[update] Last public transport concession day tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be the last day I am eligible for public transport concession fares. This is because the card entitling the fares expires on the last day of February, in the year after the issue of the card. Since I was a local student and Biomedicine was an undergraduate course last year, I was eligible. However, since the MD is defined as a masters by coursework degree, it is not eligible for public transport concession travel.

Above is the situation of public transport concession travel in different states, from the CAPA website. Only New South Wales and Victoria deny public transport concession travel to postgraduate and international students. All other states and territories allow them to have concession fares, like local undergraduate students. It's a situation I hope will change in the future in Victoria.

As I said before on my blog, I've listed links to an online petition from CAPA on my links page or on the right of the screen. We can also try sending messages to our local state MP or the Transport Minister in Victoria to advocate for change. Concession fares would enable postgraduate students to spend less time working, worrying and struggling to make ends meet, and therefore be able to focus more on their studies or research.