Education maintenance allowance
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a payment of £30 a week for people who remain in school, full time, after their 16th birthday.
Who it is for
This application is for school year 2024/2025
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If you want to apply for an Educational Maintenance Allowance for the school year 2024/25, you must do this by 31 March 2025. Any applications after this date will not be considered.
An EMA is for anyone who:
- aged 16-19 on or before 30 September 2024
- EMA can be paid from week ended 25 August 2024 (If we receive your application by 30 September 2024)
- Applications received between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025 can be paid from the week we first receive your application
- No applications can be accepted after 31 March 2025
- aged 16 between 1 October 2024 and 28 February 2025
- EMA can be paid from week ended 10 January 2025 (if we receive your application by 28 February 2025)
- Applications received between 1 March 2025 and 31 March 2025 can be paid from the week we first receive your application.
- No applications can be accepted after 31 March 2025
- attends school, or home schooling, in the Stirling area for at least 21 hours a week
- has completed a Learning Agreement with their school
- has a household income below the levels set by the Scottish Government
To qualify in 2024/25, you must be the only dependant child in a household with an income of £24,421 or less a year. If there is more than one dependant child in your household, the household income must be £26,884 or less.
You can get an EMA for up to 3 years, but you have to apply for it each year. More information is available below.
Applying for an EMA
EMA is paid over and above any benefits received by your household, including Child benefits and Tax Credits. If you provide a Tax Credit Award Notice (TCAN) for 2023/24 this may help speed up your application. Do not put off applying if you do not have all the necessary information to hand. You can supply it later and if your application is successful your payments can be backdated.
If there is more than one eligible child in your household, you can each apply for an EMA.
EMA payments
You will receive £30 a week, paid fortnightly into your bank account.
You will only be paid for weeks you attend school, not school holidays.
EMAs and your performance at school
Your EMA will be paid every week you are at school, unless:
- your attendance falls below 100% in any week, except for absences that are approved by the school or covered by a medical certificate
- you do not meet the conditions of your Learning Agreement
College students
EMAs are also available for 16 to 19 year olds who go to college. You can get information and application forms from your college. Stirling Council only deals with EMAs for school students.
Support for vulnerable students
If you need help filling in the EMA application form, or if you have other support needs, get in touch.