If you are a full-time student, you will be entitled to claim Student Exemption from Council Tax (students on part-time programmes are not eligible for this exemption).
Please remember that you are liable for Council Tax charges prior to commencement and after completion of your studies – exemption only applies during the published term dates. This means if you have moved into a property before 23 September 2024, you will not be eligible for exemption until the academic year formally commences. Your exemption will stop on the last day of term – not your date of graduation. If you finish one programme and start another the following year, you do not have Student Exemption over that period.
The Conservatoire has a data sharing agreement with Glasgow City Council. If you opted into this service at matriculation, we will automatically send your details to the Council once you have commenced your studies. As long as you have opted-in, this means that the Council will know you are a student when you apply for your exemption. You still need to apply on-line using this link. Exemption will not be confirmed by the Council until you make your application to Glasgow City Council.
If you live outside the Glasgow City Council area you should ask your local authority for a Council Tax exemption application form. Complete your details and then send this to us by email at counciltax@rcs.ac.uk. We will complete the details about your studies and return this form to you. You should then submit this to your local authority to process your exemption.
Remember, it is your responsibility to ensure you apply for your exemption. If our system shows your old address, you must complete a Change of Contact Details form to ensure that the correct details are submitted to the Council. (See the Change of Contact Details section within Student Records for how to do this.)
Exchange students and Council Tax
If you are studying at the Conservatoire as part of an exchange programme you will not be automatically eligible for Student Exemption as you may not meet the threshold of the minimum weeks of study and may be liable to pay Council Tax. If you are studying on a full-time course at your home institution (which is in the EU), this might allow you to be awarded exemption – you will need a letter confirming your student status from your home institution. You should contact the Council regarding this, by using this link.
If you have any questions regarding Council Tax exemption, please contact the Student Records Team who will be happy to help and provide guidance via email at counciltax@rcs.ac.uk.