W-2 Information for Graduate Students
Graduate students enrolled in full-time academic programs may receive payments that must be reported to the Social Security Administration on a W-2 form.
According to U.S. Treasury Regulations, Yale’s Payroll Office is required to report payments to students who are teaching, performing sponsored research, or acting as project assistants. The University withholds a portion of the projected taxes the student will owe and reports the amounts paid and withheld on a Form W-2. Students may be required to file tax returns on which they declare not only this kind of income but also any taxable stipends they have received during the calendar year. By law, taxes may be required to be withheld from Graduate fellowship payments made to international students. Students who are US citizens for tax purposes do not have any withholding on their fellowship stipends which are generally for tuition, nor are these amounts reported to the Social Security Administration. However, all stipends and fellowships are considered by the IRS to be taxable income, to the extent that they exceed the cost of books, fees, equipment and supplies required of all students in a course of instruction.
Students may access their Form W-2 via the new Web W-2 application. Students may view the information or print the Form W-2 from this web site. If you have questions about the form or its content please contact the Graduate School Financial Aid Office in room 127 HGS (203.432.2739; or gradfinaid@yale.edu). If additional assistance is required, employee.services@yale.edu may be contacted as well.
International students may also receive a Form 1042S that will report fellowship stipends and other payments exempt under a tax treaty. International students should wait until they have both Forms W-2 and 1042S before filing their tax returns. Forms 1042S can now be viewed and printed from the portal. Access to this information will be on or before March 16, 2017. A paper form will be processed and sent via US mail on or before March 16, 2017.
The Office of International Students and Scholars website contains information specifically pertaining to international students. This office also sponsors a tax workshop in the spring that many students find helpful.
The staff of the Graduate School Financial Aid Office will be glad to answer any questions. The phone number is 203.432.2739; or you may email gradfinaid@yale.edu.