So I've been thinking about learning to play bassoon and I was wondering what kind of bassoon is good for students. I'm only planning to play only for school/university orchestras/bands (nothing pro) and since I'm only renting it (won't be playing for very long, depends on whether the ensemble needs one or not), cost won't be a huge issue.

If you are serious about wanting a decent bassoon but not serious about spending a ton of money, look for a polypropylene Fox bassoon. These Fox models are: Model 41, a student bassoon, Model IV, the original polypropylene bassoon (which is still made) and Model III, a slightly upscale model with more keywork. These bassoons are finished with the same care Fox uses on their wood models and you often can find a good bargain on a used one.

There are lots of good student bassoons out there these days. Adler, Huller, Moosmann, The M Bassoon from Miller Marketing, Renard, Takeda, Wolf... and many others. In you situation, you are probably better off with a secondhand bassoon. They are far cheaper, and you know exactly what you are getting.