Post-16 transport (mainstream)

If your child does not qualify for free home to school travel assistance, you can apply for a spare seat.

The charge for this ticket is £324.50 per term for 2025/26 academic year.

• seats are issued on a first come first served basis and are subject to availability
• seats are only made available one term at a time
• the issue of a ticket does not guarantee that the place will be available in future terms
• the Council cannot guarantee to give advance warning of seats becoming unavailable
• applications must be received after the start of the half term holiday before the beginning of the term you are applying for
• spare seats are only available on school contract buses, and pupils would be expected to get to an existing bus stop

To apply for a spare seat please use 'apply for post-16 education transport' button above. If you are not eligible, you will then get an option to apply for a spare seat.

Download the questions and answers pdf for more information

A termly allowance, currently £40 per term, may be payable to students who are entitled to free or subsidised transport, but use a bicycle to travel to school/college instead. To claim for this allowance, please complete the claim form.

You will receive information about bus allocation and timetables with the bus pass. However, if you receive a bus pass for a public service bus, please refer to the buses section on our website.

Financial support is available for Post-16 students who are living in low-income households if either the student or a member of their household are in receipt of one of the following:

• Income support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• NHS Tax Exemption certificate
• Universal Credit with a household monthly net income of no more than £935

They must also:

• Live in Cambridgeshire and attend their nearest appropriate post-16 centre
• Be enrolled on a full-time course
• Be over 16 but under 19 on 31 August 2025
• Live more than 3 miles from the nearest appropriate post-16 centre, but also be able to complete the journey within 90 minutes

The nearest appropriate post-16 centre (NAC) is defined as the school, college, or university technical college that:

• regardless of county boundaries is nearest to the student’s family home
• and / or where appropriate, named by the LA as the school, college, or university technical college catchment for the student’s family address
• and offers the main essentials of the course required by the student, both in terms of type and level with regard to higher education and / or careers outcomes

You will not be eligible for transport assistance if you are not attending your nearest appropriate centre, however you may be able to purchase a ‘spare seat’ on one of the County Council’s contracted vehicles. You will be responsible for all associated transport costs.

No. If you are eligible under the set out criteria, the Council will provide transport at a subsidised cost.

For students who meet the criteria, their contribution towards the cost of travel for academic year 2025-26 is £495 for the year, or £165 per term.

Yes, if you are not eligible then you may apply for a spare seat on the Councils contracted vehicles. The charge for this ticket is £324.50 per term for 2025-26 academic year. Please complete the application form online. If you are not eligible, you will then be sent notification should a spare seat be available, when payment will be requested.

If you are deemed eligible for subsidised post-16 travel assistance, you will be provided with a bus pass.

If you would prefer, a cycle allowance is also available. A termly allowance - currently £40 per term – may be payable to students who are entitled to subsidised transport assistance. A separate “claim for cycling allowance” form needs to be completed at the end of each term. Forms are available from the Post-16 Transport webpage.

No.

We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity however, Post16 eligibility checks will not commence until August so you may not hear from us until then.

To apply for post-16 transport you need to complete the online application form, which is available on the Post 16 Transport webpage.

You will need to include the following with your application:

• A passport sized photo as it is a requirement that all post-16 students’ passes display a current photograph.
• A full copy of all your benefit documents (if applicable). Please note we cannot return original documents.
• If you have been refused a place at another post-16 centre, please also include a copy of your refusal letter

Please note: payment will be taken with your application and your money will be refunded if your application is not eligible.

Bus passes are usually issued within 15 working days or before the start of the school term (whichever is longer). If your application is unsuccessful, you will be advised within the same timescale. Please wait until 10 working days have passed before contacting us to check progress.

Please note: during the months of July, August and September we handle a high volume of applications, telephone calls and e-mails. It may not be possible to process your application within the above timescale during periods of peak demand. If you have started your course and meet the entitlement criteria, the Local Authority will only consider reimbursement of travel costs (incurred on the journey to and / or from college) if receipts / tickets are provided. Refunds for any travel costs incurred to induction days will not be provided.

Yes, you need to submit a new application for post-16 travel assistance each academic year.

If your circumstances change then you must update us. Please email edtransport@cambridgeshire.gov.uk with full details of the pupil and the changes required. Please be advised, a change of home address will result in eligibility for transport to be reviewed, this would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis but could result in transport no longer being provided.

Those who do not qualify under the Council's Post-16 Travel Assistance Policy for financial support will need to make their own travel arrangements to and from college. Some colleges operate their own transport services; therefore, students may wish to contact their chosen centre directly for information regarding services available in their area.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund has been set up by the government specifically to help young people who are in need of additional support with the costs associated with their continuing education or training. Further information regarding the fund, including eligibility criteria and the application process is available directly from each post-16 centre.

Please visit our website for up-to-date information on our appeals process and advice on next steps. https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-learning/school-transport/home-to-school-transport-reviews-appeals