are listed below in order of relevance considering the likely filing status of our student body; however, you should refer to the Internal Revenue Service website for the full listing of filing statuses. For 2023, you must file if your gross income was at least:

  • Single student, who can be claimed as a dependent:
    • Unearned income was over $1,250, or
    • Earned income, including wages and taxable scholarships, was over $13,850, or
    • Gross income was more than the larger of $1,250 or your earned income (up to $13,450) plus $400
  • Single student, who can't be claimed as a dependent: $13,850
  • Married student, filing jointly with spouse: $27,700
  • Married student, filing separately from spouse: $5

You may find IRS publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education, useful for further information. Forms, instructions and publications are available from the IRS Web site, or by calling 800-829-3676. The IRS also has a toll-free number, 800-829-1040, to provide help in completing tax returns.

Massachusetts State Tax Returns 

If you are a Massachusetts resident and your gross income from all sources exceeds $8,000, you must file a Massachusetts tax return. Non-residents only need to file if their "Massachusetts source income" exceeds either $8,000 or their Massachusetts prorated personal exemption, whichever is less.

Residency for tax purposes in Massachusetts is determined by whether you are a Full-Year Resident, Nonresident, or Part-Year Resident. Full-year residents have their legal residence in Massachusetts or spend more than 183 days in Massachusetts. Nonresidents who earn income in the state and Part-Year Residents who move in or out of the state must file a Massachusetts Nonresident/Part-Year Resident Income Tax Return, Form 1-NR/PY. Legal residence or “domicile” in Massachusetts requires both a physical residence in Massachusetts and an intention to make Massachusetts one’s home permanently or for an indefinite period.

For most taxpayers, the deadline to file their federal tax return and pay any tax owed, (or request an extension) is Monday, April 15, 2024. Taxpayers living in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17, 2024. Tax underpayment penalties may apply if you don't pay enough estimated tax on your income or pay it late. Penalties are only refunded if they result from a taxable scholarship.

Additional details for international students:

Tax Filing Information for International Students

FNIS Instructions