Full time student exemption

If you are a full-time student you may be able to apply for a council tax discount or exemption.

Households where everyone’s a full-time student don’t have to pay Council Tax.  If you get a bill, you can apply for an exemption.

• If you live in a Halls of Residence you don’t need to apply as an exemption is already in place. Please liaise with your student accommodation officer.
• If you live with one other adult who is not a student, we will reduce your bill by 25%.

If you live at home with two or more adults who pay full Council Tax, you are not eligible to apply.

What is classed as a full-time student?

The person must be enrolled for the purpose of attending a full-time course with a prescribed educational establishment. A full-time course is one which:

• subsists for at least one academic year
• requires attendance for at least 24 weeks in each year
• requires study, tuition or work experience for an average of 21 hours per week

Undertaking a qualifying course of education

The person must be:

• under 20 years old
• not undertaking a course of full-time education

The course must:

• be for more than three months
• be for more than 12 hours per week
• not be a course of higher education
• not be a correspondence course
• not be undertaken in connection with a job
• involve tuition/studies between 8am and 5.30pm

If you meet the above criteria, please apply for this exemption. Your educational establishment may be able to issue you a certificate confirming your full-time student status.

How to apply

To apply please complete the application form. You will also need to provide a Council Tax exemption certificate from your college or university confirming your full time course

Apply for a student discount or exemption

If your application is successful a new bill or exemption notice will be issued to you. In the meantime, bills previously issued must be regarded as correct and due for payment as requested.