The Educational Opportunity Tax Credit and Education Abroad

Education Abroad Programs encourages students to refer to their My Missouri State accounts for billing records concerning education abroad. Some general information about the IRS tax form 1098-T is provided below:

Does my Form 1098-T tell me everything I need to know for tax purposes?

IRS Publication 970 defines qualified tuition and required fees as “tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible postsecondary educational institution, but not including personal, living, or family expenses, such as room and board.” Other examples of qualified and nonqualified expenses not reported on your Form 1098-T may include class fees for education abroad classes, off-campus housing expenses, and other fees you paid directly to your academic department or college rather than to Missouri State University.

Amounts for student health fees, transportation fees, insurance fees, and room and board are excluded from amounts reported on the Form 1098-T.You should rely on your own financial records and receipts to document those expenses. For further information on "qualified" education expenses, please review IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

Does my education abroad program provider issue 1098-T forms to students for tax purposes?

Some program providers have the capability to provide Forms 1098-T for individual students. Students who would like a copy of their current account statements from their program providers should contact the program provider's Billing Coordinator to request a zero-balance account statement. If your program provider is not able to provide 1098-T forms, however, you can request a document detailing payments made to the provider, including the estimated tuition included in your program fee.

I participated on a Faculty-Directed Program through Missouri State. Where can I expect to see the tuition from this program reported?

The tuition charges should be reflected on your Form 1098-T. However, if the charges are not reflected on your Form 1098-T, please refer to your My Missouri State account for specific tuition billing records related to your Faculty-Directed Program.

If I was an exchange student in another country paying tuition fees to Missouri State, how is this tuition reported on the Form 1098-T?

Missouri State University’s Financial Services Office can issue a Form 1098-T for tuition expenses related to an exchange program, where students are charged the equivalent of Missouri State University in-state tuition on 15 credit hours. Please check with the Financial Services Office to determine if tuition expenses from an exchange program have been added to your Form 1098-T. The Education Abroad Programs Office cannot provide tax advice regarding the reporting of expenses related to your education abroad program. Please consult your tax professional for further information.