A student is studying in one city and living in another: can he shorten his prayers?
Question

                A student travels to Riyadh to study in the University; he leaves on Friday evening and comes back to his family and his city on Monday afternoon. Does the ruling on travellers apply to him with regard to shortening and joining prayers?.
Praise be to Allah.
    He is undoubtedly a 
    traveller, because he has not taken the city where he studies as his 
    hometown, and he does not intend to settle there at all; rather he is 
    staying there for a purpose. But if he is in a city where prayers in 
    congregation are held regularly, then he has to attend the prayers in 
    congregation. As for the view that is widely held among some of the common 
    folk, that the traveller does not have to pray in congregation or offer 
    Friday prayer, there is no basis for this. Rather praying in congregation is 
    obligatory for the traveller even if he is in battle. Allaah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): “When you (O Messenger Muhammad
    صلى الله عليه وسلم) are among them, and 
    lead them in As‑Salaah (the prayer), let one party of them stand up [in 
    Salaah (prayer)]…” [al-Nisa’ 4:102]. And Friday prayer is obligatory 
    upon everyone who can hear the call to prayer. Allaah says (interpretation 
    of the meaning): “O you who believe 
    (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah (prayer) on Friday 
    (Jumu‘ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu‘ah religious talk 
    (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)]…” [al-Jumu’ah 62:9]. But if you 
    miss a prayer (in congregation) when you are there, or you are in a place 
    that is far away from the mosques, then you may pray the four-rak’ah prayers 
    as two-rak’ahs. End quote. 

    Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).