Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
If you decide to stay on at school or go to college in Northern Ireland you may be able to get Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). EMA is a fortnightly payment of up to £60 for students who are aged 16, 17, 18 or 19 years.
It is paid directly to young people from households with an income of £33,061 or less who stay on in education after they reach statutory leaving age (i.e. after the end of their compulsory schooling).
What is it for?
The fortnightly payments are intended to help cover the day-to-day costs that you have to meet when you stay on at school or college, such as travel costs, books and equipment for your course.
Who will be entitled to an EMA?
You can get an EMA if:
- you are aged 16, 17, 18 or 19 years on or between 2nd July 2009 and 1st July 2010
- your household income is £33,061 or less
- you are doing at least 15 hours of guided learning at an FE college or studying full time at school in Northern Ireland
Young people may be entitled to receive their EMA for a maximum of 3 years (as long as their household income does not rise above the £33,061 per annum threshold).
What types of course attract EMA?
Students have to be enrolled on courses of further education up to and including Level 3 but not including higher education. The main types are:
- AS/A2
- GNVQs
- NVQs
- GCSEs
- Basic Skills Level 1
Any course that attracts a training allowance will not be covered by EMA. This includes FE Awards or DARD Bursaries.
