Applications are now open for the Education Maintenance Allowance
If you live in Wales, and are aged between 16 to 18 year old, you might be eligible for a payment to help towards the costs of your further education. The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), is a weekly payment of £40 that you can receive as long as you meet your school and college’s attendance rules.
The payment is made every two weeks, and you will need to fulfil some other conditions to receive the payment.
Applications for the academic year 2025-2026 have now been opened, and you can apply online.
This is you complete guide to EMA, eligibility, mode of payment, and how to apply. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
Am I eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance?
You will be eligible for EMA if:
- You reside in Wales
- You are going to be aged between 16-18 years of age on August 31, 2025. If you are already aged 19 or over, you could be eligible for the Welsh Government Learning Grant Further Education. You can find out more this here.
- You are attending an eligible school or college in the UK full-time, for at least 12 hours per week, and studying an eligible course. Eligible courses include Independent Living Skills or, if studying in England, Preparation for Adulthood. Your course must last a minimum of 10 weeks.
- Your household income is £23,400 or under
- Alternatively, your household income is £25,974 or less and there are other young people in your household who qualify for Child Benefit. Your parents/guardians will need to give details of their income as part of your application for EMA.
How is the Education Maintenance Allowance paid?
All EMA payments will be directly deposited into a bank, building society or credit union account in your name. If you do not already have an account, you would need to set one up whilst applying for EMA.
Before the EMA payments are started, you will need to fulfill the following conditions:
- You must agree to and sign your EMA Agreement with your school or college;
- Your school or college must confirm your attendance to StudentFinanceWales.
No payment can be processed until these conditions are met.
How to apply for Education Maintenance Allowance?
If you’re new to Education Maintenance Allowance for the academic year 2025 to 2026, you can apply online by clicking here.
You’ll need to either create an account or sign in if you’ve already got one. The application process should take roughly 30 minutes.
If you’re unable to apply online, you can send a paper application form to Student Finance Wales. You can access the application form by clicking here. Guidance notes are available to assist you in filling out the form which you can access by clicking here.
Applications will be accepted until August 31, 2026.