Education Maintenance Allowance

Read the guidance carefully - failure to complete the application form properly could result in a delay to any award being made.

Section 1 – to be completed by the student - student personal details

Complete this section in full:

• first name
• surname
• school
• date of Birth
• SQA candidate number (If known)
• have you received EMA before? Tick yes or no
• home address
• post code
• telephone number
• confirm if you have lived at this address for less than 3 years - you will be asked to complete further information on the next page
• gender
• residency status – tick the relevant box
• if you are not a UK National please upload the relevant documentation
• if you are a UK National please upload a photo of your birth certificate or passport

To be eligible for an EMA, students must meet the nationality and residency requirements of the programme.  In all cases students should provide evidence depending on their circumstances.

• more information about nationality and residency can be found in the EMA Guidance Document on the Government website: www.mygov.scot/ema
• if you have not been resident in the UK for 3 years you must provide evidence of your residency status

Section 2 - school details

• the school details relate to the school at which you intend to study for the 2022/23 academic session
• to be eligible for an EMA you must be attending school and/or college for a minimum of 21 guided learning hours (timetabled hours) - tick either yes or no
• if you intend to study between two schools or school and college over the same period, enter details of the place at which you will spend most of the time

Section 3 – student bank account details

• the name of the person holding the account must be the EMA student only - except where the applicant has additional needs which makes this impractical
• to receive an EMA payment you must hold a bank/building society account which accepts payments by Bank Automated Credit System (BACS) Transfer.  If you are unsure - check with your bank or building society
• the applicant must be the only person to have access to this account - joint accounts and trust accounts are not acceptable
• payments will normally be paid directly into your bank/building society account on a fortnightly cycle in arrears - this is subject to change, particularly around holiday periods
• Sort Code – this is the 6 digit number
• Account Number – this is the 8 digit number
• do not use the 16 digit number which appears across the card

Section 4 – independent status

To be completed by the student.

Section 4 - family details

• tick the appropriate box(s) which refers to your household and provide the evidence requested
• if you have ticked the box which states that you live on your own, you do not need to fill in address details of your parent(s)/carer(s)
• if you are living under the care of the Local Authority, please include a letter from the Local Authority confirming your address and circumstances - this should be signed by an official from the Local Authority and include an official stamp
• include proof of guardianship, e.g. child benefit letter - if you are living with someone other than your mother or father
• if you have ticked ‘Lone Parent Household’ please include the 2022/23 Council Tax bill
• enter correct address details in the boxes provided if you have ticked that you live with a parent/carer

Section 5 – household income details

• if a student is independent (receiving income support or employment and support allowance in their own right) or in the care of the Local Authority this section should not be filled in
• please note that if you are including the Tax Credit Award Notice (TCAN) it must be for 2022/23 and show actual household income for tax year 2021/22.  Estimated income figures are not acceptable.
• if you are in receipt of Universal Credit, please tick the relevant box - you will need to print the most recent Online Journal Statement to include with the application
• if you do not claim Tax Credits, or if the TCAN is not available, you must complete all the boxes in this section. Once the application form has been submitted, the EMA Team will send you the appropriate further section to complete - based on your response on the application form.

Further information regarding the income details section can be found on the East Lothian Council website: http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/emas

Student declaration

The student must complete this section - tick the box to agree to this declaration.

Parent/Carer declaration

This section must be completed by the Parent/Carer(s) of the student.  Tick the box(es) to agree to this declaration.

• If the student is independent (receiving income support or employment and support allowance in their own right) this section should not be completed.

Section 4.1 Dependent Children

Complete this section to note all dependent children living at the home address.  Leave blank if no other dependent children live at the home address.

Email receipt

Complete this section if you would like to receive an email receipt.

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Submit Form

Dates to note

Autumn intake

If your birthday falls between 1 March 2003 and 30 September 2006 you may be eligible for an EMA from the start of the academic year 2022/23.  If you are eligible for an EMA your application must be submitted by 30 September 2022, if your application is received after this date the award will only be paid from the date the application is received by the EMA Team.

Winter intake

If your birthday falls between 1 October 2006 and 28 February 2007 you may be eligible for an EMA from the start of the January 2022 Term.  If you are eligible for an EMA your application must be submitted by 28 February 2023, if your application is received after this date the award will only be paid from the date the application is received by the EMA Team.

Cut-off date

The cut-off date for processing applications forms for the academic year 2022/23 is 31 March 2023.  No applications will be processed after this date.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the application form, please email the EMA Team on: emas@eastlothian.gov.uk

Other useful numbers

Carer’s Allowance Helpline – 0345 608 4321

Child Benefit Helpline – 0300 200 3100

Universal Credit Helpline – 0345 600 0723

HMRC Self Assessment Helpline – 0300 200 3310

Apply for EMA online