Students and spouses

You're counted as a full-time student for council tax if you are studying at:

• a university, or
• most colleges

You may qualify for a discount if you are under the age of 20 and your course: 

• lead to a qualification up to (but not above) A-level standard or equivalent
• lasts for more than three months
• involves more than 12 hours of study per week

If you're studying at a university or college, the course must:

• last for at least one academic or calendar year
• need you to be studying at least 24 weeks out of a year
• involve study of at least 21 hours per week during term time

Not all courses count towards 'full-time student' status. For example:

• distance learning
• evening classes
• a course related to your job

If you are a student nurse you may qualify for a council tax reduction.

You're counted as a student nurse for council tax purposes if:

• you're a nursing or a midwifery student. This includes those those on pre-registration undergraduate courses and post-registration health visitor training
• you're taking a course which leads to registration under the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997

Student nurses taking traditional hospital-based training do not count as students.

How to apply

You can apply online for the exemption. You'll need to apply through your MyGuildford account. 

To apply, you'll need to:

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. in the list of quick links find 'apply for or cancel an exemption'
7. fill in the form

You may be able to get a discount on your council tax bill if

• one of the adults in your home is a full-time student and;
• there are less than two adults in your household that are counted for council tax

How to apply

You'll need to apply through your MyGuildford account. 

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. in the list of quick links find 'apply for or cancel a disregard'
7. fill in the form. You'll need to:

• tell us the name of the person in the household who is a student
• tell us the date that they became a student
• tell us the name and address of the university or college that the student is attending
• upload a photo of a student exemption letter or certificate. You can get this from the college or university. 

Students living off campus in a property with only other students can claim an exemption. This means you do not pay council tax.

You must register yourselves for council tax to be able to claim for the exemption.

If no-one in your property has received a council tax bill, then you are not registered. One of the residents of the property should register for council tax. They can give the names of the other adults in the property.

Once you receive your bill you can apply for the exemption.

How to apply

To apply, you'll need to:

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. in the list of quick links find 'apply for or cancel a disregard'
7. fill in the form. You'll need to:

• tell us the name of the person(s) in the household that are students
• tell us the dates that they became a students
• tell us the name and address of the university or college that the students are attending
• upload a photo of the student exemption letter or certificate. You can get this from the college or university. 

You may be able to get a discount on your council tax bill if:

• one of the adults in your home is a foreign language assistant, and
• there are less than two adults that are counted for council tax

​You may qualify for a council tax discount if an adult who lives with you is:​

• registered with the Central Bureau for Education Visits and Exchanges, and​
• is working as a foreign language assistant at a school. Or at another educational institution in Great Britain

How to apply

You can apply online for the discount. You'll need to apply through your MyGuildford account. 

To apply, you'll need to:

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. in the list of quick links find 'upload information or tell us about something else' link. ​
7. fill in the form. You'll need to:

• tell us the name of the person in your household that is a foreign language assistant​
• tell us the name and address of the school or college that they work for​
• tell us the date their appointment starts and is expected to end (if applicable)​
• upload a photo of a letter from the school or college. It must confirm their status as a foreign language assistant​.

An adult living in your household will not be counted for council tax if they are:

• the spouse or adult dependant of a full-time student who is studying at a UK institution
• not a British citizen and prevented by their immigration status from taking paid employment or claiming state benefits

To get a discount:

• we must not count the spouse for council tax, and
• there are less than two adults in the property that are counted for council tax

How to apply

You can apply online for the spouse to be disregarded from council tax. You'll need to apply through your MyGuildford account. 

To apply, you'll need to:

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. in the list of quick links find 'apply for or cancel a disregard'
7. fill in the form. You'll need to:

• tell us the name of the person in the household who is the foreign spouse or dependant of a full-time student
• tell us the date they moved in with you
• upload a photo of the Home Office visa that confirms the person's immigration status

You may no longer qualify for the discount or exemption if someone in the household:

• stops being a full-time student
• moves out, or
• if someone moves into your household who is counted for council tax

You can tell us about a change online through your MyGuildford account. 

You'll need to:

1. log in to your MyGuildford account (opens new window)
2. click the 'council tax and benefits' tile
3. select 'continue' on the 'view other services' page
4. select 'council tax' on the 'your services' page
5. on your account summary page, find the list of quick links

• if you're using a computer or laptop these will be on the right-hand side of the screen
• if you're using a mobile device, click 'quick links'

6. to tell us about:

• a change to students or student properties find 'apply for or cancel a disregard' in the list of quick links
• a change to a student nurse find 'apply for or cancel an exemption' in the list of 'quick links
• a change to a foreign language assistant find 'upload information or tell us about something else'

7. follow the steps on the form

We will contact you if we need any further information.

If you are entitled to a discount on your bill or the property is exempt from paying council tax, we will send you a new bill.