Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and bursary

An EMA may be available for a course that leads to an approved vocational qualification up to, but not including, Higher National Certificate (HNC). You can apply once you have received an unconditional or a conditional offer of a place.

The bursary team can give you advice, guidance and further contacts if you’re unsure of anything. You can contact them by phone on 01355 807780 or email bursaries@slc.ac.uk

• If you are under 18 at the official start date of your course, you will be assessed for an EMA.
• EMA is not a loan.
• EMA is only available once you have reached your statutory school leaving date. Students who are 16 between 1 October 2022 and 28 February 2023 will not be eligible until January 2023 provided you are still attending your course in January 2023.
• EMA is based on your household income. In addition to EMA, all students under 18 may get help with travel expenses and essential course materials as these are not means-tested against household income. You must meet the residency criteria and, for travel, you must live at least two miles from the campus you are studying at.
• EMA is not paid during the holiday periods.
• If you turn 18 during your course you will remain on EMA.

How to apply for an EMA and course materials

Once you have accepted your conditional or unconditional place, you will receive an email advising you to apply for funding once the funding application is open. You will be able to apply online via a PC, smartphone or tablet.

• If you are 18 or older at the official start date of your course, you will be assessed for a bursary.
• This is a discretionary award and is not a loan.
• The bursary is available for living, travel expenses (you must live at least two miles from the campus you will be studying at) and course materials. It is based on your personal circumstance: age, where you live, your dependents and your income, parents’/partner’s income.
• You must meet the residency criteria.
• If you have studied before and received financial help, you may wish to contact student services for further advice and guidance.

How to apply for a bursary

More on the online bursary process.

You can apply for the Care Experienced Students’ Bursary if you have ever been looked after by a local authority in the UK.

Care experienced students are eligible to apply for a non-income assessed Care Experienced Students’ Bursary of £8,100 a year. If you meet the criteria, you will not be eligible to apply for a student loan.

The criteria for claiming a Care Experienced Students’ Bursary are:

• you have ever been looked after by a local authority in the UK and
• you are under 26 on the first day of the first academic year of your course. For most students, who start in the autumn term, the relevant date is 1 August

Make sure you select the ‘care experienced student’ box when completing the online bursary application form to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria.

Disabled Students’ Allowance is available to students who incur costs while studying because of a disability. The learning development team help you apply. Please email support.forlearning@slc.ac.uk for more information and to speak to one of the team.