You may be eligible for an Education Maintenance Allowance if you are aged 16-19 and wish to stay on in education.
EMA Applications for 2024/25 academic session are now closed. Applications for 2025/26 academic session will open in the summer.
An Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a Scottish Government initiative aimed at helping young people stay on in education. You may be eligible for an EMA if you are aged 16-19 and attend a West Dunbartonshire school or in receipt of an Activity Agreement.
An EMA is a weekly allowance payable to young people who have achieved 100% attendance per week at school. It is paid on a 2 weekly basis.
The Income Threshold for the EMA programme is shown in the table below.
The Scottish Government have increased income thresholds from 1 January 2016.
The Income Threshold for the EMA programme, academic session 2024-25 are:
| Household Income | Number of dependent children | Award |
|---|---|---|
|
0 - £24,421 |
1 |
£30 |
|
0 - £26,884 |
2+ |
£30 |
WDC will increase EMA by £10 per week for every young person paid out in two instalments in January and July.
Please contact the EMA section for more information.
Dependent children are those:
Please ensure that you sign the application form AND include all original documentation before posting. If you need any further assistance please email ema@west-dunbarton.gov.uk.
EMA Attendance and Payment dates for 2024/25
Education Maintenance Allowance in Scotland
You can use this website to find out more information and to check if you are eligible for an EMA.
