Education Maintenance Allowance
Wondering if Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is for you?
Find out what to expect before and after you make an application.
Applications for EMA in 2024 to 2025 are now open! Find out how to apply.
Before you apply
What is Education Maintenance Allowance and who can get it?
What is EMA?
A payment for 16 to 18 year olds living in Wales, who want to continue their education after school leaving age.
Eligibility for EMA
There are four main things that determine if you can get EMA.
Information for parents, guardians and partners
We’ve included a section to help answer questions that parents might have about EMA.
Making an application
Find out how to apply for EMA, what evidence you may need to provide and how we calculate how much you can get.
How and when to apply
Ready to apply? Make sure your EMA application is assessed and ready for the start of term.
Household income
Eligibility for EMA depends on your household income and family circumstance.
Evidence
We may ask for evidence of some information you provide on your application.
What happens after you apply
Your application has been assessed and we have everything we need, so what happens next?
Getting your EMA payments
There are a few things that need to be in place before you get your first payment.
During your course
If your circumstances change during the academic year, you’ll need to update your application. Changing your application may affect how much student finance you can get.
Changes in your circumstances
Find out how to keep your account up to date and what changes you need to tell us about.
Additional Evidence
We may ask for further evidence from you during your course to make sure you’re still entitled to EMA.