Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Who does it help?

Broadly speaking, you could get EMA if:

you are 16, 17, 18 or 19, and
you have left, or are about to leave, compulsory education, and
you are carrying on with your studies.

EMA schemes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own EMA schemes. You should apply to the EMA scheme in the country where you plan to study.

The EMA scheme in England closed to new applications in January 2011. However, if you're already studying and started getting EMA in September 2009, you'll continue to receive the same amount of money until the end of the 2011/12 academic year.

If you started studying in September 2010 and got the maximum EMA payment of £30 a week, from September 2011 you'll receive £20 a week for the next academic year.

If losing this money will cause you financial hardship, you can apply to your own school or college to see if you qualify for money from the Discretionary Support Fund. For more information, speak to your tutor or student welfare officer.

If you live in England, but plan to study in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can still apply for an EMA in the country where you are studying.

If you live in Scotland or Wales but plan to study in England, you can also get EMA but you should apply for EMA in the country you normally live.

Is it means-tested?

If you qualify, the amount you get is calculated by looking at your household income. It is not affected by any money you earn from part-time work and will not make any difference to any benefits your parents get.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own financial limits. Depending on your family's income, you can expect to get up to £30 a week.

In Wales, your family's income must be below £23,077.

In Northern Ireland, your family's income must be below £33,950.

In Scotland, you will receive the maximum amount of £30 per week if your family's income is below £22,403. However it also depends on how many dependent children there are in your family.

What help does the benefit provide?

EMA comes in the form of money which goes directly into your bank account. You can spend the money as you want. However, you will only get your money if you regularly attend and work hard on your course and it is only paid during term-times.

How much does it pay?

EMA comes in weekly payments of £10, £20 or £30, depending on the income of your household (see above). On top of your weekly amount, you may also get bonuses if you continue to do well and meet targets set by your teacher when you start.

How to claim

You usually apply for EMA in the country where you are studying. For example, if you are an English student studying in Wales, apply for Welsh EMA.

However, if you live in Scotland or Wales but plan to study in England, you should apply for EMA in the country where you normally live.

If you live in England and plan to study in either Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for EMA in the country where you will be studying. You won't be able to get EMA if you plan to study in Wales.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, you can apply by phone. EMA helpline staff will help you with your application. Contact them on:

Wales - 0845 602 8845
Northern Ireland - 0845 601 7646

There is no helpline in Scotland, but you can get more information from the EMA Scotland website (link opens in a new window). Your can also apply on paper. You can get an an EMA application form from their school, college or learning provider.

In England, if you have a query about the EMA you are already getting, you can call the EMA helpline on 0800 121 8989.

Documents you need

Your parent or carer will need to send evidence of the household income for the relevant tax year. This might be their Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602) or P60.

You will also need a bank account so the money can be paid into it. You have to give details of your bank account when you apply for EMA. To open a bank account, you will need evidence of who you are, for example, a passport or driving licence. See also the section on Banking.