The IRS requires that colleges and universities collect the name, social security number (SSN) or individual tax payer number (ITIN) for all tuition-paying students. In addition, the amount of a students' qualifying payments must be reported to the IRS on IRS form 1098-T. The information on the 1098-T provides the IRS with a basis for amounts claimed by a taxpayer as qualifying expenditures for the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit and/or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.
If your 1098-T is submitted to the I.R.S. with no SSN or ITIN, or with an incorrect SSN or ITIN, your 1098-T will still require correction. Please note that if we did not have your SSN, your 1098-T form is filed without it.
Your SSN or ITIN is also required to process financial aid applications.
We first attempt to collect your SSN or ITIN through the admission application process. If you do not provide a valid SSN or ITIN, we will email you to ask you to provide this information by completing IRS Form W9-S and submitting it to the Registrar’s Office. We will never ask you to provide your SSN or ITIN by email.
If you refuse to provide your SSN or ITIN, or you provide an incorrect number, the I.R.S. is empowered to impose penalties.
Form W9-S can be found on the I.R.S. website.