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Money matters

 
You may have financial concerns about staying in education. Here we hope to answer your questions.

Do I have to pay for post-16 study?

No. All tuition fees are free and you may be eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). This is a weekly payment of £10, £20 or £30, depending on your family income.

How do I know if I can get EMA?

Overall your household income has to be under £30,810 per year. For the academic year 2007-08, the weekly payments were:

  • £30 for students with a household income of £20,818 or less
  • £20 for students with a household income of between £20,818 and £25,521
  • £20 for students with a household income of between £25,522 and £30,890.

What is Education Maintenance Allowance?

It is an amount of money paid into your bank account during term time as long as you turn up to classes. You can also get bonuses of up to £500 over a two-year study period.

How do I apply?

If you want to apply for EMA, you can ask at any Gplus Centre or contact the Government helpline using the details on the left.

Find your nearest Gplus Centre.

A to Z of Services

EMA Helpline

  • 020 8101 6219