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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government National Statistics Cumulative totals of applications for Education Maintenance Allowances by academic year and workstage
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AgeThe EMA Wales scheme is now available to 16, 17 and 18 year olds (and 19 year olds in certain circumstances*). For these monthly data, an age breakdown is not available.* A student aged 19 years old who presents a 4th year application, will be assessed against the following additional criteria:- He/she has not received more than 2 years support in the previous 3 years.- He/she applied for a 3rd year but withdrew before the 11th week of their course. This would be considered a false start and he/she could apply for a 4th year of support without any detrimental effect. [Filtered]
[Collapse]ApplicationThe work stage denotes the status of the application when data were extracted by the Student Loans Company.;Incomplete application; includes applications that are ;missing information; (e.g. no date of birth included) or ;missing evidence; (e.g. no birth certificate attached).;Other; includes applications that are in one of the following work stages: assessed; awaiting rejection; data capture incomplete; failed assessment; validated; verified (as defined by the Student Loans Company). [Filtered]
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Application 1[Filter]
Measure1
YearPlease note that figures should be treated as provisional until 30 September since they are subject to change until then. Previous years figures are confirmed as final.[Filtered]
MonthAs at end of month. You may observe a drop in the reported number of approved EMA applications between March and April in some years. This is due to the annual exercise carried out by SLC to sample check a proportion of those returning EMA applicants who have chosen to self certify their income. SLC will assess the application against the applicant\'s previous year\'s income evidence. If the applicant later fails to provide evidence of household income (if requested), they will be assumed to be no longer be eligible for support. [Filtered]
Click here to sort2023/24Click here to sort2022/23Click here to sort2021/22Click here to sort2020/21Click here to sort2019/20Click here to sort2018/19Click here to sort2017/18Click here to sort2016/17Click here to sort2015/16Click here to sort2014/15Click here to sort2013/14Click here to sort2012/13Click here to sort2011/12Click here to sort2010/11Click here to sort2009/10Click here to sort2008/09Click here to sort2007/08
November18,30017,35519,02521,67021,31022,24027,53025,37027,92529,97530,77531,59533,74037,65536,81533,42031,990
December18,55017,61019,28520,78521,52022,41527,72525,63528,17530,13531,03531,77533,97037,93537,46033,97032,405
January18,83517,82019,39520,89021,61522,48527,88025,69528,27030,21531,19531,85534,03538,11037,78534,39032,705
February18,92017,97019,47520,92021,70522,58527,96525,84528,39030,30531,34031,97034,08538,21038,06534,68032,915
March19,05518,02519,49020,98521,73022,65028,01025,81028,46030,34531,47032,01534,11038,22538,26034,93533,125
April.The data item is not applicable18,03019,48021,02521,73522,66528,02525,81528,46530,29031,53532,03534,12038,25538,35535,05533,230
May.The data item is not applicable18,03519,47521,03521,73522,68528,03025,82028,45530,26531,58031,97034,11538,31038,44535,13533,260
June (end of AY).The data item is not applicable18,00519,37520,81021,68022,56527,99025,79528,39530,28531,55031,93033,65038,33038,48035,17033,280
July (end of AY).The data item is not applicable17,71019,25020,80021,69022,55027,85025,61028,33530,29031,46531,90534,27038,34538,49035,20033,290
August (end of AY).The data item is not applicable17,74019,26520,81521,73022,61027,87025,63028,33030,46531,48031,91533,88038,36538,50035,20533,295

Metadata

Title

Cumulative Totals of applications for EMAs, by academic year and workstage

Last update

24 April 2024 24 April 2024

Next update

22 May 2024

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Contact email

HigherEducationAndStudentFinance.Stats@gov.wales

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Wales

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English only

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Keywords

EMA; Further Education; FE; Post-16, Education Maintenance Allowance

General description

This table presents the number of applications for Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs), to date in the current academic year, from students in Welsh schools or further education institutions.

Data collection and calculation

Data seen here are taken from the SLC's official data warehouse and are based on the same definitions used for the Statistical First Release.

Frequency of publication

Monthly

Data reference periods

Data correct as at 31 March 2024

The data are based on applications received as at the end of each calendar month.

Users, uses and context

EMAs were introduced for 16 year olds in the 2004/05 academic year with the scheme extended to 17 year olds in 2005/06 and 18 year olds in 2006/07 (19 year olds are also eligible in certain circumstances and therefore would be included in figures from 2007/08 onwards). The scheme is designed as an incentive for students from lower-income families to remain in full-time education after the age at which compulsory schooling ends. The EMA is a weekly allowance, paid fortnightly to students in Welsh institutions.

From academic year 2011/12, students new to EMA could only qualify for an award of £30 per week and since April 2023 it is now £40 per week, depending on household income and family circumstances. Students who received EMA in 2010/11 who returned to education and met the same eligibility criteria as for 2010/11 continued getting their EMA at £10, £20 or £30 per week. These students have since exited the system.

Rounding applied

Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Due to rounding the sums of some rows or columns may not add to the total figure given. Numbers less than 5 (but not zero) are represented by *

Statistical quality

StatsWales figures are updated monthly and are correct at time of publication. They are subject to revisions following further SLC processing, for example due to applications being reclassified from EMA to Pathways to Apprenticeships or vice versa. For this reason, all figures should be treated as provisional until 30 September of the given academic year, since they are still subject to change (e.g. figures for 2023/24 are provisional until 30 September 2024).

Previous years' data are confirmed as final. Data for years 2004/05 to 2008/09 are correct as at 8 March 2010.