Guidelines for Issuing the NSW School Pupil Identification Card (for senior secondary students 16 - 18 years) and NSW Student Identification Card (for senior secondary students 19 and older)
Target groups
- Senior secondary school students aged 16, 17 and 18 years attending NSW/ACT schools: NSW School Pupil Identification Card (Form 202); and
- Secondary students 19 years of age and over: NSW Student Identification Card (Form 204).
Services covered
The NSW School Pupil Identification Card (Form 202) (and the NSW Student Identification Card (Form 204) students 19 years and older) entitle holders to half fare concession travel on:
- Metropolitan and Outer Metropolitan bus services (both government and privately operated)
- Sydney Ferries services
- Newcastle Ferries services
- CityRail services (including AirportLink)
- CountryLink services
- Great Southern Railways services.
Concession fares are not available on special and premium services, charter services, Special Event services or tourism services.
Note: Previously, private bus services in metropolitan Sydney and outer metropolitan areas recognised the Student Omnibus Concession Fare Certificate (Form 320) or other local arrangements.
Card issuers
Concession cards for secondary school students are issued by the secondary school the student attends.
Secondary schools must firstly register with the RailCorp Passes and Concessions Office to become an authorised third party issuer and nominate the person (or persons) in their employ whose responsibilities include issuing transport concession cards. Only these persons are authorised to issue concession cards.
The issue of transport concession cards may NOT be contracted out to other organisations.
Schools are expected to inform students of the availability of concession cards and encourage them to apply well in advance of holiday periods.
Outside of school terms, however, and under exceptional circumstances, students can apply to the RailCorp Passes and Concessions office for a card or replacement card. Students must produce personal identification and proof of their enrolment in school.
Application forms
No written application form is required for the issue of the initial card.
A replacement card application form is required for all replacement cards and is obtainable from the school (see Section 1.10: Replacement cards).
Form 202 and Form 204 Concession card stock
Prior to the commencement of each school year, the RailCorp Passes and Concessions Office provides concession supplies to schools registered as third party concession card issuers.
These supplies include:
- Cardboard concession card stock of the NSW School Pupil Identification Card (Form 202) and where required NSW Student Identification Card (Form 204) for mature aged secondary students. Schools place their orders with RailCorp in November each year and may make orders for supplementary stock in writing on school letterhead as the need arises;
- RailCorp concession security foils for placement on the above concession cards;
- Replacement card application forms;
- Annual reconciliation forms.
Eligibility assessment for 202 and Form 204 Concession cards
Age
- NSW School Pupil Identification Card (Form 202): Students 16, 17 and 18 years of age.
- NSW Student Identification Card (Form 204): Students 19 years and over (mature aged secondary students).
Study status
- Students must be enrolled in a NSW/ACT school that is registered with the RailCorp Passes and Concessions Office; and
- Students must be attending regular classes.
Students who are not eligible
- Full fee paying overseas students.;
- Students engaged in home based tuition;
- Students of mature appearance who are under 16 years (for whom the NSW Proof of Age card is the appropriate concession card).
Note: Where an overseas student is on an approved Australian Government scholarship or exchange program, the student must provide documentation to satisfy the school of such in order to be eligible for NSW student transport concessions.
Procedures for issuing the card/s
As noted in Section 2.3, schools must nominate persons in their employ to be responsible for issuing concession card. These are the only persons authorised to issue concession cards.
The school's authorised concessions officers must verify the applicant's enrolment status and issue the student with the appropriate card showing the student's full name, residential address and the school's name.
The authorised officer must sign the card and attach a RailCorp security foil. The card must also be signed by the student upon receipt for it to be valid.
Period of validity
The NSW School Pupil Identification Card (Form 202) and the NSW Student Identification Card (Form 204), entitle eligible students to concession travel from the start of each school year until the commencement of the next school year (which can be until the 31 March the following year).
School leavers are required to return their cards upon obtaining employment or commencing a further course of fulltime study. Those who remain unemployed can continue to use their card until the 31 March the following year.
Fees
Fees are not payable for either the initial concession card issuance or for annual card renewals.
However, a fee is payable for all replacement concession cards apart from the Proof of Age Card.
Replacement cards
Replacement cards may only be issued by the RailCorp Passes and Concessions office.
Schools should provide students with a Replacement Card application form - a proforma is provided with the school's concession supplies or may be downloaded in PDF format from the Ministry of Transport's website. The Replacement form must be certified with the Authorised Officer's signature and endorsed with the school stamp.
The student then submits the certified form to the RailCorp Passes and Concessions Office by post or in person, and pays the standard card replacement fee by Money Order, Credit Card (excluding Amex and Diners), cash or EFTPOS (in person only).
Records to be kept by schools as registered third party issuers
Schools must keep a record of:
- The serial numbers of all security foils provided by RailCorp.
- The individual security foil number issued to each student.
- Any cards that have been confiscated or returned by a student upon leaving the NSW education system, being expelled or taking up employment or further study on completion of school.
These records are auditable and must be retained at least until the expiry date of the concession entitlement.
A reconciliation statement must be provided to RailCorp on the designated form at the end of the school year. All cancelled and unused security foils must be returned to RailCorp with the reconciliation statement. All unused cardboard concession cards must be destroyed.
