Answer : KCC LA College Student Awards

KCC LEA College Student Awards Students aged 16 to 18 (i.e. under 19 before the 1 September 2008) can apply for help towards the cost of Home to College transport in 2008/09 if they live more than 3 miles from the nearest appropriate Publicly-Funded Further Education college offering the non-advanced qualification or a comparable course.

This assistance will require an advanced payment of £490 or alternatively payable at a rate of £165 for terms 1& 2 and £150 for term 3, though this charge will normally be waived if the parent(s) are in receipt of Income Support / Income based Job Seekers Allowance / Child tax credit only and your taxable income is less than £15,575 / Pension Credit.

Furthermore, free transport will also be awarded if any student previously held a Statement of Special Educational Needs and was prescribed free transport to school. If you meet the criteria described above we will ask you for the appropriate termly payment and the method of transport that is to be undertaken (i.e. bus or rail).

Your tickets will then be issued before the start of the Autumn term provided you apply by 31 July 2008 (if you apply after this date, it will take up to 6 weeks to process your ticket application). A renewal Form AW3 will then be issued for completion and return for the remaining 2 terms. Transport assistance will not normally be considered for second qualification courses.

Answer : KCC LA Sixth Forms

KCC LEA College Student Awards Students aged 16 to 18 (i.e. under 19 before the 1 September 2008) can apply for help towards the cost of Home to College transport in 2008/09 if they live more than 3 miles from the nearest appropriate Publicly-Funded Further Education college offering the non-advanced qualification or a comparable course.

This assistance will require an advanced payment of £490 or alternatively payable at a rate of £165 for terms 1& 2 and £150 for term 3, though this charge will normally be waived if the parent(s) are in receipt of Income Support / Income based Job Seekers Allowance / Child tax credit only and your taxable income is less than £15,575 / Pension Credit.

Furthermore, free transport will also be awarded if any student previously held a Statement of Special Educational Needs and was prescribed free transport to school. If you meet the criteria described above we will ask you for the appropriate termly payment and the method of transport that is to be undertaken (i.e. bus or rail).

Your tickets will then be issued before the start of the Autumn term provided you apply by 31 July 2008 (if you apply after this date, it will take up to 6 weeks to process your ticket application). A renewal Form AW3 will then be issued for completion and return for the remaining 2 terms. Transport assistance will not normally be considered for second qualification courses.

Answer : Canterbury College

Providing they are attending their nearest college, students aged 16 to under 19 at the start of the course can apply in the first instance to their Local Authority for subsidised travel before 31st July for Kent County Council and four weeks prior to the start of the course for Medway Council to receive it for the start of the Autumn Term.

It may be more economical to purchase weekly or daily travel from the bus or train stations

Students who are not entitled to a travel pass from their Local Education Authority or who have difficulty funding the cost of the KCC travel pass should contact the Student Information Centre at Canterbury College to get further details regarding:

• an application to the Learner Support Fund for assistance towards travel providing they meet the general eligibility criteria for funding
• Discounted Park and Ride season cards are available from Canterbury City Council, telephone number 01227 862429

Who can apply for discretionary Learner Support Funds?

• Students enrolled on a course at Canterbury College for a minimum of twelve guided learning hours per week over six or more consecutive weeks.
• Students in receipt of a means tested benefit or on a low income and this includes students dependent on parents or guardians on low income.
• A student who has been 'ordinarily resident' in the United Kingdom or the European Union for three years prior to the start of the course.
• Receipt of an Educational Maintenance Allowance or Adult Learning Grant will be taken into consideration.

What kind of travel support can I apply for through the Learner Support Funds?
Generally you can apply for either bus or train travel. Only under special circumstances would any other form of transport be considered.

Emergency travel costs
A student who experiences difficulty getting to and from college due to financial restraints should contact the discretionary Learner Support Fund team for advice and support.

For further information, please contact the discretionary Learner Support Fund on 01227 811197.

Answer : Hadlow College

College can provide free transport from Maidstone and Tonbridge Railway Stations on a daily basis - students need to apply to the College.

Mid Kent College

Answer :

Learners aged 16-19 at the start of the course who live more than 3 miles from the nearest appropriate college campus can apply to their Local Authority (LA) for subsidised travel using the form AW3. If you are applying so that you receive your travel pass before the start of the Autumn Term you must advise Kent County Council before 31st July or in the case of Medway Council, four weeks before the start of the course.

Currently subsidised travel with KCC is £450 for whole year (paid in advance) or there are three payments of £150 (one payment per term).

Medway Council provide travel passes for learners at cost - annual prices currently are: Bus pass £508, train pass under 30 miles £429, train pass over 30 miles £636.

Free travel could be granted if you are in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Pension Credit, Child Tax but only if parent/guardian does not receive Working Tax Credit and they have an assessed income of £14,155 or less per year (no other benefit/Tax Credit qualifies them for free travel).

If you are not entitled to subsidised or free travel, the Mid Kent College Learner Support Fund (LSF) may be able to support you. The LSF can only assist learners that fall under great hardship i.e. those not eligible for EMA. Learners on full time or part time courses who are eligible under LSF criteria and who live more than 3 miles from campus (exceptions exist for physical and mental restrictions) can apply with an upper limit of £20 per week. In certain circumstances this limit may be increased.

