International Students

International Students should already be familiar with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office, which is a crucial resource. This page offers road maps, tips, and guidance to international students transitioning into the American academic system and navigating life as Ph.D. students at the University of Minnesota. It covers essential topics such as applying for a Social Security Number (SSN), reporting taxes, applying for scholarships, and finding housing. Many of these tasks, especially tax-related ones, can feel complicated and disorienting at first. This page aims to make the process clearer and more manageable.

SSN

What is a SSN?

According to the ISSS website, “a Social Security Number (SSN) is a permanent nine-digit identification number/card issued by the United States Government. It is used primarily for taxing income in order to provide retirement and medical benefits. For tax purposes, anyone receiving income must provide a Social Security number to their U.S. employer.” In other words, you will need a SSN when reporting taxes in April for the previous year's income. You will also need this when applying for credit cards or a driver’s license. If you are eligible for an SSN, it is important to be prepared to apply for one as soon as you arrive in the U.S.

Who is eligible for a Social Security Number?

• F-1 Students must have a job offer to apply for a SSN. (This means that if you receive a fellowship from the department, you are not eligible for an SSN, as scholarships and fellowships are not forms of employment.)

• F-2 Dependents may not work in the U.S., and they, therefore, do not qualify for a SSN. The Social Security Administration will not accept their applications.

• J-1 Students must have a social security authorization letter from the issuing authority on item 2 of their DS-2019 (see below).

• J-1 Scholars (Research Scholars, Short Term Scholars, Professors) are automatically eligible for a SSN.

• J-2 Dependents may apply for a SSN only if they secure work permission (and get an Employment Authorization Document) through USCIS. Instructions for obtaining J-2 work permission are found here. Contact a J advisor, if you have questions.

When should I apply?

Every year in the last week of August, ISSS organizes an “On-Campus Social Security Number Application Appointments” event, which allows students to apply for a SSN on-campus, without having to visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) office on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis. Students are highly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity, since  otherwise, you will need to visit the SSA, which may not be the safest location to access on foot or by public transportation. In order to use this service, you need to arrive in the U.S. at least one week before the employment start date. This is because it takes time for students to complete the requirements to apply for a SSN, and for ISSS to process the necessary updates to their record. These tasks include: 

1. Completing the full list of New Global Gopher Required Tasks in MyISSS

2. Registering full-time for the first semester

3. Entering a valid U.S. mailing address in MyU

Appointments will be required to attend this event. ISSS will send out an email about this event to eligible international students in late July or early August. Check your inbox regularly for the sign-up link or visit the ISSS office to make an appointment.

For more information about SSNs, please visit here.

TAXES

The Federal and State governments charge a tax on income, that is, they require that some portion of individuals' income be given to the government. Tax dollars are used to pay for state and local services such as building and maintaining roads and supporting public education, and the federal government, including everything from the National Endowment for the Arts to the U.S. Military. To facilitate paying taxes, employers deduct taxes from their employees' paychecks. Every year, by April 15th, citizens are required to file a tax report with the state and federal government in which they calculate how much tax they have already paid and how much more tax (if any) they owe. This applies to all income, including scholarships and fellowships. It is important to file your taxes annually, as failure to do so may result in penalties, interest, or legal action. To prepare your tax return, you will need a SSN. If you are not eligible for a SSN you will need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead.

Below are instructions for filing your taxes with ITIN or with SSN. Please read the section that applies to your situation.

1. Filing tax with ITIN:

A. What is ITIN? 

If you are not eligible for a SSN, that means that you are most likely on a fellowship. To report your tax, you will need to apply for an ITIN, which is a number specifically available for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses, and dependents who cannot get a SSN. Unlike a SSN, ITIN cannot be used for applying for credit cards or a driver's license. 

B. When do I apply for ITIN? 

You can apply for an ITIN when filing your taxes. This means that you have to submit your tax return with the ITIN application, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which administers U.S. federal tax law, will process both. 

C. How do I apply for ITIN?

There is a Nonresident Tax Help Group on campus that helps non-resident students (international students) file their taxes. (For more information, please visit their website). Send an email to Maria Clarke (itin@nrtaxhelp.org) saying that you want to apply for an ITIN and file your tax return at the same time. She will ask you a few questions whether you are eligible for ITIN. The questions may include: 

• Does the fellowship provide a stipend for living expenses as well as pay for your tuition?

• What type of visa do you have–F1 or J1? 

• Have you ever been to the U.S. on an F or J visa before?  If so, when and what type of visa did you have?  For this test, lifetime visits on an F or J visa count, even if you were a child here on an F-2 visa with your parents. [For this question, use the I-94 website to get your travel history for the past 10 years]

• What country are you a citizen of / have a passport with?  

