I am a postgraduate research student, do I need to pay council tax?

If you are a full-time postgraduate research (PGR) student and you live on your own, or with other students, you will be eligible for the student council tax exemption. However, you will still need to provide proof of your student status to your local authority if you are in private accommodation.

If you are eligible for the exemption, you use our Surrey Support 'University Letters' page to generate a "Confirmation of Registration" letter confirming that you are a student. This letter will confirm your start date, your expected end date and the name of the course you are studying. This can then be used to apply for the council tax exemption on the Guildford Borough Council website (or your own local authority’s website).

If you are a part-time postgraduate research (PGR) student, you will normally be working under 21 hours per week on your PhD programme and so will not be eligible for the student council tax exemption. However, you may qualify for a council tax reduction, which could cover all or some of your council tax liability if you have a low income. You will need to liaise directly with your local authority to see if you can apply for a reduction. More details are available on the Guildford Borough Council’s website (or your own local authority’s website).

If you are still unsure or would like further advice you can contact the Research Degrees Programme Management team.