Tax credit for renting accommodation?

I am currently back at college for a year completing my degree. I have been working for the last number of years and am wonderig if I can claim tax credits/relief on the rent I am paying for my accommodation while at the college. I am a home owner and have to rent away from home to attend the college. Does the rent credit only apply to people who rent their principle residence? I am paying about 3700 in rent for the year.

As far as I know (and there is another recent thread on this specific issue) you cannot claim both owner occupier mortgage interest tax relief and the rented accommodation tax credit. You may also need to verify that you can actually retain your owner occupier status with respect to the property which you are buying while living in rented accommodation elsewhere.