Post 16 fixed grant
Your child may be able to get assistance with transport costs to go to sixth form or college in the form of a fixed term grant of £150 per academic year.
Eligibility
To be eligible, a student must meet all four of these criteria:
- be aged 16 to 18 when they start their course
- be studying a full-time course
- live more than 3 miles from a qualifying school
- be from a qualifying low-income family or live more than 75 minutes away from a qualifying school/college*
* A qualifying low-income family is one where a student entitled to Free School Meals or whose parents are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits: maximum level of Working Tax Credit or or maximum Universal Credit.
* The distance from a qualifying school/college is measured one way in the morning, door to door, using public transport.
* A qualifying school/college is any one of the following:
- their nearest school sixth form
- their nearest freestanding further education /sixth form college
- their nearest Leicestershire school sixth form college or freestanding further education/sixth form college (i.e. if their nearest school or college in either one of the above is in another council area, they will get the additional choice of their nearest equivalent school or college within Leicestershire).
Please note: we don’t take availability or location of courses into account. We will only provide assistance to the student’s nearest educational establishment as described above and if the qualifying criteria are met.
Applying online
You have to apply each academic year for the school/college transport grant. Apply below for the 2025/26 academic year.
For the 2025/26 academic year we aim to inform you of our decision by 31 October 2025, for all applications received by 15 September 2025.
You can use the online form to provide proof of eligibility for Free school meals, or receipt of the maximum amount of Working Tax Credits.
Online applications - you’ll need to use a council 'Self' account to make your online application.
If you don't have a Self account yet, just Sign up using your email address:
- You will receive a verification email (check spam/junk folders) – just click the link in the email to verify your account, then add your name, address and contact details in the Profile form and click Submit
If you already have a Self account – please ensure your address and contact details are up to date BEFORE you begin your application.
Apply online for 2025/26
Other transport options
You may be able to get season tickets and discounted fares on public transport for your child’s journey to school/college.
Some commercial bus operators run ‘School specials’, ask the school or college for more information.
Use the Choose How You Move journey planner to see what public transport services run between your home and your child’s school or college. Once you’ve found a service, check with the bus company that provides it to see if there are any season ticket discounts.
Mainstream home to school and college transport policy
The Mainstream home to school/college transport policy includes detailed information on all aspects of the service, please refer to this before applying.
