Who receives a Form 1098-T?

Form 1098-T is an informational tax document prepared by colleges and universities to report payments of qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE), as well as scholarships and grants paid out during the calendar year. The form helps students and their families determine eligibility for education tax credits when filing a U.S. tax return.

Qualified tuition and related expenses includes tuition and student life fees. Expenses such as housing, meals, books, supplies, and health insurance are not included.

Yes, you may still be eligible for an education tax credit without the 1098-T form. The form is primarily for informational purposes and does not determine eligibility for tax credits or deductions. You can provide an overview of your expenses, especially those not reported on the 1098-T, by downloading and printing your student account statements.

The 1098-T is available electronically via Heartland ECSI by January 31 each year.

You can access your 1098-T online by logging into MITPay. If you didn’t opt in for electronic delivery, a paper copy will be mailed to your permanent address.

If you no longer have access to MITPay, you can access the forms from 2020 onwards, via Heartland ECSI. If you need a 1098-T prior to 2020 and no longer have access to MITPay, please contact us at sfs@mit.edu.

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Box 1: Reports amounts paid for qualified tuition and related expenses during the calendar year. This may include payments for future terms made within the current year

Box 4: Adjustments made to prior years’ QTRE payments

Box 5: Scholarships and grants disbursed during the calendar year, including those from third parties

Box 6: Adjustments to scholarships or grants reported in a prior year

Box 1 reports qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) charged and paid within the calendar year, running January 1 to December 31. It also includes any unpaid QTRE carried over from the previous year.

Box 1 may include any unpaid qualified tuition and related charges from the previous year, in addition to the charged and paid amount for the current 1098-T calendar year.

The American opportunity tax credit is a credit for qualified education expenses, paid for an eligible student, for the first four years of higher education. You can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student. More information can also be found on the IRS website.

The lifetime learning credit is for qualified tuition and related expenses paid for eligible students enrolled in an eligible educational institution. This credit can help pay for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree courses — including courses to acquire or improve job skills. There is no limit on the number of years you can claim the credit. It is worth up to $2,000 per tax return. More info can be found on the IRS website.