Full Time Students

If your property is occupied totally by students it may be exempt. Please see exemptions in the related section. You will be disregarded if you are a student (or an overseas student) on a full-time or qualifying course of education.

You are a Full Time Student if you are:

• Attending a prescribed educational establishment
• Attending a course which lasts for at least an academic year
• Takes at least 24 weeks a year
• Involves at least 21 hours of study per week during term-time

A student is considered to be undertaking a course from the first day of the course to the last day of the course notwithstanding periods of vacation. When a student has ceased a course and is to undertake another, during the interim period the person is not considered to be a student.

Where a student does not undertake the course due to illness, they can still be considered eligible for disregard until such time as the student is removed from the course or they are deemed to have abandoned the course.

Open University courses, subject to meeting the criteria would be considered as full time courses. In the above case the Billing Authority will be required to receive evidence in writing of all relevant information.

Please contact the Council to request a claim application form. The form should be completed in full and returned to the Council along with a certificate of student status from the educational establishment to support the application. Following approval, a revised bill of account will be issued.