The 18+ Student Oyster photocard is a special Oyster Card that gives you a 30% discount on the cost of your travel in Greater London. The card is meant for students who live in London during term time and use London Underground services to travel to and from lectures during the week, e.g. commuting students.

Not all Royal Holloway students can get an 18+ Student Oyster photocard, so please read this carefully.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be 18 or older

• Be fully enrolled and studying full-time at Royal Holloway

• Be living in London during term time or doing a required work placement in London as part of your course

Important: If you live in Royal Holloway halls or nearby areas like Egham, Englefield Green, or Staines, you won’t qualify for the 18+ Oyster card. This is because you don’t need it to travel to your classes.

No. Transport for London specify that to be eligible for the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, students must be on a mandatory work placement in London and engaging in 15 hours of tuition led or structured learning. As the year in business is optional and not a prerequisite requirement of your course, you fail to meet the criteria outlined by Transport for London. Additionally, as you are on a year in business, you do not meet the required 15 hours of tuition or structured learning hours.  

For further information, please see Transport for London's placement establishment terms and conditions. 

Before you apply, make sure you’ve read the terms and conditions set by Transport for London.  You can then apply online on the Transport for London website.

Don’t waste £20!

The application costs a non-refundable £20. Be careful – if you apply for the 18+ Student Oyster photocard when you aren’t eligible, you won’t get your money back.

The application costs a non-refundable £20. Be careful – if you apply for the 18+ Student Oyster photocard when you aren’t eligible, you won’t get your money back.

If you're applying before the start of the new academic year, please be advised that assessment will only be possible once you are fully enrolled at the university and once term has started.

If you're applying at any point during the academic year, you should hear back within two weeks.

If your application for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard has been rejected, you will receive an email from the Student Services Centre explaining why you have failed to meet Transport for London's eligibility criteria. 

You can get a photocard valid for up to three years of your course.

We can’t authorise your application for the 16+ Zip Oyster photocard as it only applies to students studying a further education course at Level 3 or below in a school sixth form college, academy or a further education college.

You can find out more about the 18+ Oyster, including Transport for London's terms and conditions on their website.

If you need any advice about the 18+ Student Oyster Card please get in touch by emailing the Student Services Centre.

To be eligible for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard, you must be a full-time postgraduate student, studying or in your first year of writing up to more than 15 hours a week. To ensure you meet this criteria, please contact us and we will confirm your study details with Doctoral School.

Before applying for the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, we would recommend that you contact us so that we can confirm your study details with the Doctoral School and ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria.

We will be unable to assess your eligibility for an 18+ Student Oyster Photocard if you are still awaiting the outcome of your viva. Once you have been notified of the outcome of your viva, please contact us before applying for an 18+ Student Oyster Photocard so that your study details can be confirmed with the Doctoral School and we can advise you of your eligibility. 

The 16-25 Railcard is a discount card that gives you a 30% discount on Standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Standard Advanced and First Class Advanced rail fares anywhere in the UK. The card is available to anyone in the UK aged between 16 and 25.

You can apply for the 16-25 Railcard online or in person at your local railway station.

If you are applying in person and it is your first card, you’ll need to submit a passport sized photograph with your application form.

You can apply for the concession but you will need proof that you are enrolled in full-time education. 

If you are an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Taught student the Student Services Centre can support you. If you are a Postgraduate Research student, please contact the Doctoral School. 

You will need to attend the Centre in-person for us to complete your form. When you come to the Centre, please bring with you:

1. The printed form for completion - please do not complete any information, if it is done incorrectly - it may be rejected!

2. Your Student ID card - we need to scan this onto the form for you 

3. A passport size photo of yourself - we need to sign and date this for you

 If you are unable to attend the Centre in-person, you can send the railcard form and passport sized photo of yourself by post to the below address and we can complete it for you, returning it by email. You will then need to scan your Student ID onto the document before submitting it. If you do post a form for completion, please provide a covering note to confirm your name and student ID number. 

Student Services Centre, Emily Wilding Davison Building, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW200EX 

You can apply for the 16-25 Railcard online or in person at your local railway station.

Once you have an application form, please contact the Doctoral School for completion. 

If you're in your writing up year, you'll need to be studying or writing up for 15 or more hours a week. The Doctoral School will check this with your supervisor before completing and approving your application form.