Basic Needs Support
The Dean of Students Office collaborates with other campus offices to provide additional support for basic needs including the Student Care Supply Closet, Meal Plan Assistance Program, and the Supplemental Swipes program.
Many colleges and departments offer limited, one-time assistance for students facing unforeseen financial hardships. If you are experiencing financial hardship, students should first contact their degree program manager or advisor for department/college level financial assistance.
The Amherst Survival Center provides access to food, pantry staples, meals, and programming for free with no proof of income required. The Survival Center is a critical community resource, and often relies on UMass student volunteers throughout the year to deliver services.
Emergency Financial Support
For Undergraduate and Graduate Students
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Dean of Students Office Microgrant
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A $500 (lifetime total of $1000) intended for use during unexpected financial hardship
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Dean of Students Office Short Term Loan
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A $500 (undergraduate) or $1000 (graduate student) loan intended for temporary financial emergencies. Visit the link above for more details.
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Limited family grants and childcare subsidies for student parents. Visit the link for details.
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Students can access advice and assistance navigating unexpected costs and receive support from knowledgeable administrative staff.
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The Student Care Supply Closet provides free non-perishable personal use and household items to students facing economic hardship. Visit the link for more information.
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Graduate Students
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Office of Professional Development
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Graduate Students can receive support in finding fellowships and guidance in navigating difficult financial circumstances.
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International Undergraduate and Graduate Students under UMass immigration sponsorship (i.e. F-1 or J-1 visas)
Please note: For legal reasons, the International Programs Office staff are not permitted to advise you about taxes and cannot answer questions about your personal tax situation.
Understanding your Tax Obligations
All International Students and Scholars in the United States are required to file a U.S. tax form each year, even if you do not have any U.S. source income.
Tax Filing obligations are determined based upon your Tax Residency Status. For this, a person is considered a Non-Resident Alien or Resident Alien. This is not to be confused with your immigration status. Tax filings are done each year based upon the previous year and filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Income is taxable, the IRS defines “income” as: Employment, Scholarships covering costs other than tuition and tuition related expenses, Unearned Income (i.e., investment income in the U.S). Income is not money earned and received in your home country.
The International Student and Scholar Services office hosts several tax workshops for students and scholars each spring. Information about those workshops and tax workshops hosted by the UMass President’s Office will be updated each spring before the official start of tax season.
Sprintax
Sprintax is designed for foreign nationals who are Nonresident Aliens for U.S. tax purposes. Resident Aliens cannot use Sprintax to prepare their tax return.
UMass licensed Sprintax for federal tax filing. Sprintax can do nonresident aliens’ state taxes as well for an additional fee (from $44.95 per state).
The Tax Office will prepare a step-by-step guide to assist NRAs with preparing tax return Sprintax that will be available on their website.
Tax Resources
Customs and Border Protection Phone Scam
From the CBP website:
Telephone scammers are targeting residents nationwide to gain personal information that would bypass financial security protocols.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees are continuing to receive numerous calls from people concerned about unsolicited calls from scammers posing as U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
Would-be victims are reporting that the scammers are insistent that they must confirm certain details because CBP has intercepted a shipment of drugs with the “target’s” name and address and that cooperation is important to ensure the case is resolved. If the target refuses to comply, the scammer threatens that the police will be arriving. When the scammer is asked for a name, he provides an actual CBP employee’s name and phone number available on the internet for the target to verify. Some scammers are even providing fake case numbers and badge numbers.
A variation of this call is a pre-recorded message stating that a “shipment of drugs or money with your name on it and has been intercepted.” The target is then instructed to press #1 to speak with a CBP Officer/Agent. When connected, the scammer then attempts to confirm the target’s banking information.
These calls, whether a pre-recorded message or live person, are phone scams/phishing attempts and residents are urged to not provide the caller with any information. The Department of Homeland Security and CBP does not solicit money over the phone.
If you get a call like this, here are a few things to keep in mind:
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CBP won’t call you out of the blue with promises of money or threats. Is the caller asking you to pay a fee or share your Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers over the phone? Hang up. It’s a scam.
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CBP never uses gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. If someone asks you to pay this way, it’s a scam. Always.
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Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can make their phone numbers look real even if they’re not.
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Check with CBP if you’re unsure about whether a call or email is real. Never call back phone numbers in caller ID, or left in voicemails, emails, or social media messages. Instead, type the agency name into a search bar and click on their webpage to find contact information.
IRS Scams (3/31/2021)
There is an “IRS-impersonation” scam that is targeting individuals associated with educational institutions, specifically students and staff who have an “.edu” email address. The phishing emails seemingly come from “irs.gov”, display an impressive, yet fake IRS logo and use various subject lines, such as “Tax Refund Payment” or “Recalculation of your tax refund payment.” The email directs the individual to click on a link and submit personal information to claim their tax refund. Individuals who receive this scam email should NOT click on any link in the email.
The IRS asks individuals who receive such an email to please send it to them. For security reasons, they should not forward the email, rather they should save the email using “save as” and then send that as an attachment to @email or forward the email as an attachment to @email.
As a reminder, the IRS will NOT initiate email contact with a taxpayer without consent. The 2020 tax return is the first year that the IRS has included the option for the taxpayer to insert an email address. IF the taxpayer inserts an email address, the IRS may choose to send an email; however, any email from the IRS will NOT include links to claim a refund or ask for any secure information such as social security number, date of birth or bank account information.
If you receive an email that appears to be “from the IRS”, you should not click on any links or otherwise provide data.
Phone Scams
Do not be a victim of phone scams. There has been a string of scams asking students to make payments over the phone for things such as taxes, hospital bills, bail money, debt collection, and utility bills. Scammers are also posing as USCIS or ICE agents who threaten deportation for various fraudulent violations unless the student pays fines and penalties using many methods, including gift cards, credit cards and sometimes using iTunes Gift Cards. Read more about App Store & iTunes Gift Card Scams.
If you have been a victim of a scam, you should contact the UMass Police Department (UMPD) at 413-545-2121 and report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crimes Complaint Center (3C)immediately!