Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

You must be 16 years of age on 30 September 2024 to be eligible to apply for funding. If you turn 16 between 1 October 2024 and 29 February 2025 then you can apply for funding from January 2025.

To apply for EMA you must complete an online funding application which you can do through your Student Hub. 

Your Student Hub can be found on the Student Portal (MyDay) or direct at www.studentjourney.uhi.ac.uk. Your Student Hub account username and password are notified to you when your funding application is available. If you are a returning student, these will not have changed from what you previously used. 

EMA is means-tested so you will have to provide supporting documentary evidence before your application can be processed. 

Your application can only be processed once you have submitted the correct supporting documentation. Due to the volume of applications it can take up to 4 weeks to process the application so please make your application as soon as you can. You do not need to wait for your course to start. 

 

Eligibility 

The household income thresholds to be eligible for EMA are: 

• £24,421 for households with one dependent child and 

• £26,884 for households with more than one dependent child 

If your household income is above these levels you won’t receive any EMA, however you should still make the EMA application.  This is because if there are any associated course costs (text books, protective clothing, kit) this will still be paid on your behalf and is not means tested. In this instance you will only need to provide your proof of ID. 

 

How EMA is paid 

EMA is paid in arrears into your bank account every 2 weeks providing you have 100% attendance during the preceding qualifying period. You will not receive any payments for holiday periods. For more detail about attendance and how it may affect your funding payments check the Student Support Funds - Attendance and Engagement Appendix 2022-23. (Please hyperlink this to the document in the policy section) To check the progress of your EMA application and to make sure that you have submitted all the evidence required log into your Student Hub. It is here that you will see if any further evidence is needed to support your application. 

 

Travel costs 

The Scottish Government provides free bus travel to young people under 22 years.  You are expected to use this for all college-related travel where possible.  You will only be considered for a travel allowance if you: 

• Are under 22 years of age and do not live on or near a bus route that can get you to college in good time for classes 

And 

• You live more than 2 miles from the college centre that you attend 

If you have to travel by train your travel cost will be based on the cheapest fare available making use of a Highland Rail Card.  Where travel has to be by car the mileage allowance is 22p per mile.  All travel is capped at a maximum of £15 per day except in exceptional circumstances where higher travel costs may be considered.  

When your application is completed an award letter will be posted on your student hub account in the finance section, where you will also find a list of expected payment dates if you have been granted an award. 

 

Important note 

Your application will only be processed once you have supplied all the evidence that is required for your situation 

This must all be completed within 6 weeks of the start date of your course (if you started late, the cut-off date is still taken as the official start date of the course), otherwise, your payments will not be backdated. 

Your application will be withdrawn completely if it is not completed by the 1st of December unless your award can only begin in January because you became 16 from 1st October onwards.