Students and spouses

You're a full-time student for council tax purposes if you're studying at university or most colleges and:

You are under the age of 20 and your course:

• leads 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

You are undertaking a university or college course that:

• lasts for at least one academic or calendar year
• requires you to be actively studying for at least 24 weeks out of a year
• involves study of at least 21 hours per week during term time

Not all courses count towards 'full-time student' status. For example, distance learning or evening classes. You are not a full-time student if you're doing a course related to your job, such as a day release.

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.

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for this discount.  If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up. ​

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

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

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for a student discount online. If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step, you will need the following information:

• your council tax reference number - found on your latest bill
• your name exactly as it appears on your council tax bill
• your postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go into the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'apply for or cancel a disregard' link.

You will need to give the following information:

• the name of the person in the household who is a student
• the date that they became a student
• the name and address of the university or college that the student is attending
• a copy of a student exemption letter or certificate. You can get this from the college or university. You will need to upload it. 

Students living off campus in a property where all the residents are students can claim an exemption. This means you do not pay council tax.

You need to register for council tax to claim exemption if you live off campus. 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.

Applying for a student exemption

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for a student exemption.  If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step, you will need the following information:

• your council tax reference number - found on your latest bill
• your name exactly as it appears on your council tax bill
• your postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go to the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'apply for or cancel a disregard' link.

You will need to give the following information:

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

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

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for this discount.  If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up. ​

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step you will need the following information:

• your council tax reference number - found on your latest bill​
• your name exactly as it appears on your council tax bill​
• your property postcode​
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go into the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'upload information or tell us about something else' link. ​

You will need to supply the following information:​

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

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

You may be entitled to a discount if:

• we do not count this person and there are less than two adults in the property that are counted for council tax

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for this discount.  If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step, you will need the following information:

• your council tax reference number - found on your latest bill
• your name exactly as it appears on your council tax bill
• your postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go into the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'apply for or cancel a disregard' link.

You will need to give the following information:

• the name of the person in the household who the foreign spouse or dependant of a full-time student
• the date they moved in with you
• a copy of the Home Office visa that confirms the person's immigration status. You will need to upload this. 

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 any changes online if you have a MyGuildford account. If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step, you will need the following information:

• your council tax reference number - found on your latest bill
• your name exactly as it appears on your council tax bill
• your postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Go into the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'apply for or cancel a disregard' or 'apply for or cancel an exemption' links. You can then tell us about the change.

If there is a change to your discount or exemption, we will send you a new bill.

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.