You're a student if you're: attending a university or college course which lasts at least one academic year, takes at least 24 weeks a year and involves at least 21 hours of study a week when in attendance; under 20 years of age, studying for more than three months and at least 12 hours a week for a qualification up to A Level (if you leave after 1 May, we will not count you until the following 1 November); a student nurse on a university course; a foreign language assistant registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges; a non-British spouse or dependant of a student and you are prevented by the terms of UK entry from taking paid employment or from claiming benefits.