Your school sends the 1098-T, not the IRS

The 1098-T form comes from your school, not from the IRS or your tax software. Your college, university, or may be able to access educational institution is responsible for preparing and sending it to you. The school reports may have access to education expenses you paid during the tax year — tuition, fees, books, and supplies — so you can claim education tax credits on your return.

Schools must send the 1098-T by January 31 of the year after the tax year ends. For the 2023 tax year, your school should have mailed or made it available by January 31, 2024. If you paid expenses in 2024, you will receive that form by January 31, 2025.

Not every student receives a 1098-T. Your school only issues one if you paid may have access to education expenses and the school has your correct tax identification number on file. If you did not receive one by early February, contact your school's financial aid or registrar office to find out why.

Key Takeaways

  • Your school mails or posts the 1098-T by January 31 each year; the IRS does not send it.
  • You need your school's name and the tax year to locate your form if it was mailed to an old address.
  • Schools report only may have access to expenses like tuition and fees, not room, board, or transportation.
  • If your school did not send a 1098-T, contact the financial aid office to verify they have your correct Social Security number or tax ID.

Check your school's online student portal first

Most schools now post the 1098-T in a student portal or learning management system rather than mailing it. Log into your school's website using your student ID and password, then look for a section labeled "Tax Forms," "1098-T," "Financial Documents," or "1040 Forms." The exact name varies by institution.

If you cannot find it in the obvious places, check your email for a notification from the school's financial aid or registrar office. Many schools send a message when the form is ready to view or read. You can print it directly from the portal or read it as a PDF to save on your computer.

Downloading from the portal is often faster than waiting for mail, and you will have a copy when ready. If your school does not have an online portal, or if you cannot access yours, move to the next step.

Contact your school's financial aid or registrar office

Call or email the financial aid office at your school and ask them to send you a copy of your 1098-T. Have your student ID number and the tax year ready when you contact them. Tell them whether you want it mailed to your current address or if you prefer they email it to you.

The financial aid office handles education tax forms and can also tell you whether the school issued a 1098-T in your name. If the form was not generated, they will explain why — usually because the school does not have your Social Security number or tax ID on file, or because you did not pay may have access to expenses that the school can report.

Response times vary. Some schools send forms within a few business days; others may take a week or two. If you need the form urgently for your tax return, ask if they can email a copy while the mailed version is in transit.

Verify the school has your correct tax ID

Schools can only issue a 1098-T if they have your correct Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in their system. If you changed your name, got married, or provided a different number when you enrolled, the form may have been sent to the wrong tax ID — or not generated at all.

Contact the registrar or admissions office and confirm the tax ID they have on file matches the one you will use on your tax return. Ask them to update it if it is wrong. Once corrected, the school may reissue the form, though this depends on their procedures and the time of year.

If the school issued the 1098-T to an incorrect tax ID, you will need to contact the IRS to correct the record. The IRS matches forms to your return using your Social Security number, so a mismatch can delay your refund or cause other filing problems.

Request a corrected form if information is wrong

If you receive a 1098-T but the amounts or your personal information are incorrect, ask your school to issue a corrected form. Schools use a form called the 1098-T Correction Statement or send a new 1098-T marked "CORRECTED" to fix errors.

Common errors include wrong student name, wrong tax ID, expenses listed under the wrong year, or amounts that do not match what you actually paid. Contact the financial aid office and explain what is wrong. They will investigate and either confirm the amount is correct or send you a corrected version.

Do not file your tax return until you have the correct 1098-T. Using wrong information can trigger an IRS notice later, even if the error was the school's fault.

What to do if you did not pay expenses but received a 1098-T

If your school sent you a 1098-T but someone else paid your education expenses — a parent, relative, or employer — you cannot claim the education credit. The person who actually paid the expenses must claim the credit on their own tax return, and they need the 1098-T to do so.

Ask your school to reissue the form in the name of the person who paid. Provide the school with that person's name and tax ID. The school will then send a corrected 1098-T to the correct taxpayer.

If the school cannot or will not reissue it, the person who paid can still claim the credit — they just need to report the expenses manually on their return. They will need documentation of what was paid: tuition bills, receipts, or statements from the school showing the amounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. The 1098-T reports may have access to expenses you paid during the year, regardless of how you paid them — with cash, credit card, student loans, or scholarships. The source of the money does not matter for the form itself, though it affects which credits you can claim on your tax return.

What if my school closed or merged with another school?

Contact the new institution or the school's successor organization. If the school closed entirely, contact your state's Department of Education or the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for information about where records are kept. You may also reach out to the IRS directly if you cannot locate the form.

Do I need the 1098-T to claim an education credit?

No. You can claim an education credit without the 1098-T if you have other proof of what you paid — tuition bills, receipts, or a statement from the school. The 1098-T is convenient because it summarizes the amounts, but it is not required to file your return.

What if I paid expenses in one year but received the 1098-T in the next year?

Report the expenses on the tax return for the year you paid them, not the year you received the form. If you paid tuition in December 2023, you claim it on your 2023 return even if the 1098-T arrives in January 2024. The form is dated for the year the expenses occurred.

Can I read a 1098-T from the IRS website?

No. The IRS does not post individual 1098-T forms. Only your school can provide your form. If you cannot locate it, contact your school's financial aid office — they are the only source for your specific 1098-T.