Indian students are getting offer for internship from institutions abroad, foreign universities and from Indian and foreign companies having offices out of India. In addition to gaining hands-on technical experience, another perk is high stipends offered by these foreign institutions. The students will earn anywhere between $2,500 and $3,500 a month – Rs 110,000 to Rs 150,000 ($1 = Rs 44.42).
It must be remembered that since a stipend is considered as income by income tax authorities, it is taxable according to the applicable slab.
Taxation for resident Indian students: All incomes earned in a foreign country are combined and taxed in India (applicable to students too, except for minors). The Income Tax (I-T) Act says an individual deputed in a foreign country on work for less than 180 days, or six months, is considered an Indian resident.
Homi Mistry, tax partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, said, “These students fall in the resident and ordinarily resident category and their global income is taxable in India.”
A student earning Rs 150,000 a month abroad will pay tax on income exceeding the basic exemption limit (Male: Rs 160,000; Female: Rs 190,000). In this case, the total income will be Rs 300,000, for a two-month internship.
A male student will be taxed 10 per cent on Rs 140,000 (Rs 300,000 – Rs 160,000), which comes to Rs 14,000. For a female student, the tax amount will be Rs 11,000 (10 per cent of Rs 110,000, after the exemption).
However, the tax outgo can be reduced by showing investments in tax-saving instruments. In some cases, this income could face double taxation – both in India and in the host country (as per their tax norms).
But, respite comes in the form of foreign tax credit and tax treaty benefits. “For example, students who earn from internship in the US will be exempted from paying tax, as part of the India-US tax treaty,” said Kaushik Mukherjee, executive director, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
But, the income will be taxed in the country of residence, India.
The good part is if the tax is paid in both the countries, there is a provision whereby an individual can get foreign tax credit in the home country. Suppose an individual is taxed Rs 50,000 in the foreign country and his total tax liability in India is Rs 100,000.
He will have to pay only the remaining Rs 50,000 in India after claiming the foreign tax credit, provided he has a foreign tax certificate. But, if the tax in the home country is less than what was paid in the foreign country, the differential is not refunded.
Also, if an Indian resident student goes abroad on scholarship or under a student exchange programme, the allowance given for expenses incurred in the foreign country does not come under the tax ambit. “The I-T Act exempts such allowances because these are given to facilitate academic learning,” said Mistry.
In case a minor earns an income, his/her income is coupled with the parent’s income and taxed accordingly.
Taxation for non-resident students: A non-resident Indian, studying in India for a fixed period, will not attract tax on his/her stipend earned abroad.
Reason: An NRI’s income earned in a foreign country is considered global income and does not come under the Indian tax regime. According to the I-T Act, any individual who has stayed outside India for more than 180 days is an NRI. Such individuals will be taxed only in the host country.
1. My daughter is enrolled in a French University for MBA programme. As an integral part of her course, she has to do industry internship. During AY 2023-24, she returned to India and stayed here for 7 months. Then she went back to Paris and took up the internship for 3 months, where she received a monthly stipend of approx 1200 euros (Totalling to approx 3600 Euros).
What would be her Taxability?
2. One connected question please.
I am a tax resident of India and am paying regular monthly interest on her overseas educational loan from SBI.
So, would I (or my daughter) get any tax rebate or deduction for that ?
My daughter is enrolled and attending a French University for MBA. As an integral requirement of her course, she has to do industry internship. During AY 2023-24, she stayed in India for 7 months and did internship for 3 months, for which, she got a monthly stipend of approx 1200 Euros (Totalling to around 3600 Euros for 3 months)
What would be her Taxability
2. I am a tax resident of India and am paying monthly interest for her overseas educational loan. Will I (or she) get any rebate or deduction
will the student get any relief on the tax if he was paying rent outside while aborad?
I am going abraod for a period of two year. I will be paid partly in that country and partly in India . I am being told that the amount paid abroad would be taxable as per their laws and amount paid in India will be non taxable. Is it true?
This is an answer to the second question of Ajay:
The residential status of the wife be “non resident” for the assessment year 2011-12. Salary earned in Singapore will not be taxable in India for this assessment year. Interest earned from bank in India will be treated as taxable income in India. But since the amount is less than the exemption limit for a woman, tax liability will be Nil.
AN INDIAN ASSESSEE AFTER HER MARRIAGE GOES TO SINGAPORE UNDER DEPENDENT VISA WITH HER HUSBAND WHO IS DOING Phd THERE. SHE WILL NOT STAY IN INDIA IN THIS FINACIAL YEAR 2010-11 MORE THAN 59 DAYS. WHAT WILL BE THE STATUS AS PER INCOME TAX ACT RESIDENT /NON RESIDENT. IF SHE JOINS THERE AND EARN SALARY WHAT WILL BE THE TAX LIABILITY IN INDIA. SHE EARNS INTEREST FROM BANK IN INDIA WHICH IS LESS THAN THE TAX SLAB OF 190000/-
MY CHILD IS WORKING IN INDIA IN AN IT COMPANY. HE HAD GONE FOR AN ASSIGNMENT TO LONDON FOR THREE MONTHS. HE GETS EXPENSES ALLOWANCE FOR THE STAY ABROAD. DURING THE STAY ABROAD HE SAVES SOME MONEY AFTER PAYING THE EXPENSES. THIS AMOUNT TO APPROX. RS.2.50 LACS. WILL THIS AMOUNT BE TAXED IN INDIAN INCOME TAX RETURN
thanx you are a great help