1098-T Form Policy
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The University of Pennsylvania provides the 1098-T form each year to students who have paid qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE). The 1098-T form can assist you with filing for federal education tax credits. You can find detailed information about claiming education tax credits and eligibility criteria in IRS Publication 970, page 9.
Beginning in 2018, the University is required to report in Box 1 of form 1098-T the amount of QTRE you paid during the year. Total payments reported in Box 1 cannot exceed the amount of QTRE. The amount reported in Box 1 is not reduced by scholarships and grants reported in Box 5.
We partner with our vendor, Heartland ECSI, to deliver your 1098-T form electronically within Penn.Pay.
Keep in mind that the 1098-T is an informational form and your student account statement is the most important information you can use to support a claim for a federal tax credit or deduction. Students and Authorized Users can generate their own account activity report in Penn.Pay. For tax purposes, print your payment history activity from January 1 to December 31.
The University of Pennsylvania is required to provide a 1098-T form to any student that was enrolled and had qualified tuition and related expenses during the previous calendar year.
Here are the most common reasons why a 1098-T form may not be generated or received:
- If you received scholarships and/or grants greater than the value of tuition and fees or if tuition and fees were entirely waived.
- If you are classified as a Non Resident Alien on the University of Pennsylvania student record database.
- If you didn’t provide us with your Social Security Number (SSN). If you provide your SSN to the Registrar's Office or send in a W-9S Form we can send a 1098-T form to you.
Qualified Tuition & Related Expenses
- Tuition
- General fee
- Technology fee
- Program fees
- Lab fees
- Online Course fees
Unqualified expenses
- Rent
- Dining
- Bookstore purchases
- Late fees
- Student Health Insurance
- Health Care Assessment fees
- Telephone Service fees
Amounts reported as payments include personal payments, loans, and scholarships/grants received during the calendar year for QTRE less any refunds issued due to over-payments on the account. Total payments reported in Box 1 cannot exceed the amount of applicable QTRE.
If you are classified as a Non-Resident Alien as defined by the IRS and are coded as such in the University of Pennsylvania student records system, you will not be sent a 1098-T form. Please contact the IRS or a personal tax preparer for assistance.
Students who have graduated may obtain copies of their 1098-T forms online from our vendor, Heartland ECSI, at https://heartland.ecsi.net/. You may access 1098-T forms from prior years as well.
Some students may have incorrect SSN or taxpayer identification information on file if they either did not know or did not have accurate taxpayer identification information at the time they applied to the University. Please contact the Registrar’s Office for assistance. You will be asked to produce a copy of your social security card as verification or fill out a W-9S form with corrected information.
Send an email to Student Accounts at stuaccts@pobox.upenn.edu.
