International students usually get smaller refunds than U.S. citizens, or none at all

Your refund depends on your visa status, how long you worked, and whether you had taxes withheld from your paychecks. Most international students on F-1 or J-1 visas who worked on campus or had a job with a work permit will owe little or no federal tax, so refunds are small. Some get nothing back. A few get modest refunds of a few hundred dollars if their employer withheld too much.

The IRS treats international students differently from U.S. citizens. You cannot claim the standard deduction that reduces taxable income for most Americans. Instead, you report only the income you actually earned, and your tax is calculated on that full amount. This means even if you worked part-time, you may have owed tax on every dollar—and if your employer withheld nothing, you might owe money instead of getting a refund.

State refunds work the same way: smaller or nonexistent. Some states do not tax residents who are not U.S. citizens. Others tax you on income earned in that state, but without the standard deduction, your refund shrinks. A few states have reciprocal agreements with your home country that affect your tax bill.

Key Takeaways

  • International students cannot claim the standard deduction, so refunds are typically much smaller than for U.S. citizens earning the same income.
  • On-campus work-study jobs and CPT (Curricular Practical Training) positions often withhold little or no tax, meaning you may owe money rather than receive a refund.
  • Your refund amount depends on your visa type, total income for the year, and how much tax your employer withheld from each paycheck.
  • You must file Form 1040-NR (nonresident alien return) instead of the standard 1040, and some states do not tax nonresident income at all.

Why international students get smaller refunds

The U.S. tax code treats nonresident aliens—the IRS category for most international students—differently from citizens and permanent residents. Citizens can subtract the standard deduction (which was $13,850 for single filers in 2023) before calculating tax. Nonresident aliens cannot. This means your taxable income is higher, your tax bill is higher, and your refund is lower or zero.

Example: A U.S. citizen who earned $15,000 in 2023 would subtract $13,850 and pay tax on only $2,150. An international student who earned the same $15,000 pays tax on the full $15,000. Even if both had identical withholding, the student's refund would be smaller because more of the income was taxed.

On-campus employment adds another layer. Many universities do not withhold federal income tax from student paychecks, treating the work as part of your education rather than taxable employment. If no tax was withheld and you owed tax on that income, you will not get a refund—you will owe money when you file.

How your visa status affects your refund

F-1 students are nonresident aliens for tax purposes in their first two years, even if they live in the U.S. full-time. After that, the rules change based on how long you have been in the country. You file Form 1040-NR and cannot claim the standard deduction. On-campus work-study is usually not taxed, but off-campus work (with authorization) is.

J-1 exchange students have similar rules but may be subject to tax treaties between the U.S. and your home country. Some countries have agreements that exempt certain types of income or allow a reduced tax rate. You will need to check whether your country has a treaty and file Form 8833 to claim the benefit.

H-1B visa holders and other work visa categories are treated as resident aliens for tax purposes after a certain point and can claim the standard deduction. Your refund calculation changes once you cross that threshold. Check your I-94 or visa documentation to confirm your status.

Students with a green card or U.S. citizenship file as residents or citizens and can claim the standard deduction, so refunds work the same way as for any other American.

Calculating your refund as an international student

Your refund is the difference between the tax you owed and the tax your employer withheld. To estimate it, you need three numbers: your total income for the year, your tax liability (calculated without the standard deduction), and your total withholding.

If you earned $12,000 on-campus and $8,000 off-campus, your total income is $20,000. Your employer withheld $1,500 total. Using the 2023 tax tables for nonresident aliens, your tax on $20,000 is roughly $2,200. You withheld $1,500, so you owe $700—no refund. You would need to pay when you file.

If instead your employer withheld $2,500, your tax is still $2,200, so you would get a $300 refund. The exact amount depends on your filing status, whether you have dependents, and whether you earned any investment income or scholarships.

Use the IRS tax tables for Form 1040-NR filers (available on irs.gov) or use tax software that handles nonresident returns. TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxAct all have nonresident alien versions. Some are free if your income is below a threshold; others charge a fee.

State tax refunds for international students

State refunds vary widely. Some states—including Texas, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming—have no income tax at all, so you will not get a state refund no matter what. Others tax nonresident income earned within the state at the same rate as residents.

California, New York, and Illinois tax nonresident income but may allow you to claim a partial standard deduction or have reciprocal agreements with your home country. For example, India and Canada have tax treaties with the U.S. that can reduce your state tax bill. You will need to file a state return in any state where you earned income, even if you do not live there.

Some states allow you to claim a credit for taxes paid to another state or country, which can reduce your refund or increase what you owe. Check your state's tax website or ask your university's international student office which states apply to you.

What to do if you expect no refund or owe money

If your calculation shows you owe money, you must still file your return by the deadline (usually April 15). You can pay in full when you file, or set up a payment plan with the IRS if you cannot pay all at once. The IRS charges interest and penalties on unpaid tax, so paying as soon as you can is important.

If you expect no refund, you are not required to file a federal return—but you should file anyway if you had any tax withheld. Filing gets you a refund of that withholding. You also may need to file to maintain your visa status or to show income history if you plan to stay in the U.S. after graduation.

If you are leaving the U.S. after graduation, file your return before you go. If you leave without filing and had tax withheld, you can file from your home country, but it is more complicated. The IRS will hold your refund if you do not have a U.S. address, so provide a mailing address or use an address of a friend or family member in the U.S.

Documents you need to file

Gather your W-2 forms from each employer (you should receive these by January 31). If you had any 1099 income (freelance work, tutoring, or other self-employment), collect those too. You will also need your ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) if you do not have a Social Security number. Apply for an ITIN on Form W-7 if you do not have one.

Bring your passport, visa, and I-94 arrival/departure record to confirm your nonresident status and the dates you were in the U.S. If you have a tax treaty benefit to claim, gather documentation of your home country citizenship and the treaty form (usually Form 8833).

If you paid state or local taxes, keep receipts or statements. If you had any deductible expenses (education costs, student loan interest, or moving expenses related to work), gather those records too, though nonresident aliens have fewer deductions available than residents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I did not work and only received a scholarship?

Scholarships used for tuition, fees, books, and equipment are not taxed. Scholarships used for room and board are taxed as income. If your scholarship was only for tuition and you had no other income, you owe no tax and will not get a refund. If part of it was for living expenses, you may owe tax on that portion.

What if I worked in two different states?

You must file a return in each state where you earned income. Your federal refund is based on your total U.S. income. Each state calculates its own tax separately. Some states give you a credit for taxes paid to other states, which can increase your total refund or reduce what you owe.

Do I have to file if I only worked on campus and earned under $5,000?

You are not required to file if you had no tax withheld and owe no tax. However, if your employer withheld any amount, you should file to get that money back. Filing also helps you maintain records of your U.S. income if you plan to work here again or stay after graduation.

Will my refund be smaller if I am married or have dependents?

Nonresident aliens cannot claim dependents or file as married filing jointly. You must file as single or, in rare cases, as head of household. Your filing status does not change your refund calculation the way it does for residents and citizens.

Can I file my return from my home country after I leave?

Yes, but it is more difficult. File before you leave if possible. If you leave without filing and had tax withheld, you can file from abroad using Form 1040-NR and mail it to the IRS. Provide a foreign address or a U.S. address where the IRS can send your refund. Processing takes longer, and you may need to provide additional documentation to prove your identity.