Council tax for students

You may qualify for a discount or exemption on your council tax if you or the other people in your property are students. You will need to meet certain criteria to qualify.

You will need your 12 digit council tax reference number to apply for the discount. It is on the top left of your bill under the address.

Who can get a student discount or exemption?

Unless you tell us otherwise, your bill assumes that there are two or more adults aged 18 or over living in your home.

When considering the number of adults living in the property, we do not include;

  • full time students
  • student nurses
  • non-British students, and
  • spouses of non-British students prevented from taking employment or have no recourse to public funds.

If everyone who lives in a property is a full time student the property is exempt from council tax. 

If one or more student and one non-student occupies the property, then a reduction of 25% may apply.

Should you live in student halls provided by your university or college you don't need to apply.

To qualify as a full-time student you must fulfil the following criteria:

  • You have enrolled to undertake a full-time course of further higher education at:

    • a college,
    • university,
    • or, other institutional establishment,
  • the duration of the course must be least one academic or calendar year, 
  • you must attend for at least 24 weeks in the year.
  • study for at least 21 hours per week during term time 

Or:

  • you are under 20 years of age
  • you are undertaking a qualifying course of education. This should be up to (but not above) A-level standard or equivalent.
  • your course of study is due to last more than three months
  • you undertake at least 12 hours of study per week

International students with a dependant spouse / partner

International students may qualify for a student exemption if:

  • You live with a partner or dependent who is not a British Citizen
  • and, they are not allowed to work,
  • or, not allowed to claim benefits
  • and has no recourse to public funds

You must provide a copy of the front and back your partner’s biometric residence permit (BRP) when you apply.

Before you apply

You must upload a student council tax exemption certificate from the educational establishment. The written confirmation must include:

  • details of the course you are studying,
  • the start and end dates of the course,
  • and the number of hours of study required per week.

You will also need:

  • address and postcode of the property
  • names of all adults over 18 living at the property
  • date each person moved in
  • student number for each student, their course start and end date
  • each student’s council tax exemption certificate to upload (photos are acceptable). If you don't have this yet you can request it from your place of study’s admissions office. You may also get the details from your online student portal and upload it at a later date.

Before you apply

To qualify for a student discount or exemption you will need to upload a student council tax exemption certificate or equivalent written confirmation from the educational establishment. This should confirm the course being studied, the start and end dates of the course, and the number of hours of study required per week.

You will also need:

  • address and postcode of the property
  • names of all adults over 18 living at the property
  • date each person moved in
  • student number for each student, their course start and end date
  • a copy of each student’s council tax exemption certificate to upload (photos are acceptable). If you don't have this yet you can obtain it from your place of study’s admissions office or your online portal and upload it at a later date.

Apply for a student discount or exemption

You can upload your student exemption certificate using the link below. You can also use this link to provide further evidence to support your application.

Upload evidence of student status

If your application has been unsuccessful, we will write back to you to inform you. We may need further information or evidence to help support your application.

You must still pay the amount on your existing council tax bill until you hear from us. We will issue a new bill if you qualify for the reduction.

Overpayment

If you paid by Direct Debit, we will refund any overpayment back into your bank account. Otherwise, you will receive a credit notice so that you can claim a refund.

If you no longer qualify for a student discount or exemption

You must tell us within 21 days if you believe that you are no longer entitled to the discount or exemption.

If you were not entitled to all or part of the reduction, we will send you a backdated revised council tax bill.