Education Maintenance Allowance
EMA applications are now open for the Academic Year 2024/2025 (Please note that Scottish Ministers reserve the right to review the EMA programme at any time).
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is part of the Scottish Government's agenda of encouraging access to, and participation in, further and higher education by young people from low-income families. These allowances are financial support for 16-19-year-olds who stay on in full time non-advanced education after their statutory school leaving date (i.e. those continuing in post-compulsory education).
Dumfries and Galloway Council pay EMA, on behalf of the Scottish Government, to eligible school students. You need to apply each Academic Year that you wish to claim EMA.
EMA is a means tested weekly allowance of £30, payable to students aged 16 to 19 in most circumstances for a maximum of 3 years. Students must achieve 100% attendance per week of the agreed attendance within their EMA Learning Agreement completed at school level.
EMA is payable in arrears, during term time only, generally on a 2-weekly basis. No payments are made for school holidays. Students can apply if they attend a school in Dumfries and Galloway or have a history of being Home Educated, attend a Young Persons Activity with Employability and Skills D&G Council or travel daily to a Cross Border facility.
Students who plan to attend a College in Scotland should apply for EMA to the college they have applied to direct.
Eligibility
- Have a household income of £26,884 or below (for families with more than one dependent child in the household)
- Have a household income of £24,421 or below (for families with a single dependent child in the household)
- Be in full-time non-advanced education (up to SVQ level 3)
Students become eligible for an EMA in August (on return to school) if they turn 16 between 1 March and 30 September and in January if they turn 16 between 1 October and end of February. Eligibility is reassessed each academic year.
The start date of EMA payments is dependent on the date of your sixteenth birthday. If you are 16 on or before 30 September 2024 and we receive your application before 30 September 2024 we will pay your EMA from August 2024.
If you are 16 between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025 and we receive your application before 28 February 2025 we will pay your EMA from January 2025.
Applications received after the dates shown above will not be backdated. EMA will be paid from the start of the week in which we receive your application.
Applications for this academic session will not be accepted after 31 March 2025.
There are deadlines that may affect payments in regard to the return of an application or a learning agreement please refer to the guidance document or contact us.
Successful students will receive an award letter by email to their School Glow email account or if they do not attend a school, it will be sent to their personal email as stated on their application. Students should then speak to the school to complete and return a Learning Agreement if their application is successful so that payments can start.
Payments will not be made if a Learning Agreement is not completed and returned.
Guidance
The application process is now online. Please read the EMA guidance notes first. If you don't have access to a PC or mobile device with an internet connection, please contact us direct for advice on how we can help.
If you do not have the relevant Tax Award and are in receipt of a benefit other than Universal Credit, please print and arrange completion and return of Part C - Certificate of Benefits received found below.
If you do not have the relevant Tax Award/Universal Credit Award or your SA302 for self-employment, please print and arrange completion and return of Part B - Accountants Certificate found below. (please contact us if you have any questions)
Once your online form has been submitted successfully, you will receive an email asking to forward the relevant supportive financial information to ema@dumgal.gov.uk
Please clearly state the Students Name, Date of Birth and Learning Centre to enable us to match it to the appropriate form. If you unable to do this the school should be able to help you with this further or contact ema@dumgal.gov.uk direct. Do not delay applying online even if your financial documents may not be available at the time of application (please refer to the Guidance document).
Deadlines apply to EMA and can affect payments.
How to apply
Apply to EMA by using link below:
Further information
If you experience any other issues or require further help or advice, please firstly email ema@dumgal.gov.uk or call 030 33 33 3000 and ask to speak to the Education Support team in regard to EMA.
Privacy statement
Further information can be found under Education Maintenance Allowance at https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/privacy
