Last updated: January 2026
Whether you’re obsessed with live football or can’t bear the thought of missing out on an episode of Love Island, you might be wondering if students always need a TV Licence to watch TV, if there are any exceptions, and if you can get a student discount.
Here’s the deal: generally, students need a TV Licence if they want to watch or record live TV or watch anything on BBC (even on iPlayer). There’s also no special student TV Licence or student discount, so you’ll need to pay the same price as everyone else. But don’t worry – there’s a potential loophole involving your parents’ licence that we’ll dig into later.
This blog will include everything you need to know about when you need a TV Licence and when you might not need one.
We’ll cover:
Find out what a TV Licence is and why you need one.
Just how much you have to pay and when as a student.
Do students need to pay for a TV Licence when living in student halls?
Do students need to pay for a TV Licence when living in second- or third-year student accommodation?
If your parents pay for a TV Licence, do you also have to pay for one?
Is there a TV Licence loophole that means students are exempt?
A TV Licence is basically your legal pass to watch live TV or BBC iPlayer. The cost of your TV Licence funds the BBC, including its TV programmes, radio, and weather.
If you’re watching live broadcasts – even if it’s only once in a blue moon – you need one. If you’re caught without it, you could be facing a fine of up to £1,000, which is the last thing you need. You’re safe if you only stick to on-demand streaming like Netflix or Disney+.
To be blunt: no. There isn’t a student discount for TV Licences, so the price is the same for everyone – £174.50 a year (as of April 2025). You can pay yearly, monthly or quarterly through Direct Debit.
Pro tip: If you buy a full year’s Licence but head back to your parents’ place for the summer, you can grab a partial refund. As long as you have at least one full month left on the Licence, you may be able to claim that cash back through the TV Licence website. You can request your refund through the TV Licence website.
Depending on your halls, there might be TVs in the communal areas, which should be covered by a TV Licence paid for by your accommodation provider. However, you’ll need your own TV Licence to watch live TV or BBC iPlayer in your room – a student discount on TV Licences still doesn’t apply.
If you’re living in a shared house or flat, you’ll also need a TV Licence to watch live TV or BBC programmes. However, if your landlord provides a communal TV, the TV Licence for this should be covered by your landlord.
Depending on your tenancy agreement, there are different rules about how many TV Licences you’ll need for your shared house.
Individual tenancy agreements
If you and your housemates all signed separate contracts, you each need your own Licence for your rooms.
Joint tenancy agreements
If you all signed one big contract together, you only need one Licence for the whole house. You can just split the cost between everyone and keep things simple, unless, of course, the landlord has supplied a TV, as by doing this, the licence fee will fall onto them.
Discover the difference between individual and joint tenancy agreements.
Generally, your parents’ TV Licence won’t cover you while you’re away at university if you want to watch live TV.
However, there is a student TV Licence loophole if your parents’ address is your main address outside of term time, and they pay for a TV Licence…
According to the TV Licence website, you can be covered by your parents’ TV Licence in specific circumstances. These are the requirements to ensure you’re covered without needing to purchase your own licence:
However, if you’re going to be watching a lot of live TV, it makes sense to purchase a Licence anyway to make sure you’re covered. Plus, you’ll need your own licence if you want to watch live broadcasts on an actual TV (as opposed to a tablet or laptop).
At Split the Bills, we’re on a mission to make bills as simple as possible for students. While you can’t get a student discount on TV Licences, our bill-splitting package includes uncapped energy, water, WiFi, and a TV Licence for your convenience!
We do all the hard work of setting up your utility accounts, comparing broadband deals, and creating direct debits. All you need to do is make one single payment each month. No stress, no awkward money chats. Simple.
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