• Did you live in that country prior to coming to the U.S.?  If not, where were you living, and for how long? 

Once you have answered these questions, Maria will confirm that you are qualified to get an ITIN. 

D. To file your taxes, you will need to collect your income documents. You should have received Form 1042-S. This form is typically sent by paper mail by the end of March or early April. You cannot prepare your tax return until you receive this document.

• If you have not received Form 1042-S, please email ohr@umn.edu to confirm whether you should be receiving one and to request a copy.

E. After receiving your document, request a free NRVTAP membership by going to their website or via this link. NRVTAP membership gives you access to free tax software, helpful tools and guides, email support, and one-on-one appointments with IRS-trained and certified tax volunteers. Once you sign up and complete a brief survey about your tax status, you’ll receive a detailed, customized guide that walks you through how to use the tax software step by step. 

If you need assistance at any point, you can schedule an appointment with a trained NRVTAP volunteer.

F. Make an appointment for your new ITIN application for a date/time that will be after your tax return is prepared. The schedule is posted here for available dates/times.

G. Request your DSO letter from the UofM ISSS group. This letter verifies that you are not eligible for employment and a SSN.  Here's a link to the ISSS website on ITINs, and the request for the letter is in step 2.  

H. Prepare your tax return (with help, as needed).

I. Go to your ITIN appointment with your completed tax return, passport, etc. and the Help Group will prepare your ITIN application. They will submit your tax return as a part of the application, so you must bring the full return and any supporting documents, and you will need to sign it either before or during the appointment.  The appointment does not include time to prepare your tax return, though they'll do a quick review when they do your application.  The documents you'll need to bring are:

• Your original passport (make sure it has your student visa page in it)

• Your tax return forms

• Your income documents (1042-S form)

• A copy of your I-20 or DS-2019 documents

• The ORIGINAL DSO letter (not a copy or electronic version).  

Having trouble? If you have any other questions about taxes, please visit NonResident Tax Help Group website or email Maria Clarke (itin@nrtaxhelp.org).  

2. Filing tax with a SSN:

A. Gather your income documents to file your taxes. You should have received one of the following:

• Form 1042-S if you received a fellowship

• Form W-2 if you were employed

These documents are typically sent by paper mail by late March or early April.

• 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. If you have not received Form 1042-S, please email ohr@umn.edu to confirm whether you should be receiving one and to request a copy.

              2. If you have not received your W-2, log in to myu.umn.edu, click on “My Pay”, and scroll down to “View W-2/W-2C Forms” to access and download your form.
                 Please note: You won’t be able to prepare your tax return until you receive your 1042-S or/and W-2 form.

B. Upon receiving the appropriate document(s), request a free NRVTAP membership by going  to their website or direct link. 

NRVTAP membership gives you access to free tax software, helpful tools and guides, email support, and one-on-one appointments with IRS-trained and certified tax volunteers. Once you sign up and complete a brief survey about your tax status, you’ll receive a detailed, customized guide that walks you through how to use the tax software step by step. You can file your tax return directly through the free software provided by NRVTAP.

Having trouble? If you have any other questions about taxes, please visit the NonResident Tax Help Group website or email Maria Clarke (itin@nrtaxhelp.org).  

FUNDING
There are a few scholarships, external and internal of UMN, that provide grants exclusively to international students. For other scholarship opportunities, please visit the “Funding and Financial Help” tab on the department’s intranet. If you find other funding sources that support international students, please contact our department’s Graduate Coordinator or DGS so that we can add them to our scholarship list and expand our database. 

External Scholarship

P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship provides scholarships ($12,500 max) to international women pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. In order to apply for this, you need to have a full year of formal coursework remaining and be enrolled and in residence in the U.S. for the entire school year. 

The application form asks you to fill out 10 sections which include personal history, educational resume, employment resume, educational goals, community service, etc. While not stated on the website, the application form asks you to submit two letters of recommendation. 

P.E.O.’s policy states that: “An applicant will be required to complete and sign a document promising to return to her home country or to a location outside the U.S. or Canada, depending on her visa status, upon completion of her degree program(s) or Optional Practical Training (OPT).” The requirement to "return" is vague and does not specify how long the recipient is expected to stay in their home country, but according to a P.E.O. representative, the requirement does not mean establishing a permanent residence. It could simply be a temporary visit.

Internal Scholarship

Colonial Dames of America Scholarship is available for current UMN graduate and professional degree-seeking F-1 and J-1 students who plan to further their careers and make impacts in their home country. Priority will be given to students with financial need near the end of their degree program. The selected students will be named the Colonial Dames of America - Minnesota Scholars for the academic year and receive $7,000.

