The Holocaust Educational Trust aims to make the Lessons from Auschwitz Project as financially accessible as possible, in the hope that no student should be denied the opportunity to participate because they cannot afford it. The cost of participation on the course is heavily subsidised by the Trust. This includes return flights to Poland from a regional airport, two seminar sessions (one online, one in-person in England & Scotland; two online sessions in Wales) led by our trained educators and all printed and online materials and resources.
However, we recognise that some participants may incur additional expenses. Most commonly, these expenses include travel to and from airports and, in certain instances, overnight accommodation near airports. Limited funding is available from the Trust to help offset these costs to those schools which demonstrate a need for additional financial assistance.
Scottish schools and colleges in Colonsay, Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Islay, Jura, Caithness and North West Sutherland are also encouraged to apply for the Air Discount Scheme for the Highlands and Islands to assist with their travel costs.
To discuss the Travel Subsidy and whether it is appropriate for your school/college, please email the LFA Project office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 020 7222 4761.
Guidance notes, terms & conditions
- To apply for a travel subsidy, please complete the Travel Subsidy Application Form overleaf. Application forms must be completed by the coordinating teacher, and not by participants.
- Regardless of how many participants you are claiming a subsidy for, all your school’s participants must attend all project sessions including the Orientation Seminar, visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and Follow-up Seminar in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Failure of any participant to attend any sessions will result in the forfeit of the school’s entire travel subsidy. Absence for valid medical reasons, when documented by a doctor’s note, may be considered acceptable.
- Travel subsidies will be paid as reimbursements. The Trust will inform you in advance of your participation in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project if your application for a travel subsidy has been successful. However, we are unable to dispense travel subsidy funds in advance of your participation in the course. If you have been offered a travel subsidy, you will be expected to submit all relevant receipts within four weeks of the Follow-up Seminar.
- Factors which will be considered in assessing eligibility include the distance of any journeys to the Lessons from Auschwitz Project sessions, the cost of transportation, and the financial situation of the particular school or individual participants. The Trust will also consider whether your school/college has previously participated in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, as we may need to give priority to schools that have not yet had the opportunity to participate.
- The Trust encourages all travel subsidy applicants to explore additional fundraising avenues to raise any necessary funds beyond those that the Holocaust Educational Trust is able to cover. Funds are often available from sources such as your Local Authority or local charitable organisations such as the Lions or Rotary club. Students may choose to undertake their own fundraising activities in their school or community
- Where appropriate, the Trust will endeavour to reimburse up to 50% of additional costs (not to exceed £100 per school/college), however the availability of funds for a particular region is dependent on the number of travel subsidy applications received in that region, and requests will be assessed relative to need.
- In extreme cases the Trust may be able to offer subsidies in excess of 50% of costs. If you feel that your situation requires special consideration for more than 50% reimbursement, please indicate so on your Travel Subsidy Application Form. The Trust will consider it, provided that extra funds are available and that extra funding for your school/college would not come at the expense of another school/college in need.
- The Travel Subsidy Application Form asks you to estimate in advance the anticipated extra costs you are likely to incur. Whilst it may not be possible to obtain precise totals in advance of expenditure, it is important that you carefully research the projected costs so your estimate is as accurate as possible. Any decision regarding your application will be based on the estimate provided on your application, and it is unlikely that the Trust will be able to retrospectively adjust the amount of your subsidy if your actual expenditure is significantly more than anticipated.
- You must send us copies of your receipts within four weeks of the Follow-up seminar. Reimbursement will be made payable to your school/college at the end of the month in which receipts are received.