Education Maintenance Allowances Awarded in Wales Update, Month Ending February 2008

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Wales scheme was introduced for 16 year olds for the first time in 2004/05. In 2005/06, the scheme was extended to include 16 and 17 year olds and, in 2006/07, 18 year olds. The scheme is designed to provide an incentive for students from lower-income families to continue and remain in full-time education. The principal component of the EMA is a weekly allowance, linked to satisfactory attendance, for eligible students attending learning centres in Wales.  Students can qualify for awards of £10, £20 or £30 depending on household income. They can also qualify for periodic additional bonuses of £100 if agreed learning objectives are met.

Position at the end of February 2008

• In the 2007/08 academic year to date, 33,360 applications for EMA have been received. Of these, 30,690 have been approved whilst 670 have been rejected.
  

Contact:
Tel: 029 2082 3895
E-mail: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Further information can be found on the StatsWales website.

Next update:
9 April 2008

Please note these data are taken from monthly SLC Management Reports which are not based on the same definitions used for the Statistical First Release, and therefore the figures published in January differ slightly from this report.

Associated previous Releases:
Statistical release SDR 10/2008 presented provisional information on EMA awarded during 2007/08
Statistical Release SDR 175/2007 presented information on EMA awarded during 2006/07
Statistical Release SDR 115/2006 presented information on EMA awarded during 2005/06.
Statistical Release SDR 83/2005 presented information on EMA awarded during 2004/05.