Apply for post-16 transport for young people with SEND

After the age of 16, you are not automatically eligible for County Council-funded school transport.

Before you apply for post-16 transport assistance from the County Council, check:

• public bus or rail options
• any transport offered by your school or college
• whether you can receive help from the 16-19 Bursary Fund.

More information about these options can be found in the Post-16 transport policy for the 2026/2027 academic year and on our transport options page.

16-19 Bursary Fund

Young people with SEND aged between 16 and 19 can apply for financial support from the 16-19 Bursary Fund. The bursary could be worth up to £1,200 depending on a young person's circumstances and the benefits that they receive. The Bursary can be used to pay for transport to an education provider. You do not need to be eligible for County Council-provided transport to qualify.

To find out more, speak to the school or college's SENCO, class teacher or headteacher.

The County Council may provide discretionary (non-statutory) transport for some young people with SEND aged 16 or over where:

• transport is essential to reach an appropriate education placement
• and a parent or carer cannot reasonably transport them
• and the eligibility criteria in the post-16 transport policy are met

The County Council applies strict criteria detailed in the post-16 transport policy and officers carefully review each application.

Apply every year

You must apply for post-16 transport assistance every year.

The post-16 transport policy is reviewed and updated annually. If a child or young person received transport assistance during the past academic year, it does not mean they will be eligible for the next academic year.

Not eligible for transport assistance

Transport is not available for:

• apprenticeships with employed status
• work placements or work experience
• other bespoke arrangements such as taster days

A different policy will apply depending on your circumstances and when you want post-16 transport to begin:

For students aged 16 or 17 in September 2026 receiving transport assistance during the 2026/2027 academic year:

• Parents and carers are responsible for getting the student to and from education if able to do so.
• When you apply, you must explain why you need the County Council’s help with transport and why you cannot provide transport yourself. Work schedules or having children at different schools are not normally accepted as reasons on their own.
• If you cannot transport the student yourself, you must provide evidence. This could include a letter from a medical professional or a letter from your employer about your work hours.
• All requests for transport will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Parental contributions

For students aged 16 to 18, a parental contribution is required, except for:

• existing users continuing 2025/2026 arrangements into 2026/2027 with no changes in circumstances and the family is in receipt of certain benefits (see appendix 1 of the Post-16 Transport Policy 2025/2026)
• in-year applications for 2025/2026 if the student is from a family in receipt of certain benefits
• eligible students aged 19 or over starting a new course

See parental contributions for the latest rates.

Pick-up and drop-off

Transport is only offered between:

• the home and school or college
• the school or college and a County Council-designated pick-up and drop-off point

Where the distance between the nearest pick-up or drop-off point and home or college is less than one mile, we would not normally provide transport for that part of the journey. Transport may be provided for students within these distances where this is recommended following an assessment of their individual needs. The criteria used to determine entitlement within walking distance apply in these circumstances.

The expectation is that students will share transport. The drop off and collection arrangements are made in line with the college or school’s start and finish times. Transport will not take into consideration individual students’ timetables. The transport arrangement may include a waiting time at the start or end of the day.

Personal Transport Budgets (PTBs)

For some young people, the most practical and suitable travel arrangement may be for a parent or carer to arrange transport themselves. In these situations, the County Council may offer a Personal Transport Budget (PTB) to help cover the costs of arranging and transport or supporting the journey as a passenger assistant.

A PTB gives families the flexibility to organise travel in a way that best meets the young person's needs.

However, in certain circumstances a PTB may be the only form of Post 16 transport support available. Where there is no suitable alternative transport provision for the young person, the County Council may not offer any other Post 16 transport assistance beyond a PTB.

Independent travel training

Independent travel training will be considered as part of a student’s application and assessment. For some post-16 students, travel training will be a mandatory part of their travel arrangements (for example, alongside contracted transport or a public transport pass).

Travel training helps students develop the practical skills they need to travel independently to their place of education. The training is tailored to each individual’s abilities and needs. It supports their growing independence in all areas of life as they enter adulthood.

Find out more about independent travel training on Types of transport assistance.

Residential placements

Students eligible for transport who attend residential placements outside of Hampshire will only receive transport at the start and end of each term, half term and other closures of the school or college.

Additional transport will be the responsibility of parents or carers.

Application deadline on 30 June

All applications for Post-16 Transport starting in September 2026 must be submitted by 30 June. Do not apply until you have a confirmed school or college place.

Transport allocation in August

Transport for eligible students whose applications were received on time will be allocated by the end of August. Parents and carers will be notified about the arrangements by email.

In a small number of cases, transport arrangements may not be able to start in September. Parents and carers will be notified if this is the case.

In-year applications

We aim to provide a decision on in-year applications within 10 working days. It may take a further 15 working days for transport to be arranged. Your application will be assessed against the post-16 transport policy 2025/2026.

Late applications

The 30 June deadline is subject to an EHCP being in place or in the process of having one agreed.

• If an EHCP is finalised after 30 June, the application will be treated as on-time.
• If you have an EHCP prior to 30 June and you do not submit your application until after this date, it will be treated as a ‘late application’.

Late applications will only be reviewed after all on-time applications have been processed. This means that transport may not be in place for the start of the school term in September or may not be available for the first school term.

If the student meets the criteria in our post-16 transport policy and requires assistance getting to school or college, you can apply for post-16 transport using the Education Portal. Registration is required.

Apply for post-16 transport on the Education Portal

Policy documents

Before applying, you will need to confirm that you have read and understood the relevant policy:

• Post-16 Transport Policy 2025/2026 for transport assistance during the 2025/2026 academic year (“in-year” applications)
• Post-16 Transport Policy 2026/2027 for transport assistance during the 2026/2027 academic year (from September 2026)

You will also need to confirm that you have read and understood our code of conduct for SEND transport.

Advice for non-eligible students

If a student does not meet the eligibility criteria, there are alternative travel options  available to residents of Hampshire. You may also be able to get assistance from the student's school or college.

Appeals

If you wish to appeal a school transport decision, see school transport appeals.