Taxes and GLACIER

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. government tax authority, requires ºÚÁÏÉçÇø to collect information from all non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent resident aliens to determine the appropriate rate of federal tax withholding and reporting for any payments that may be made to such individuals.

What is GLACIER?

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø uses the GLACIER system to collect required information and complete the necessary forms. The information and forms must be provided prior to any payment so that the correct tax withholding and reporting decisions are made; failure to do so may result in the maximum rate of tax withholding and/or delayed payment.

Information provided to GLACIER is transmitted and stored securely and will only be used by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø for purposes of tax withholding and reporting.

How to access GLACIER?

Once your record has been initiated in GLACIER by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, you will receive an email notification containing your temporary User ID and Password.

You can access the website at .

When do I need to update GLACIER?

You need to update your GLACIER within five days of receiving your Social Security Number.

What is Tax Treaty and who is eligible?

Tax treaty is an agreement between the U.S. and some countries to mitigate the effects of double taxation. Not everyone has a tax treaty. There is a Tax Treaty Verification page in GLACIER stating whether you are eligible for tax treaty exemptions or not. Tax treaty must be renewed every calendar year.

When do I file taxes and what is GTP?

Students must file their Federal tax returns and Pennsylvania state tax return every year before April 15. GTP (GLACIER Tax Prep) is a software, provided by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø to nonresident aliens for tax purposes on F or J visas, to assist in filing federal returns.

Who should file taxes?

Whether or not they earned income, all students on F-1 or J-1 visas are required to file a Federal Tax Return if they are considered nonresident aliens for tax purposes. Students who did not work in the previous year, do not need to file a Pennsylvania tax return. If students earned more than $33, they are required to complete a tax return for the State of Pennsylvania.