T
The Daily Insight

Do you have to claim school grants on taxes?

Author

Mia Ramsey

Published Apr 03, 2026

Any portion of your Pell grant that is not spent on qualified education expenses is required to be reported as income on your tax return. Qualified education expenses include tuition and fee payments, and the books, supplies, and equipment required for your courses.

Does 1098-t include grants?

All scholarships, fellowships or grants will continue to be reported in Box 5. The 1098-T form is provided to help students and parents determine eligibility for an American Opportunity Tax Credit or a Lifetime Learning Credit, and it should not be used to calculate taxable income. may claim as part of your tax return.

Does a 1098 help with taxes?

A form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, is used to help figure education credits (and potentially, the tuition and fees deduction) for qualified tuition and related expenses paid during the tax year. The tuition and fees deduction can reduce the amount of your income subject to tax by up to $4,000.

Are student grants tax deductible?

A scholarship or grant is tax-free as long as it doesn’t exceed the amount you need to cover your qualified education expenses. According to the IRS, qualified education expenses include: Tuition and school-mandated fees for enrollment. Mandatory course fees and expenses, such as lab fees, textbooks or equipment.

Do you report grants on taxes?

Generally, you report any portion of a scholarship, a fellowship grant, or other grant that you must include in gross income as follows: If filing Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, include the taxable portion in the total amount reported on the “Wages, salaries, tips” line of your tax return.

Do you have to file a 1098 for Education?

If the school didn’t send you a 1098-T, don’t panic. You can still file eligible education expenses on your federal income tax return. While the IRS usually requires a Form 1098-T for a student to claim the education credit, that’s not the case for the tax year 2018 under certain circumstances.

How to report the taxable portion of a 1098 T?

Report the taxable portion by simply entering your 1098 T into Turbotax in the Education section and TurboTax will calculate any taxable amounts for you. Box 5 on your 1098 T shows the amount of scholarships and grants that were paid directly to the school for the student’s qualified expenses.

Can a nonresident alien file a 1098-T form?

Reasons for No 1098-T Form. For the tax year 2020, an eligible educational institutional does not have to send a student Form 1098-T when any of these situations exist: The student is a nonresident alien. However, the student can request that the school file the form.

Where does a Pell Grant go on a 1098?

Pell grants are not taxable if used for qualified education expenses. It’s listed in Box 5 of your 1098-T as an offset to your Box 1 or 2 figures, which are the amount of tuition & fees received/billed by your school.