Student Payment Release Form [XLSX]
Payments are made to Ohio University students for a variety of reasons. The type and purpose of the payment determines how it should be processed and whether it must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as taxable income and/or included as a financial aid resource when determining a student’s overall eligibility for federal, state and institutional financial aid and scholarships.
A Student Payment Release Form is used to request payments be made directly to the student as a “cash award.” This form can also be used to apply a payment directly to specific student account charges as a department waiver or discount. Types of payments on this request can be scholarships, prizes or awards, housing or living stipends , educational travel/research awards, experiential learning funding, and departmental tuition payments.
Please bookmark this page rather than downloading the form and saving to your computer. Forms are updated regularly to clarify and comply with guidelines.
Student Payment Guidelines
Direct Payment Scholarships
- Scholarship guidelines state that payment should be made directly to the student or reference “cash award,” and not apply to any charges on the student account.
- Supports educational needs for the benefit of student’s academic development.
- No services or repayment is required to receive the scholarship.
- Reported to the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine inclusion in the student’s financial aid package.
- Reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the student on IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement.
- Student Athletes: Reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Intercollegiate Athletics to determine student eligibility per NCAA guidelines.
- International Students: Reviewed for tax withholding (see International Student Tax Withholding section).
- Payment issued to student by direct deposit or check.
- Direct Deposit enrollment is through My OHIO Student Center
- Checks are mailed to students using residence hall, mailing, and then home address.
- Examples: Ohio Space Grant Consortium, Emergency Microgrants, Experiential Learning
Travel and Research Scholarships
- Scholarship guidelines state that payment should be made directly to the student or reference “cash award,” and not apply to any charges on the student account.
- Supports educational needs for the benefit of student’s academic development.
- No services or repayment is required to receive the scholarship.
- Reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the student on IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement.
- Student Athletes: Reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Intercollegiate Athletics to determine student eligibility per NCAA guidelines.
- International Students: Reviewed for tax withholding (see International Student Tax Withholding section).
- Payment issued to student by direct deposit or check.
- Direct Deposit enrollment is through My OHIO Student Center
- Checks are mailed to students using residence hall, mailing, and then home address.
- Examples: Graduate College Travel Awards, Holmes Scholar Travel Award
Clarification for Travel and Research Scholarships
Student Payment Release From
- Activity performed is primarily to further the student’s education.
- Student determines activities to be performed.
- Activity or course is required for the degree or credit.
- Activity impacts student’s grade.
- Attending a conference for student’s own educational purpose. Student is not to present/contribute in an official capacity, or expected to share information from the conference with others at the University.
Travel Expense Report or BobcatBUY
- Directly supports faculty member’s project or research program.
- Official University business (athletics or band performance).
- Primary purpose is for the University to obtain useful results from the project.
- University determines activity.
- University would otherwise need to hire an employee or contract to complete the same results.
- Travel to represent the University in a scholastic competition.
- Travel to attend a conference to present a paper on behalf of a University department
Prizes & Awards
- Scholarship guidelines state that payment should be made directly to the student or reference “cash award,” and not apply to any charges on the student account.
- Travel/research support or experiential learning awards are not prizes and awards.
- Recognition of charitable, scientific, educational, artistic, literary, or civic achievement.
- No services or repayment is required to receive the prize or award.
- No restriction is placed on how the student can use the award. It is not limited to educational expenses. (If restrictions are imposed, then the payment is not considered a prize or award. See above section for Direct Payment Scholarships.)
- Reported to the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine inclusion in the student’s financial aid package.
- Reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the student on IRS Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income.
- Student Athletes: Reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Intercollegiate Athletics to determine student eligibility per NCAA guidelines
- International Students: Reviewed for tax withholding (see International Student Tax Withholding section).
- Payment issued to student by direct deposit or check.
- Direct Deposit enrollment is through My OHIO Student Center
- Checks are mailed to students using residence hall, mailing, and then home address.
- Examples: End of year banquet awards, EXPO awards
Incentive Scholarships
- Provides educational assistance for specific charges on the student account and is not refundable to the student.
- No services or repayment is required to receive the payment.
- Reported to the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine inclusion in the student’s financial aid package.
- Reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the student on IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement.
- Student Athletes: Reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Intercollegiate Athletics to determine student eligibility per NCAA guidelines.
- International Students: Reviewed for tax withholding (see International Student Tax Withholding section).
- Payment issued to student by direct deposit or check.
- Direct Deposit enrollment is through My OHIO Student Center
- Checks are mailed to students using residence hall, mailing, and then home address.
- Example: Aviation Chairman’s Scholarship
Tax Information
Foreign Nationals (Tax Withholding)
International visitors are subject to tax rules and regulations that exist under Section 1441 of the Internal Revenue Code. In general, all income received by a “nonresident alien” is taxable and the tax must be withheld at the time of payment unless the payment is:
- Exempt from tax under the provisions of a tax treaty between the U.S. and the person's country of residence.
- Exempt from tax under a Code provision.
- Is "foreign source" income.
- Payment for educational activity that takes place outside of the U.S.
Payments in excess of any qualified tuition expenses may have a 14% rate of tax withholding. If a payment is considered to be a prize or award, a 30% rate of tax withholding will apply. If the student tax status is unknown a 30% rate of tax withholding will apply. An income tax treaty exemption is not generally applicable for prizes or awards.
Payments for nonresident aliens are reported on Form 1042-S.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/nra-withholding
https://www.ohio.edu/international-student-scholar-services/international-student-tax-information
https://www.ohio.edu/bursar/nonresident-tax
IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement
Eligible educational institutions file Form 1098-T for each student they enroll and for whom a reportable transaction is made. This includes scholarships and grants received from third parties (excluding family members and loan proceeds). This includes payments received from governmental and private entities such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, civic and religious organizations, and nonprofit entities
https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1098et
IRS Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Information
This form is filed to report prizes and awards.
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-misc
IRS Form 1042-S, Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign Persons
This form is generated for nonresident aliens to report tax treaty exemption amounts or for scholarship and fellowship payments.