If everyone in your household is a full-time student, you do not have to pay Council Tax.
If you do get a bill, you can apply for an exemption. Use our Council Tax portal to tell us that your property is occupied by full-time students.
If you're aged 20 or over
To be classed as a full-time student, your course must:
- last at least 24 weeks of the academic or calendar year
- involve at least 21 hours of study each week
If you're under 20 and studying up to A level
Your course must:
- last at least 3 months
- involve at least 12 hours of study each week
If you're studying at a language school
It is unlikely that students studying English at the many language schools in Portsmouth will be regarded as ‘full-time students’ for Council Tax purposes.
If not everyone in your household is a full-time student
If someone in your household is not a full-time student, the property may not be exempt from Council Tax. However, you may still qualify for a discount depending on who lives in the property. See our other Council Tax discounts and exemptions.
Student exemptions and discounts can only be awarded for the period between the course start date and end date.
More information may be found on our Student Council Tax pages.