IRS Form 1098-T Tax Benefits

Access 1098-T forms via the TAB Services website

If you are a US resident for tax purposes, you may be eligible to claim a tax credit or deduction on your federal tax return if you paid qualified educational expenses to the University of California. The American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Tuition and Fees Deduction allow taxpayers to reduce their federal income tax based upon qualified tuition and fees paid, assuming the taxpayer meets eligibility requirements.

The determination as to whether you qualify for these benefits should be made in consultation with your personal tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service.

The University of California cannot give you tax advice or make a determination as to whether you qualify for these tax benefits.

General Information about the 1098-T Form

The 1098-T form is used by eligible educational institutions to report information about their US resident students to the IRS as required by law. As an eligible educational institution, UC Berkeley reports certain financial and identifying information regarding US resident students for which UC Berkeley has received payments of "qualified education expenses" for the corresponding tax year. Included in the 1098-T form are qualified charges that were paid and financial assistance received for the corresponding tax year. Loans are excluded and not reported on the 1098-T form.

The 1098-T form is not intended to be used for determining any taxable income you may have received from scholarship or fellowship payments. The university does not report scholarship or fellowship income to you or to the IRS. Please use Worksheet 1-1 in IRS Publication 970 (Tax Benefits for Education) to figure the amount of a scholarship or fellowship grant you can exclude from gross income.

To simplify reporting and to promote the best customer service for students and their families, the University of California contracts with TAB Services to provide the 1098-T form.

For more information, please visit the TAB Services website or call TAB Services Customer Support toll-free at (888) 220 2540.

SSN/ITIN Solicitation

All US citizens, resident aliens, and nonresident aliens who intend to or who will file a US income tax return for the purpose of receiving an educational tax credit need to provide their SSN/ITIN to the university. To verify your eligibility for education tax credits, UC Berkeley is required by federal law to report your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and other pertinent information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Form 1098-T.

The IRS requires, in section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code, that we request you to provide your SSN/ITIN. Without a valid SSN or ITIN, UC Berkeley may not report the educational expenses paid by you in this tax year, and your ability to claim an eligible tax credit may be delayed.

If you are not required by the IRS to have an ITIN and complete an income tax return, you are not required to provide the information.

International students who are nonresidents for tax purposes are ineligible for the education tax credit and may disregard the solicitation. Please refer to the Nonresident vs. Resident for Tax Purposes page for more information.

Your SSN/ITIN must be on file with the university prior to December 31 in order to have it reported on your form for that tax year.

Instructions for Verifying the Information the University has on Record for You

  • Clear your Cache before logging in to CalCentral
  • Log in to CalCentral
  • Click on your student profile picture at the top right of the page
  • Click on the 'Try the New Profile' link
  • Review the SSN/ITIN information on the Personal Details page
    • Please note only the last four digits will be displayed for security purposes

If No SSN/ITIN Information is Available

If no SSN/ITIN information is available, you can update the information through your CalCentral profile:

  • Click the 'Update My SSN' button to add your SSN/ITIN to your profile
    • Enter your SSN/ITIN carefully
    • Once the information is saved, you will not be able to make additional edits through CalCentral
  • Click the 'Update' button to save the information

If the SSN/ITIN on Your CalCentral Profile is Incorrect

If the SSN/ITIN on your CalCentral profile is incorrect, or if you are no longer an active UC Berkeley student, you may not have the option to update the information online:

  • Please complete the Request for Social Security or Taxpayer ID Number form
    • For security reasons, do not email your SSN/ITIN
  • Return the completed form along with a copy of your Social Security Card by one of the following methods:
    • By Mail:
      • Academic Records – Office of the Registrar
        University of California
        124 Sproul Hall
        Berkeley, CA 94720-5404
    • In Person:

      • Cal Student Central
        120 Sproul Hall
        Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (closed Wednesdays)

    • Via Fax:
      • 510 643 9819

Email Notification that your 1098-T Form is Available Online

By January 31, you will receive an email notification from UC Berkeley indicating your 1098-T form is available online via the TAB Services website.

Accessing your 1098-T Form Online

Students may access their 1098-T form online via the TAB Services website.

You will need the following information to login:

  • Site ID (11554)
  • Username (Student ID)
  • Password (initial password is last 4 numbers of your SSN)

If you have any difficulty logging in to the TAB Services website, please contact TAB Services toll free directly at (888) 220 2540.

Once you have logged in successfully, select the tax year from the drop down menu box. You may search for your 1098-T form for the current tax year as well as the previous two tax years. After you have retrieved your 1098-T form online, you may print your form to be used with your tax preparation and filing.

Resources

Understanding your IRS Form 1098-T

Form 1098-T Tax Benefits Frequently Asked Questions