Learners have to apply each academic year for Learner Support Funding.

Please contact LearnerFinance@MidKent.ac.uk for more information or telephone us on 01634 884465

Answer : North West Kent College

Support for travel costs is available from the College Learner Support Fund for those who meet the eligibility criteria.

Any student who is enrolled on or offered a full time or substantial part time (2hrs.+ per week for a full academic year) course can apply.

Normally assistance consists of a contribution towards the cost of travel to and from college by the cheapest and most direct form of public transport available. However funding for other means of transport such as private car or motorcycle will be considered if public transport is either unavailable or inappropriate. For those students who are unable to travel independently consideration will be given towards support for escorted travel methods. Each case will be assessed on its merits and will depend on the funding available.

Application forms for the NWK College Learner Support Fund are available to any offered or enrolled student from the Student Advisers or main Reception desks at each of the main college sites at Dartford and Gravesend. When applying students may be asked to provide evidence of their income and benefit status. Failure to do so will delay the assessment.

Travel funding is assessed on the basis that:

• The student is eligible for exam fee remission or on low income.
• Full time students under 19, attending their first full time FE course, must have applied for and been refused help from their Local Authority.
• The student lives more than three miles from the college site at which their course is based.
• Hours of study. The amount awarded is reduced proportionately for those on part time courses.

The amounts awarded will depend on the total available within the Learner Support Fund for the year and the number of eligible applications received.

Any student whose application is rejected can appeal their case to the Director of Student Services, stating why they should be considered exceptionally and advising of any material facts or changes in circumstances not included in their original application. The Director's decision is final.

Answer : Sheppey College

KCC Subsidised Travel - £150.00 per Term payable by the student

• Passes issued for bus or train travel
• Students must be under 19 on the 1 September in the year they join the College
• Students must live 3 miles or more from the College
• Students must not have previously studied the same course

The yearly fee of £450.00 may be waived if the students parents/guardians are in receipt of:

• Income Support
• Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based)
• Pension Credit

Child Tax Credit – provided they do not receive Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) which does not exceed £14,155.

Learner Support Fund  - the College may be able to support students by refunding travel tickets or assisting towards the purchase of a bus or train pass for those who do not fall into the KCC criteria, but who fit the following:

• Students must live 3 miles or more from the College

Students must be on a low income (further information can be obtained from the college).

Answer : South Kent College

Kent County Council offer free/subsidised fare for 16-19 in full time education whose course is more than 3 miles away from home and college is nearest appropriate college.  Students need to apply to their Local Education authority using Form AW3.

2006/2007 free travel granted if in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Pension Credit, Child Tax but only if parent/guardian does not receive Working Tax Credit and they have an assessed income of £14,155 or less per year. (no other benefit/Tax Credit qualifies them for free travel).

Subsidised travel (for those not in receipt of these benefits) is £450 for whole year (paid in advance) or there are three payments of £150 (one payment per term).

2006/07 South Kent College Learner Support Funds only assist students that fall under great hardship, i.e those not eligible for EMA. Students on full time and part time courses who are eligible under Learner Support Fund criteria and who live more than 3 miles from campus can apply, (exceptions exist for physical and mental restrictions) with full cost train or bus to upper limit of £20 per academic week. In certain circumstances this limit can be increased.

Answer : Thanet College

AW2 form for KCC assistance costing the set KCC fee or free if on means tested benefit. Also Learning Support Fund help from Thanet College.

Answer : West Kent College

West Kent College will offer help to students who are eligible for financial assistance and who live more than 3 miles from the College.  Where students are in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance, this will be taken into consideration when calculating the amount of assistance on offer.  There may still be instances where 16 year old students will receive additional travel assistance through Learner Support Funds.  These students are likely to be receiving the lower rate of EMA and living a considerable distance from College.  All other eligible students who are 16-19, living more than 3 miles from the College and whose parents are in receipt of a means-tested benefit or are on a low household income, will be considered for assistance through the Learner Support Fund subject to their having been refused by the LEA.

Students need to apply to the Learner Support Fund as soon as they are enrolled on their course.

Eligible students over the age of 19 will be assessed according to their individual circumstances and may receive travel assistance if on a means-tested benefit or on a low-income. Those students over 19 and in receipt of an Adult Learner’s Grant will have their award reduced accordingly.

In exceptional circumstances,  West Kent College may offer assistance to students who are not eligible for Learner Support Funds.  These cases will be assessed on an individual basis.  For example, where a student needs emergency assistance to get home, we may offer either a loan or provide a travel warrant the value of which should be repaid to the College.

Any student not entitled to other support can still take advantage of a 20% discount scheme that West Kent College has arranged for rail travel and is based on buying a monthly season ticket.  This discount is not income-dependent and is available to all students.

We advise all parents and guardians that they will need to calculate whether either the discounted ticket or the subsidised travel from the LEA is cost effective, based on how many days the student must attend college.

Students living in the Greater London area can obtain an Oyster card which will entitle them to free or subsidised travel within the relevant zones.  Forms are available in Student Services.

For an explanation of eligibility to any of the above concessions or awards, please contact Student Services on 01732 358101