Transport for LondonInformation for schools
Skip to navigationStudents applying for the 16+ Oyster photocard for free travel on buses and trams must have Section three of their application forms fully completed by their education establishment (a school, college or training provider).
Please note the following eligibility criteria when completing the forms:
- Applicants must have been under 18 on the 31 August immediately prior to the start of the academic year (exceptionally, applicants under 19 on 31 August immediately prior to the start of the academic year will still qualify providing they live in London and are following a course at level 3 or below)
- Applicants for free travel must be enrolled at a school or college, studying a minimum of 12 hours of guided learning per week for a minimum of 10 weeks on further education courses at Level 3 or below, or be on a Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funded Entry to Employment (E2E) or Programme Led Pathways (PLP) course for at least 10 weeks
- Applicants for free travel must live in a London Borough, but the school, college or training provider may be outside London. If you are a school, college or training provider near the London boundary it is likely that some of your students will be eligible for free bus and tram travel but others will not
- For those enrolled on a course of less than one year, please enter the correct start and end date of the course
- For those enrolled on a full year's course, there is no requirement to enter the start and end dates of the course
Please ensure the seven digit ID number is properly entered:
- For schools this is normally made up of a three digit LEA code and a four digit school ID
- For E2E/PLP training providers this should be your UPIN number
- You can check your DCSF (formerly DFES) number here by searching using your school's postcode
- If you do not have a DCSF or UPIN number, perhaps because you are an independent education establishment for over-16s, please enter the code RETP08 in the box and write the name of your education establishment on the form, within the school stamp box. The form must still be stamped
- The form must not be authorised until the applicant has started their course. Applications submitted too early will be rejected
- If you are issuing the forms with a covering letter from the school, please do not attach anything to the forms, such as staples, as this delays processing
Applicants for half-rate travel only (who must be under 18) do not need to have their forms authorised by the school.
If you have 18-year-old pupils who would otherwise meet the free travel eligibility criteria, but do not live in London, you may wish to consider registering for the 18+ Student Oyster photocard scheme.
