What are Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) & Higher Education Student Support Guarantee (HESSG)?
• Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a tax free benefit which pays up to £30 a week directly into your bank account if you stay on in education at school or college after you have taken your GCSEs. Most young people can claim EMA for two to three years depending how long your studies last. • You can also get a bonus of £100 in January and July with a further £100 bonus in October if you come back for a second year. • EMA does not affect any other benefits your family might get and is paid on top of any earnings you might have from a part time or holiday job. • For more details and useful links to other information have a look at the section on EMA on our website.
