Your school's financial aid office sends the 1098-T, not the IRS

The 1098-T form comes from your college or university, not from the IRS or a tax software company. The school's financial aid office is responsible for preparing and mailing it to you by January 31 each year. You do not request it from the government — you request it from the institution where you paid may have access to education expenses.

If you paid tuition at more than one school in the same tax year, you will receive a separate 1098-T from each school. The form reports only the expenses that school processed, so you may need to combine information from multiple forms when you file your taxes.

Key Takeaways

  • Contact your school's financial aid office directly to request your 1098-T form, either by phone, email, or through the student portal.
  • Schools must mail the 1098-T by January 31, but you can often retrieve it online through your student account before the physical copy arrives.
  • If your school does not send a 1098-T by early February, follow up with the financial aid office to confirm they have your correct mailing address.
  • Keep your 1098-T with your tax records even if you do not use the education credits, because the IRS receives a copy and may match it to your return.

Contact the financial aid office at your school

Start by calling or emailing the financial aid office at the school where you took classes. Most schools list this office on their main website under "Student Services" or "Admissions and Financial Aid." Have your student ID number ready when you contact them.

Tell them you need your 1098-T form for the tax year in question. If you are calling after January 31, ask whether they have already mailed it and confirm the address they have on file. If the address is wrong, provide the correct one and ask them to remail the form or send it electronically.

If you took classes at a school that has closed or merged with another institution, contact the new school's financial aid office or ask for the records department. They can usually locate your form or reconstruct the information from their archives.

Check your student portal or online account

Many schools post the 1098-T in your student portal or learning management system before mailing the physical copy. Log into your student account and look for a section labeled "Financial Aid," "Tax Forms," "1098-T," or "Student Documents."

The online version is often available by mid-January, weeks before the mailed form arrives. You can read and print it when ready, though the IRS-filed copy will still come by mail. Some schools allow you to opt out of the mailed version if you have downloaded it online, which speeds up the process.

If you cannot find it in your portal, check your student email — the financial aid office may have sent a direct link or attachment. Search for emails from the financial aid office, the registrar, or the main school domain.

Request a replacement if you did not receive one

If you did not receive your 1098-T by early February, contact the financial aid office again. Ask them to verify that they sent it and to confirm your mailing address. Sometimes forms are sent to an old address if your records were not updated.

The school can remail the form or send it electronically. If they cannot locate a record that they sent one, ask them to print a copy from their system. Schools are required to have this information on file, so they can produce it even if the original mailing was lost.

If the school claims they did not issue a 1098-T for you, ask why. The form is required for any student who paid may have access to education expenses and was enrolled at least half-time. If you meet those conditions and the school refuses to provide one, contact your state's higher education authority or the school's registrar's office to escalate the issue.

What to do if your school did not issue a 1098-T

Not all schools issue 1098-T forms. Some smaller institutions, trade schools, and online-only programs are not required to do so. If your school did not issue one, you can still claim education credits on your tax return — you just have to report the expenses yourself.

Gather your own records: tuition bills, receipts, payment confirmations, and any financial aid statements from the school. These documents show what you paid and what the school charged. You will enter the amounts directly on your tax return without a 1098-T.

Keep these records with your tax file. The IRS may ask for proof of the expenses you claimed, especially if the amounts are large or if you claimed a credit the school did not report on a form.

Understand what information the 1098-T contains

The 1098-T reports may have access to tuition and education expenses paid during the tax year. Box 1 shows the may have access to tuition and fees you paid. Box 2 shows scholarships or grants the school gave you. Box 5 shows any adjustments the school made to your expenses.

The form does not include room and board, books, supplies, or transportation — only tuition and mandatory fees. It also does not include expenses paid with student loans. The 1098-T is a record of what you paid out of pocket, not what you borrowed.

The school reports the information to the IRS as well, so the IRS knows what expenses you reported. This is why you should keep your 1098-T even if you do not use the education credits — the IRS will match the form to your return to verify the numbers match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a 1098-T if I paid tuition with student loans?

No. The 1098-T reports only expenses you paid directly out of pocket. Tuition paid with borrowed money does not count as an expense you paid. However, you can still claim education credits for the tuition itself — you just report the amount without a 1098-T.

What if my school sent the 1098-T to the wrong address?

Contact the financial aid office and provide your correct address. Ask them to remail the form or send it electronically. If the form was already sent to the IRS under the wrong address, the IRS will still match it to your return based on your Social Security number and the school's identification number.

Do I need the 1098-T to claim education credits on my taxes?

No. The 1098-T is helpful but not required. If you did not receive one or your school did not issue one, you can report your may have access to education expenses directly on your tax return using your own records. The IRS accepts both forms of documentation.

What if the 1098-T shows the wrong amount?

Contact the financial aid office when ready and ask them to issue a corrected form. Schools can file an amended 1098-T with the IRS if the original was wrong. Get the correction in writing and keep it with your tax records in case the IRS questions the discrepancy.

Can I get a 1098-T for expenses from a previous year?

Only if the school did not issue one at the time. Schools are required to send the 1098-T by January 31 of the year after you paid the expenses. If you are filing a late return or amending an old one, contact the financial aid office and ask for a copy of the form from that year. They keep records for several years.