Students and Student Nurses

Students and some Student Nurses are disregarded for the purpose of Council Tax.

Students

For Council Tax purposes there are three categories of students:

  1. Full-time - you're undertaking a full-time course at a college or university in the UK. A full time course is one that:
    • lasts for at least one academic year or, if the establishment does not have academic years, for at least one calendar year
    • you normally go to for at least 24 weeks in each academic calendar year and
    • consists of an average of at least 21 hours a week of study, tuition, work experience or a combination of these.
  2. Under 20 years old - you're in full-time or part-time educations, studying for more than three-months for at least 12 hours per week for any qualification up to A Level, ONC or OND standard. Correspondence courses, evening classes, or courses taken in connection with a person's job, such as on day-release, are not included.
  3. Foreign Language Assistant - you're registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and working at a school or other educational establishment.

In order to claim for a student discount please complete our Student Council Tax Discount Form.

Please note that when you complete the form you will need to provide us with a Student Certificate for Council Tax Purposes, which is available from your place of study.

If you're a foreign language assistant, please complete our Foreign Language Assistant Council Tax Discount Form.

If you would like to tell us about a change in circumstance that means you no longer qualify for a discount or exemption, please see our change in circumstances form

Student Nurses

If you are studying for a nursing qualification then, provided you meet the above requirements, for Council Tax purposes you may fall under the category of full-time student in which case you may be exempt from paying Council Tax.

A 'student nurse' for discount purposes means a person undertaking a course, which, if successfully completed, would lead to a first registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, as a nurse or midwife.

In order to claim for a student discount please complete our Student Council Tax Discount Form.

If you are undertaking a work based qualification as part of an NHS apprenticeship then you will not count as a 'student' for the purpose of an exemption, but you may be deemed to be an 'apprentice', who can be 'disregarded' when the bill is calculated.

Please read our information on discounts for apprentices for further details.