Savanna Hoffman
International students in England, Scotland, or Wales may be exempt from paying Council Tax, a fee set by local authorities to pay for local services such as rubbish collection, the police, and the fire brigade. Full-time students, including international students, are generally exempt from Council Tax, but part-time students are not. To qualify as a full-time student, an individual must be enrolled in a course lasting at least one academic year, requiring a minimum of 21 to 24 hours of study per week. Students living in university-provided accommodation or private accommodation occupied only by students are also typically exempt from Council Tax. However, international students with spouses or partners joining them may still be eligible for an exemption if their partner's visa states that they have no recourse to public funding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | International students in England, Scotland, or Wales |
| Student Type | Full-time students |
| Student Age | Under 20 years old |
| Course Length | Minimum of 1 academic year or calendar year |
| Weekly Study Hours | Minimum of 12 hours (21 hours according to another source) |
| Student Visa | Having a student visa is not sufficient to be exempt |
| Student Accommodation | Privately rented flats or houses occupied only by students are exempt |
| Dependants | Dependants must hold immigration permission to be in the UK and cannot take paid employment or claim benefits |
| Spouse or Partner | If a spouse or partner is joining the student, they must have no recourse to public funding |
| Council Tax Exemption Certificate | Full-time students must obtain this certificate and submit it to the Council Tax Office |
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What You'll Learn
- International students in England, Scotland or Wales may be exempt
- Full-time students are exempt, but what counts as full-time
- Student visas don't automatically exempt you from council tax
- Student accommodation types that are exempt from council tax
- Council tax exemption certificates and how to obtain them
International students in England, Scotland or Wales may be exempt
- Be under 20 years old and studying for a qualification up to or equivalent to A-level or a Higher Scottish Certificate of Education. Your course must last at least 3 months and involve a minimum of 12 hours of daytime study per week.
- Be a foreign language assistant working in a school or educational institution and registered with the British Council.
- Be enrolled in a full-time course at an institution in the UK or another country in the European Union. The course must last at least one academic year or one calendar year if the institution does not have academic years.
If you meet the definition of a 'student', you can obtain a Council Tax Exemption Certificate from your educational institution and submit it to the Council Tax Office in the borough where you live. This will ensure that you are excluded from any Council Tax bills.
It is important to note that academic visitors do not qualify as 'students' for Council Tax purposes and will usually be counted as resident adults for the bill. Additionally, if you are living with family members or a spouse/partner who is not a student, you may still be eligible for a student council tax discount or exemption, but you will need to provide additional documentation.
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Full-time students are exempt, but what counts as full-time?
In the UK, international students may be exempt from paying Council Tax if they meet the Council Tax definition of a 'student'. This definition is separate from the type of visa you hold, so having a Student visa is not necessarily sufficient to qualify you for exemption.
To be considered a full-time student for Council Tax purposes, you must be:
- Under 20 years old, and studying for a qualification up to or equivalent to A level or Higher Scottish Certificate of Education. Your course must last at least 3 months and involve a minimum of 12 hours of daytime study per week.
- A foreign language assistant working in a school or educational institution and registered with the British Council.
- Enrolled at an institution in the UK or the European Union on a course lasting at least one academic year or calendar year. Your course must require at least 24 weeks of attendance each year and involve a minimum of 21 hours of study per week.
It is important to note that academic visitors do not qualify as 'students' for Council Tax purposes and will usually be counted as resident adults for the bill. Additionally, if you are a full-time student sharing accommodation with non-students, you are personally exempt from paying Council Tax, but your non-student housemates will be expected to pay the full bill.
In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers a full-time student to be enrolled in the minimum number of credit hours their institution deems as full-time, typically 12 credit hours. The student must also be enrolled for at least five months out of the year. However, it is important to note that there is no exemption from federal income taxes for full-time students in the US. Every citizen or resident must file a tax return if certain income levels are reached.
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Student visas don't automatically exempt you from council tax
International students in England, Scotland, or Wales may be exempt from paying council tax. However, having a student visa does not automatically grant this exemption. To be considered a 'student' for council tax purposes, individuals must meet specific criteria.
Firstly, the nature of the course being undertaken is crucial. To qualify for exemption, individuals must be enrolled in a full-time course lasting at least one academic year, requiring a minimum of 21 to 24 hours of study per week. The course must also involve a certain level of attendance, typically around 24 weeks per year. These requirements ensure that the course is sufficiently demanding and time-consuming to merit exemption.