HOUSING

There are a lot of housing options near the University of Minnesota. To start, we recommend considering Como Student Community Coop (CSCC) or Commonwealth Terrace Cooperative Student Housing (CTC), which are student community cooperatives for graduate students of UMN. Since most of the residents are graduate students, these communities can provide a great opportunity to socialize and build connections. (One of our students had a neighbor who was also a grad student in CLA. They ran into each other in the corridor and had a short talk, in which the neighbor strongly urged the art history student to take his advisor’s class as their research interests overlapped. The art history student followed his advice, and that class ended up shaping their dissertation topic). These housing communities are very popular for being close to campus and offering affordable rent. It is quite difficult to get in, especially during the summer when new students are arriving for the new academic year.  We highly recommend that you visit their website and ask to be put on the waiting list for  CSCC or CTC as soon as you receive your offer of admission. A number of residents move out between June and August, so the earlier you join the waiting list, the higher your chances of securing a spot. You may also visit the UMN Off Campus Housing Facebook page, where you sometimes can find posts looking for roommates at CSCC or CTC. 

Below is general information and key features (some not even stated on their website) of CSCC and CTC:

CSCC 

• Located between Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, making it easy to commute to either campus.

  • Accessible by bus (Route 3), with a one-way trip to either campus taking about 10–15 minutes. Buses run every 10–15 minutes.

  • Rent includes utilities (electricity, water), internet, and maintenance fees.

  • Applicants need to fill out an application, pay a $50 fee, and join a waiting list.

  • The lease is month-to-month, allowing tenants to move out without penalties by providing 60 days’ notice.

  • Flats are located on the ground floor, while townhouses are on the 2nd and 3rd floors, with 4–6 households per building.

  • Garden flats are partially underground, with windows just 10 cm (3.9 inches) above ground level. 

  • Indoor floor is carpeted, except for the kitchen.

  • The ceilings on the first floor are not well insulated, so you may hear sounds like cabinets closing from above. If you are sensitive to noise, opt for a second-story apartment.

  • Air conditioning units are individually installed and can only be used during designated months (roughly May to October) for an additional usage fee around $40. 

  • Each building has a shared laundry room located at the center of the building.

  • Laundry rooms require a separate key for access. Washing costs approximately $1.50, and drying costs around $1.20.

  • There is a storage space within the unit, in which you can store seasonal items (e.g., air conditioner, suitcases, sports equipment, etc.).

  • Each unit has designated storage space for bicycles, strollers, and children’s toys (e.g., bikes, toy cars, kickboards, sleds), which must be tagged with your apartment number.

  • Playgrounds are easily accessible from each building, and there are various events for residents and their children.

  • Residents can apply for and use personal garden plots from May to September.

  • Maintenance issues can be reported online, and they are addressed very promptly.

  • Residents are responsible for cleaning the hallways and surrounding areas on a rotating basis. Hallway cleaning occurs once every six weeks, and there are two major cleaning events annually (spring and fall) that residents must participate in.

  • Fitness and game rooms are available.

  • A daycare center is located in the management building. Although the waiting list is long, residents are prioritized. Full-time daycare (5 days/week) is available for toddlers up to 33 months old.

CTC 

• During summer and winter breaks, the campus shuttle operates on a reduced schedule (semester: 7 am - 12:15 am; break: 7 am - 6 pm).

• Only outdoor parking is available.

• A one-time membership fee is required.

• Membership is optional, but non-members will need to pay an additional amount of rent. Non-members have other obligations, such as laundry room cleaning (once every 2-3 months).

• The application fee is approximately $50 

• All residents are required to attend an annual resident meeting.

• There are various programs and classes you can attend, including yoga, cooking, ESL, sewing workshops, and children’s activity programs.

• A free campus shuttle bus (Connector) runs between the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses (with intervals of about 5 minutes during the semester and 15 minutes during breaks). Minneapolis campus is accessible by shuttle, while St. Paul campus is within walking distance.

• Rent includes internet, gas, electricity, water, and heating. For internet, you must visit Xfinity in person to collect a modem.

• Residents need to provide their own air conditioners. Once installed, they must pay for usage from the installation date until removal. 

• Shared laundry rooms are available in each ward and operate with a rechargeable laundry card.

• A childcare facility (Day Care) is available within the CTC complex. Here is their website.

• Most ground-floor units are semi-basement but still offer ample natural light.

• CTC has a designated spot for Evie Carshare in its parking lot. This allows you to borrow a car from here and return it either to the same spot or to another location designated by Evie.

More Information on Housing for International Students

ISSS page on International Student Housing

Information on other housing options, the relocation assistance program, and finding a roommate, can be found on the “Well Being” tab under the “Housing” section.