student travel concession card nsw

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Apply for a school travel pass or School Opal card

School travel passes can be used for free travel to and from school or TAFE. Depending on where you are travelling, you may receive a free school travel pass, School Opal card or both.

If you have applied for a student travel pass before you will need a different page:

If your pass has expired or your details or travel requirements have changed, go to re-apply or update details on a current pass .
If your application was unsuccessful, find out about requesting a review .
If your card is damaged, lost or stolen, go to replace a damaged, lost or stolen pass .

Things to know before applying

Applications for next year open at the start of Term 4 this year.

You can apply for free school travel for different modes of transport including train, bus, ferry and light rail using the online form.

You only need to apply:

if applying for a school travel pass for the first time.
if requesting an extra pass due to parents living separately.

The student must:

be a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.
be aged 4 years 6 months or older. Pre-school children are not eligible.
live a minimum distance from your school. The minimum distance varies according to the year or grade the student is enrolled in that calendar year.

Who can get a school travel pass

Kindergarten to year 2 (infants).

There is no minimum walking distance for these students.

Year 3 to Year 6

The straight line distance from the student's home address to school is more than 1.6km.
The walking distance from home to school is 2.3km or further.

Year 7 to Year 12

The straight line distance from the student's home address to school is more than 2km, or
The walking distance from home to school is 2.9km or further.

TAFE students

They are under 18 years of age at 1 January of the year of application.
They are enrolled in a full-time TAFE course for a minimum of 16 hours per week.
They are not employed.
The walking distance from home to TAFE is 3.2km or further.
They attend the closest TAFE where enrolment is available.

Who can’t get it

Free school travel is available to students who live outside of the following distances from their school. If you live within these distances, the student may still qualify for a School Term Bus Pass .

Before you start the online form

Confirm the mode of transport and the transport operators the student will need for travel between home and school.

Completing the form

The form needs to be completed in one session, you will not be able to save a partly completed form.
You will need a valid email address.
Note down your N or UN number.
Applications must be made by a parent or legal guardian if the student is under 16 years of age.
The student needs to complete and submit the application form if they are 16 years or older.

Apply for a school travel pass

Paper forms

If you don't have access to the internet, you can download and print a paper application form (pdf 1.7MB) . Once the paper form is completed and signed, please hand the form to the student's school or TAFE for validation.

Things to know after applying

After you have submitted your application, the student's school needs to verify it.
Transport for NSW will process the application, which may take several weeks.
You will be informed of the outcome of your application by email.
You’ll be able to track the status of the application .
If the application is unsuccessful, you can request a review. Find out more about unsuccessful applications .
See the full terms and conditions for school travel passes and School Opal cards.

What a school travel pass will look like

School Opal Card

School Opal cards are issued by Transport for NSW for free school travel or as a School Term Bus Pass inside Sydney and surrounds. School Opal cards can be accepted on metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail services.

Rural and regional students

School Travel Pass

Free school travel passes and School Term Bus Passes are issued by operators to students travelling on buses in rural and regional areas. Some operators in rural and regional areas may choose not to issue passes to students. Please contact the operator directly to find out when and where the student pass will be sent.

Using your school travel pass or School Opal card

The School Opal card is only valid for use between home and school on the transport operators specified in your original application. If you try to use your School Opal card for unapproved travel the Opal card reader will show an error message .

The School Opal card can be used for only one forward and one return Approved Journey per school or college day (as applicable). This does not include school holidays. Transport for NSW uses the official NSW Government website to determine school term dates.

The School Opal card can only be used between the hours of 6.30am and 7pm for school students, and 6.30am and 9.30pm for TAFE students.

Trying to tap on or off outside of the above days and times will results in an error message on the Opal reader.

For personal travel, children aged 16 years and under should use a Child/Youth Opal card .

Apply for a transport concession entitlement card as a tertiary or TAFE student

Introduction.

If your tertiary institution's student ID card is not recognised by Transport for NSW (TfNSW), you'll need a transport concession entitlement card when you're travelling on your Opal concession card within the Opal network.

The transport concession entitlement card proves you’re entitled to concession fares. It can also be used as proof of entitlement on public transport outside the Opal network in regional/rural NSW.

Eligibility

You must be residing permanently in NSW, and:

an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
enrolled in an Australian Qualifications Framework, accredited higher education or vocational education and training course
a full-time student enrolled on an internal basis (except where a person, by reason of disability, is enrolled on a part-time basis and/or on an external basis).

International students on an Endeavour Scholarship, an Australian Awards Scholarship, or a Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, are also eligible.

What you need

student ID or TAFE NSW Tertiary Student Learner Number
your institution's name (if applicable)
if your institution doesn’t have a specific online form for this, you'll need to complete a consent form – PDF and hand it in to your student centre.

How to apply

Check the eligibility requirements.
Ensure you've given consent for your tertiary institution to share your details with TfNSW at least 2 days ago.
Select the 'Apply online' button.
Select the entitlement type.
Enter your student ID number and your institution's name (if applicable).
Complete the online application.

More information

You must carry your transport concession entitlement card at all times as proof of entitlement when travelling with a concession Opal card, or travelling in regional/rural NSW.

is free, and valid for up to 15 months as long you’re still eligible. You need to apply to renew it by 31 March every year.
is specific to one institution. If you change institutions, you'll need to apply for another card.
entitles you to concession fares on regular local bus services outside the Opal network – check with your Local Transport Operators to find out if you're entitled to concession fares on privately-operated local bus services.
together with your concession Opal card entitles you to a concession Sydney Airport station access fee.
does not entitle you to concession fares on fast ferries between Manly and Circular Quay, event shuttle buses, charter bus services or Great Southern Rail services.
Application for a NSW Tertiary Student Concession Card – PDF
Transport concession entitlement cards
Tertiary proof of entitlement requirements

Related transactions

Apply for a concession Opal card as a tertiary or TAFE student
Renew a transport concession entitlement card (tertiary and TAFE students)
Replace a lost or stolen transport concession entitlement card (tertiary and TAFE students)