It depends. First, you must determine if the stipend is considered a scholarship or wages.
- If the stipend was to support your education or a research project, it is treated as a non-compensatory scholarship. You can enter this in the Education section. In TurboTax Online:
- Navigate to Federal > Deductions & Credits > Education > Expenses and Scholarships (Form 1098‑T).
- Check the box Received a scholarship, grant or other aid on the screen Did you have any of these common situations in 2025?
- Continue through the interview, answering the questions and input information from the 1098-T, if you have one.
- Continue and enter the other education expenses like books and materials.
- Continue and you will see the screen Add any other financial aid. Here, you can enter the stipend as "Other scholarships, grants, or fellowships."
- Continue and answer the rest of the interview questions. TurboTax will treat any amount exceeding qualified expenses as taxable scholarship income.
- If you were essentially an employee (had set hours, a supervisor, and performed tasks for the company’s benefit), it is technically wages, even without a W-2.
- Navigate to Federal > Income > Wages & Income Summary > Less Common Income > Miscellaneous Income > Start or Revisit
- Select Other income not already reported on a Form W-2 or Form 1099
- Select the checkbox Earned income not reported on a W-2 or 1099
- Continue to the message noting you'll need to file an SS-8 since you did not receive a W-2
- Now you'll see a screen where you can select (+) Add to enter the income.