What tax support does the International Offices provide?
The International Offices offers the Caltech and JPL community access to Sprintax, a web-based program for nonresidents for tax purposes. The International Offices provide you with:
- Free Sprintax access code to prepare your nonresident U.S. federal income tax return - Form 1040NR - and all other necessary statements.
- Discount Sprintax discount code to prepare your nonresident state income tax return.
For help with Sprintax, you can use their 24/7 Live Chat or email [email protected].
This will be available by February 2026.
Caltech and JPL international students and scholars may request their individual Sprintax codes in two ways:
- Log into access.caltech and click on Sprintax Tax Prep in the "Self Service" section. VPN is needed from off campus.- or -
- Request it through the Sprintax Code Request Form.
This will be available by February 2026.
Caltech and JPL students, faculty, postdocs, and staff who were nonresidents for tax purposes in 2025 can use Sprintax. Sprintax cannot assist U.S citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and other U.S. residents for tax purposes. We have a limited number of Sprintax access codes available for the Caltech and JPL community.
This will be available by February 2026.
Enter the Sprintax website, create an account, and prepare your nonresident U.S. federal income tax return. See Sprintax Instructions 2025. Use your unique Sprintax Federal access code at checkout to waive the fee for your U.S. federal income tax return. Sprintax will instruct you if you are eligible to file your Federal tax return electronically. If not, your Federal tax return will need to be printed and submitted by mail. Do not share your unique Sprintax access code with anyone.
Sprintax Filing Tip:
- Select "College or University/Educational Institution" in the employer drop-down menu.
This will be available by February 2026.
Once you have completed preparing your nonresident U.S. federal tax return and used your free access code at checkout, you will be prompted to decide whether or not to prepare your nonresident state tax return with Sprintax. The Caltech International Offices offers a small discount for the state tax return, but you will still need to pay a fee, if you choose to use Sprintax. Completed California nonresident tax returns will need to be printed and submitted by mail. Do not share your unique Sprintax discount code with anyone.
Sprintax Filing Tip:
- Select "College or University/Educational Institution" in the employer drop-down menu.
Sprintax provides free educational tax webinars. Topics include who must file, tax residency, FICA, State returns, implications of misfiling as well as how to use Sprintax to prepare a compliant tax return.
- December 9, 2025 | 9 AM Pacific – Register here
- January 20, 2026 | 7 AM Pacific – Register here
- January 28, 2026 | 9 AM Pacific – Register here
- February 5, 2026 | 10 AM Pacific – Register here
- February 10, 2026 | 4 PM Pacific – Register here
- February 18, 2026 | 12 PM Pacific – Register here
- February 24, 2026 | 7 AM Pacific – Register here
- March 5, 2026 | 9 AM Pacific – Register here
- March 11, 2026 | 10 AM Pacific– Register here
- March 16, 2026 | 11 AM Pacific – Register here
- March 27, 2026 | 9 AM Pacific – Register here
- April 1, 2026 | 10 AM Pacific – Register here
- April 7, 2026 | 5 AM Pacific – Register here
- April 14, 2026 | 11 AM Pacific – Register here
In these tax webinars, OPT/CPT participants will be run through preparing for their employment from a tax perspective. Topics covered will include residency for tax purposes, tax liabilities when on OPT/CPT and pre-employment tax forms when on OPT/CPT. The Sprintax team will also provide an overview of Sprintax Forms which can be used to prepare your pre-OPT/CPT employment tax documents.
- December 1, 2025 | 10 AM Pacific – Register here
- January 8, 2026 | 11 AM Pacific – Register here
Nonresidents for tax purposes cannot use Turboxtax. Watch this short video jointly prepared by Sprintax and Turbotax.
Important Information:
Sprintax is provided to you for your convenience. You are not required to use Sprintax to prepare either your U.S. federal income tax return or your state income tax return. Caltech does not provide tax advice and therefore disclaims all liability from the misinterpretation or misuse of Sprintax.