On this webpage we cover the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme only as it applies to England. Each country of the UK has its own website providing details of the Education Maintenance Allowance. Please use the link that relates to the part of the UK where you study as the requirements and income qualification rules do differ.

• England
• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• Wales

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a tax free benefit and pays up to £30 a week directly into your bank account if you stay on in education at school or college after you have taken your GCSEs. Most young people can claim EMA for two to three years depending how long your studies last.

You can also get a bonus of £100 in January and July with a further £100 bonus in October if you come back for a second year.

EMA does not affect any other benefits your family might get and is paid on top of any earnings you might have from a part time or holiday job.

The basic rules for claiming EMA are that:

• Your household income in the previous tax year must be under £30,811 per year before tax. So for an EMA to cover the academic year September 2009 - September 2010 your household income in the tax year April 2008 - April 2009 must be under £30,811 - you can get £10, £20 or £30 a week depending on the level of your household income below this amount.

  For the financial year 2008/09 - if your household income is:

  up to £20,817 per year - you get £30 per week

  £20,818 - £25,521 per year - you get £20 a week

  £25,522 - £30,810 per year - you get £10 a week

• First of all you need to be 16, 17 or 18 and have left – or be about to leave – compulsory education and




• you are a UK national - that is, if you were born here, have UK citizenship or a UK passport,

  • or if you have been granted indefinite leave to remain or refugee status
  
  
  
  • or if you are from a European Union or European Economic Area country and satisfy the Home Student criteria (Check out the Home Office website for more information).

• You are doing, or applying to do, at least 12 hours of guided learning on further education courses in school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and Further Education colleges. This includes a wide range of courses up to and including level 3, such as AS/A2, GCSEs, GNVQs, NVQs and other vocational qualifications.

You can find out a lot more about EMA by looking at the Directgov website, set up especially to help you understand how the allowance works.

You can also download the EMA Young Person's Leaflet which explains most things you need to know.

Higher Education Student Support Guarantee (HESSG)

It is intended the HESSG will be available for 16 year-olds who qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance. Provided it?s approved by Parliament, the guarantee will mean that students who started getting EMA from September 2008 and then go on to university could qualify for the top level of grant whatever their household income.

The HESSG will be available if you:

• got your first EMA payment in or after September 2008
• got your EMA for a course based at school, college or work (but not if you did an Entry to Employment course)
• live in England

You'll also need to meet the usual eligibility rules for higher education financial support.

You can use this link to get full details about HESSG and whether you are likely to qualify.