You are counted as a student for Council Tax purposes if you are:
- undertaking a full-time course at a college or university in the UK, including universities in the ERASMUS programme within the European Union
- under 20 years old and in part-time or full-time education
- a foreign language assistant registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and working at a school or other educational establishment
A full-time course is one that:
- lasts at least one academic year, or one calendar year if the establishment doesn’t have academic years
- normally requires your attendance for at least 24 weeks in each academic or calendar year
- involves an average of at least 21 hours a week of study, tuition, work experience, or a combination of these
People not treated as students for Council Tax purposes
Part-time study, such as evening classes, correspondence, or distance learning, doesn’t make you a student for Council Tax purposes. The same applies if you are studying on 'block release' as part of your employment.
Students studying English at language schools
Students at English language schools in Oxford are usually not considered 'students' for Council Tax purposes. These schools often don't have academic years and their courses are typically not long enough to qualify.