Secondly, age is a factor. To be exempt from council tax, individuals must be under 20 years old and studying for a qualification up to or equivalent to A-level or a Higher Scottish Certificate of Education. This suggests that the exemption is targeted towards younger students who are more likely to be financially dependent and may not have the same level of income as older students.
Additionally, the type of accommodation plays a role in determining council tax exemption. If the student is living in university-provided accommodation, such as halls of residence, which are occupied mainly by students, they are typically exempt from council tax. Similarly, dwellings occupied only by students or students and their dependants with specific immigration restrictions are also exempt. However, if a student lives with a non-student spouse, civil partner, or adult dependant, the household may become liable for council tax.
It is important to note that students on part-time courses are not exempt from council tax. Additionally, students who have completed their course and are waiting to start another may also be required to pay council tax during this period. This is because they are not within the formal period of a course, and the exemption criteria may not apply.
While a student visa does not automatically exempt an individual from council tax, there are specific circumstances and criteria that, when met, can grant this exemption. These criteria typically revolve around the nature of the course, age, and accommodation arrangements.
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Student accommodation types that are exempt from council tax
International students in England, Scotland, or Wales may be exempt from paying Council Tax, depending on whether they meet the Council Tax definition of a 'student'. This definition requires that the individual is either:
- Under 20 years old and studying for a qualification up to or equivalent to A level or Higher Scottish Certificate of Education on a course lasting 3 months or more involving a minimum of 12 hours a week of daytime study.
- A foreign language assistant working in a school or educational institution and registered with the British Council.
- Enrolled at an institution in the UK or the EU on a course lasting at least one academic or calendar year.
Full-time students are usually exempt from paying council tax. However, this exemption only applies if the student lives in a property occupied solely by other students. If a student lives with even one non-student tenant, they are no longer liable for the council tax bill, but they will also not receive any discounts.
There are several types of student accommodation that are typically exempt from council tax:
- Halls of residence or accommodation provided by the university or college that is occupied mainly by students.
- Privately rented flats or houses occupied only by students.
- Dwellings occupied only by students and their dependants, with the dependants holding immigration permission to be in the UK that prevents them from working or claiming benefits.
It is important to note that if one or more occupants of a property cease to be students, the exemption may be lost, and the household will receive a 25% discount on their bill. Additionally, students on part-time courses are not exempt and are liable to pay council tax.
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Council tax exemption certificates and how to obtain them
International students in England, Scotland, or Wales may be exempt from paying council tax. Council tax exemption applies to specific student accommodation types, referred to as "dwellings". These include:
- Accommodation provided by the university or college that is occupied only or mainly by students (e.g. halls of residence).
- Privately rented flats or houses occupied only by students.
- Dwellings occupied by students and their dependants, where those dependants have immigration permission to be in the UK and are prevented from taking paid employment or claiming benefits.
To be considered a 'student' and qualify for council tax exemption, you must meet certain criteria. These include:
- Being enrolled full-time on a course lasting at least one academic year, requiring a minimum of 21 to 24 hours of study per week and at least 24 weeks' attendance each year.
- Being under 20 years old and studying for a qualification up to or equivalent to A-Level or a Higher Scottish Certificate of Education.
- Being a foreign language assistant in a school or educational institution and registered with the British Council.
Once you are fully enrolled in your course, you must obtain a Council Tax Exemption Certificate and submit this to the Council Tax Office in the borough where you live. This certificate confirms your status as a full-time student and ensures that you are not liable for council tax. If you share accommodation with non-students, providing this certificate will exclude you from the council tax bill.
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Frequently asked questions
International students may be exempt from paying council tax in the UK if they meet the Council Tax definition of a 'student'. This includes being a full-time student, under 20 years old, and studying for a qualification equivalent to A-level or higher.
To count as a 'student' for Council Tax purposes, you must meet certain criteria. You must be enrolled in a full-time course that lasts at least one academic year, requires a minimum of 21 to 24 hours of study per week, and involves at least 24 weeks of attendance each year.
If you are a full-time international student living with non-students, you are still exempt from paying council tax. However, the non-students in the household will be expected to pay the full bill.
As an international student, you must obtain a Council Tax Exemption Certificate once you are fully enrolled and submit this to the Council Tax Office in the borough where you live. This certificate will exclude you from the council tax bill.
