18+ STUDENT OYSTER PHOTOCARD SCHEME

Transport for London (TFL) with the support of Middlesex University Students’ Union (MUSU) offer eligible students the opportunity to obtain discounts on their Bus, Tube, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, National Rail and Tramlink travel in London.

The card, which costs £10.00, must be applied for online and lasts up to three years whilst you are enrolled (you must reconfirm your student status each year after you have re-enrolled with the University at the beginning of each academic year). To see how much you could save, go to the TFL website at www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets and under Students and Children, click on 18+ student section and then click on the ‘How much do I save?’ tab.

The below has been written as a guide. Please read the full Terms and Conditions of the scheme here.
 

Already have a multi-year validity 18+ Student Oyster Photocard and need to confirm you are still eligible?

Go to the TFL website at www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets and under Students and Children, click on 18+ student section. Just under the ‘Apply Online’ button it will say ‘Sign in’. Click on this and sign into your account, you will need to reconfirm your details and submit them for verification.

If you are not enrolled on myUniHub your application to reconfirm will be rejected, therefore please ensure that you are enrolled online BEFORE you reconfirm.

You have until the 14th October 2011 to reconfirm your application and if you do not do so by this date, the discount on your card will be stopped and you will need to reapply again if you are still eligible.
 

Applying for the first time?

Go to the TFL website at www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets and under Students and Children, click on 18+ student section.

Confirm you are eligible by checking the ‘Can I get one?’ tab and make sure you read the full terms and conditions of the scheme by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. The criteria are different for Full-Time and Part-Time students:

Full-Time student -  you are eligible if you are:
•    Enrolled on a full-time course made up of at least 15 tuition-led and/or structured learning hours^ a week (with attendance at scheduled classes being Monday to Friday only and not including evening classes) over a minimum of 14 weeks on the same course
•    Receiving NHS bursary money as a full-time student
•    A full-time postgraduate student (for example, studying or writing up for 15 or more hours a week)

Part-Time student -  you are eligible if you are:
•    Enrolled on a part-time course lasting for at least 14 weeks and receiving the full government funded tuition fees grant*
•    A part-time postgraduate student receiving financial help from the Access to Learning Fund*
•    Receiving NHS bursary money as a full-time or part-time student

If you are Part-Time and have applied, email MUSUInfo@mdx.ac.uk or come into your local Students’ Union office to let us know what grant/funding you believe you are receiving and we will confirm this for you. You may need to provide evidence of this.

^ Structured learning does not have to be contact hours, but can be the time a student spends working towards a piece of work which is part of their assessment. Many colleges have an expectation of the ratio of contact hours to structured learning hours. For example, if you spend 10 hours a week in a classroom you may be required to spend 20 hours a week in structured learning to support those contact hours.

* You must provide satisfactory evidence of your sponsorship to your education establishment before the establishment's authorised online user validates the application.

If you think you are eligible, click the ‘Apply Online’ button on the right, then select Middlesex University as the establishment. You will need a digital passport photo to upload, your university enrolment number (this is your student ID number which appears on your ID card), course start and end date and a credit or debit card to pay the £10 application fee. Once you have completed all sections click SUBMIT.  Your application will then be sent to MUSU for approval.

You should receive your card in 10 working days; however this may vary during busy periods.  If your application is rejected, you will have two further attempts to correct your details and resubmit your application. If you have checked your application and cannot understand why you have been rejected, please come in to see us at your local Students’ Union office or email MUSUInfo@mdx.ac.uk for information.

FAQs:

Can I apply via a paper application?
No, TFL no longer issues paper applications. If you would like to apply, please apply online.

I have a financial hold at university, why has my card stopped working?
If you have a high level financial hold it is our responsibility to inform TFL who will consequently cease the discount on your card. This is because it is our responsibility in the TFL terms and conditions to inform them of any student who has not paid any outstanding monies owed to the University by the agreed date.

The end date on my card is not what I believe the end date of my course to be. How did you work it out?
To approve your application we need to verify your course end date. We do this by looking at your start date with the University, and other factors on your record (such as interruptions) and calculate this with the curriculum dates provided by Middlesex University and the Higher Education Statistics Agency. Course End Dates of individual applications are amended to agree with the calculated date.

What if I have interrupted my studies?
If you interrupt your studies you will stop being eligible for the scheme and the discount on your card will be stopped. When you return you will need to apply again. Please make sure your interruption has been updated on your myUniHub/MISIS account.

What if my course details have changed or if I have changed courses?
It is your responsibility to check that your details are correct on myUniHub. If you believe something to be incorrect, please contact your student office to amend any details you believe to be incorrect. Please ensure your details are up to date before applying. If you change courses and do not inform TFL, the discount on your card will be stopped and you will need to apply again.

What are the dropouts? Will you send me an email about this?
TFL asks us once a year to verify the details of all our applicants during the Winter/Spring term. If you become ineligible or we find there are incorrect details on your application, the discount on your card will be stopped and you will be ‘dropped out’. Unfortunately, we do not have the email address which you gave on your application (only TFL has this information) so we can not email you about this. Please be aware that any changes in your eligibility such as change of course, interruption of study, etc ( full list of eligibility criteria is available on the TFL website)  may consequently make you a ‘drop out’ during the Winter/Spring term.  If you become eligible after being dropped out, you will need to apply again, paying £10.

Can I get a refund if my card is stopped at any point?
No.  MUSU only administers the scheme by following the terms and conditions of the scheme and use the information given to us through reports from the University. Consequently, MUSU accepts no liability for any incorrect information or cards being stopped/dropped out.

I am having a problem with my online account. Can you help me?
Unfortunately we can’t help you with this. Please call the oyster customer care number on 0845 330 9876.

I am an enrolled student and my course mode is part-time. My application has been rejected, why?
You may not be receiving a grant/funding and have applied. Please come into your local Students’ Union office or email MUSUInfo@mdx.ac.uk for further information.