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PhD Student Intranet > New Students > International Students > Applying for a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Applying for a SSN or ITIN

In order to receive payment from Northwestern University, Kellogg doctoral students must have either:
Once you obtain your SSN or ITIN, please update the following offices:
  • Northwestern Payroll Office, 720 University Place, 2nd Floor
  • Registrar's Office, located at 633 Clark Street, Rebecca Crown Center, 1st Floor
Social Security Number (SSN)
To qualify for a SSN, you must have a job at Northwestern and receive wages for work performed. Please note, doctoral students in their first year of study receive fellowship money only and no work is required for the fellowship; consequently, no wages are paid. Unless you will be employed by the department or a professor, you do not qualify for a SSN. You would then apply for an ITIN, which is explained below.

The rules for applying for a SSN can be found on the Office of International Student and Scholar Services website. 

 Social Security application forms are available at the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) and the Social Security Office, which is located at 2116 Greenbay Road in the Walgreens Plaza in Evanston.

When applying for a Social Security Number, in addition to the application form, you will need to take the following documents with you:
  • Passport; I-20 or DS-2019
  • Letter from the professor who is employing you, who will provide the details for your employment and the position title (teaching assistant or research assistant).
  • Letter from OISS, which you will request online using their online request form:
  • SSN Letter Request Form for F-1 Students
  • SSN Letter Request Form for J-1 Students
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) 

Students who are not working at Kellogg will need to apply for an ITIN for tax identification purposes. These are nonresident aliens who will receive stipends from a fellowship but will not be employed in any other way, such as an assistantship or other confirmed temporary employment. The Payroll Office at Northwestern has information on this ITIN process on their Web site .