Flex & Travel

Qualifying criteria for all students

As a result of our experiences in the first year of running Flex & Travel, the College has made a number of changes to the original scheme. All students will need to meet the College’s qualifying requirements of:

•           Attending a full-time further education course

•           Living at least 2 miles from the College

•           Having an attendance record of 90% or greater

•           Having a satisfactory tutor report and being up-to-date
            with all course work/assignments

•           Having satisfactory behaviour

Are you under 19 years when you start your course and live in County Durham?

If you are under 19 years at the start of your full-time further education course, Durham County Council will provide subsidised travel subject to you living more than 2 miles from College.  Allowance for travel costs is determined by the distance you live from the College.

All students must apply direct to Durham County Council as early as possible. For further information on eligibility and an application form call the County Hall Transport Entitlement Team on 0191 383 5500.  On the application form from Durham County Council you will be asked to select a bus operator, this should be the one which provides the best service between your home and the College.  Failure to make an early application may result in a delay of the issue of your bus ticket.

It is essential that you make your application to Durham County Council early, as the bus operators will not release any bus tickets until they receive confirmation from Durham County Council.  If your application is approved, Durham County Council will pay the travel assistance award directly to your chosen bus operator each term.

Please click the following link for further details of ‘How to get your student travel ticket from Arriva’ or 'How to get your student travel ticket from Go North East'.  Failure to make an early application may result in a delay of the issue of your bus ticket.

Continuing Students

For those students continuing on the same qualification from 2009/10 there will be no change to the Flex & Travel application process. If you are unsure if you will qualify as a continuing student, please contact the Access Fund Administrator on 0191 375 4205 or email access.fund@newdur.ac.uk. If your application to Durham County Council is approved, the College will pay any outstanding balance directly to your chosen bus operator each term.

All other students

For all new students or current students starting a new qualification at the College, in addition to meeting the aforementioned College qualifying requirements you will also need to be in receipt/eligible for full Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). 

In the first term the College will pay any outstanding balance directly to your chosen bus operator, without the requisite EMA Notice of Entitlement Letter (NoE).  However, you must provide the Access Fund Administrator (Blue 0.21) with a copy of your EMA NoE letter as soon as possible.  Failure to do so may lead to action to recover the support given to date and declining of any further support in subsequent terms.