Students in south-east Queensland say they face hefty fines on public transport as they wait for a backlog to clear in applications for new concession cards.

TransLink last week began cracking down on commuters travelling on concessional student "go cards" without also being able to produce a Tertiary Transport Concession Card (TTCC).

Students are now required to carry their go card, university ID and TTCC or risk fines of up to $227.

State Transport Minister Scott Emerson denied there was a backlog, even though some students claimed they submitted their TTCC applications up to four months ago and had received neither the card nor a reply from TransLink.

William Triste, 20, studying international relations at the University of Queensland, said he lodged his first application for a TTCC in March.

He said he had since lodged two more applications, as advised by TransLink, but had not received a card or a response.

"People who don't get that card now have to get the adult [go] card and travel at twice the amount," Mr Triste said.

"It really just seems like they're trying to squeeze every last drop out of people.

"I've also heard from people who work for TransLink that it's up to 10 weeks [wait time for a TTCC]."

As a full-time internal student, Mr Triste said he believed he met all the eligibility criteria for a TTCC.

When semester two classes started later this month, he said he would cycle the long ride to university rather than pay the adult fare or risk a fine.

University of Queensland Union (UQU) president Josh Millroy said the policy was poorly planned and implemented, and called for a moratorium on fines until the backlog was cleared.

"Currently we have a situation where students have applied for this card months ago and have submitted their forms properly and are now open to fines of up to $227 for not having the card," Mr Millroy said.

"Now we think that's pretty unfair and we don't think students should have to choose between doubling their public transport costs - by using an adult card - or opening themselves up to fines which are higher than a week's average rent for most students.

"Realistically, what we'd like to see is a moratorium on fines until the backlog is resolved, and that students who have applied within the correct time period are not open to fines."

Emerson denies TransLink backlog; UQ, QUT staff claim 6 weeks' wait

Another UQ student, who asked to remain anonymous, said it took him months to receive his card, and when he did the expiry listed was June 18, 2014, before the new policy even came into effect.

There's a backlog in applications for the new tertiary transport cards, Queensland students claim. ( ABC: Supplied )

"They told me I have to re-lodge my application, so I did," he said.

"But there's a two-month backlog now and I can't use concession rates, so I'm going to spend $70 getting to and from work each week because I'll get fined $227 otherwise.

"That's ridiculous that I have to bear the cost of someone else's mistakes."

Mr Emerson told 612 ABC Brisbane on Tuesday: "I understand that there's no backlog at all; the longest it's taking at the moment is about 10 days to get a card."

Administrative staff at both UQ and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said the wait time was "five or six weeks", even though they sent students' forms to TransLink in a matter of days.

Responding the the ABC's questions, a spokesperson for Mr Emerson also denied there was a backlog.

"Eligible students should receive their TTCC within 15 business days of a complete and accurate application being sent to TransLink either by the student or by their institution," the spokesperson said.

"The applications left to process in the system have been there for less than 10 days.

"Students who don't have a TTCC card should pay the full adult fare until their card arrives or run the risk of an on-the-spot fine of $227."

Fare evasion costs taxpayers $8 million a year: Minister

The new cards were intended to prevent commuters from using invalid student IDs to purchase concession go cards to rort the system.

According to Mr Emerson, this type of fare evasion has cost taxpayers $8 million a year.

Students say TransLink should be cross-referencing with university enrolment records, like other agencies do. ( ABC: Stuart Wilkinson )

"Let's not forget why we did this," he told 612 ABC Brisbane.

"What we found was that [there were] as many as 60,000 people out there claiming to be full-time students, claiming the half-price discount, that weren't entitled to it."

However, angry students venting on social media said the TTCC might not stop the rorting.

They said there was nothing to stop rorters from enrolling in courses each year, receiving a new card, and then dropping out before the census date, when a financial commitment is required.

Mr Triste said it was easy to rort the new system.

"One of my friends told me about a girl in her class who applied, got her card, and then dropped out," he said.

"She's still [technically] enrolled in the university, she can re-enrol in classes again whenever she wants."

Administrative staff at both UQ and QUT confirmed the work-around was possible, while the UQ Union agreed the TTCC would not stop rorters.

Mr Millroy said a better solution would be for university ID cards to expire every 12 months, instead of at the end of a student's degree, or for TransLink to cross-reference with university enrolment records, like other government agencies did.

The Minister said anyone who has received a card with incorrect details should contact TransLink to resolve the issue.