Post-16 Transport to Education and Training: Transport Policy Statement 2026/27 - 4. Information, advice and support
Courses
For choice of courses, see UCAS Progress. This gives information on the range of courses in your chosen area of study that are provided by schools, colleges, and training providers in your local area, or further afield.
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund
If you are aged between 16 and 19 and need some help with the costs of full-time education or training, you can apply to your school, college, or training provider for financial assistance from the 16 -19 Bursary Fund.
Students most in need will be eligible for a bursary of up to £1200* a year. This includes people in care, care leavers, people receiving Income Support or Universal Credit and disabled people receiving both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance. Young people eligible for Income Support will include some teenage parents, young people estranged from their families and those whose parents have died.
Other students facing financial difficulties may also be able to claim a bursary to help with the costs of transport, food, equipment, or other course-related costs. You must apply directly to your school, college, or training provider for a bursary. They decide on the amount you receive, when it is paid and what conditions they might attach, for example, linked to your attendance.
For advice speak to student support services or your tutor, or go to 16 to 19 bursary fund.
*£1200 maximum bursary is correct at April 2025 but may be subject to change by the Education Funding Agency.
Non-employed apprenticeship students
The learning provider is responsible for ensuring that non-employed apprentices have their reasonable expenses met in full where this is needed to overcome barriers to learning. These may include the costs of travelling to or from the place of learning or work placement. Please contact your learning provider for more information.
WorkWise also offer a free, day travel pass to attend apprenticeship interviews, and, once an apprenticeship is secured, a free travel pass for the first four weeks of your new apprenticeship.
Care to Learn (C2L)
C2L can help pay for childcare and travel costs for young parents (aged under 20 at the start of the course) who want to continue their education or training and need help with the cost of travel and childcare. You cannot claim if you are a paid Apprentice or are doing a higher education course at university. Further details are available on the Care to Learn website.
A*Stars
Walsall Council has developed an Active Sustainable Travel and Road Safety programme (A*STARS) which encourages a ‘modal shift’ to more environmentally friendly forms of transport and aims to increase road safety awareness. As part of this programme, schools are encouraged to adopt action plans to develop initiatives throughout the academic year. This information is published on the A*Stars website.
Through the development of the Sustainable Mode of Travel Strategy, a range of initiatives to promote and improve road safety, and sustainable travel modes to reduce car use on journeys, to and from school, have been introduced. These included measures to encourage more children and families to walk, cycle and use public transport on the school journey. There are initiatives for secondary schools, including Drive 2 Arrive for pre-drivers and new, young drivers, and advanced cycle training. Further initiatives covering post-16 students at secondary schools will be available as part of the 2026/27 A*Stars programme.
West Midlands Network
West Midlands Network is the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority and is responsible for developing and promoting public transport across the West Midlands metropolitan area. They produce the Network West Midlands transport map that gives information on all bus operators, routes, rail, and metro services.
A journey planner is also available from the Transport for West Midlands website or via the NetNav and New WM Apps.
Contacts
West Midlands Network, 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD
Phone: 0845 303 6760
Transport for West Midlands website
Travel West Midlands, 51 Bordesley Green, Birmingham, B9 4BZ
Phone: 0121 254 7272
Email: travelcare@travelwm.co.uk