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GrantNorthern Ireland

Education Maintenance Allowance (Northern Ireland)

Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland)

Description

Northern Ireland's equivalent of England's 16-19 Bursary Fund — a weekly payment of £30, paid fortnightly, for 16-19 year-olds from lower-income households staying on at school or moving into further education college, with two additional one-off £100 bonus payments available for meeting attendance/progress targets set by the school or college.

Amount

£30 a week (paid fortnightly), plus up to two £100 bonus payments (January and June) for meeting agreed targets

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

  • Available in: Northern Ireland.
  • Open to individuals — not restricted to businesses.
  • Relevant income bands: earning under the Personal Allowance.
  • Relevant age groups: under 18, 18–24.
Notes
Two £100 bonus payments are available on top of the weekly award — the first paid in January, the second in June — for meeting attendance and progress targets agreed with your teacher/tutor as part of a Learning Agreement. Re-verified directly against nidirect (Aug 2026): the £20,500/£22,500 income thresholds are confirmed as the actual figures for the 2026/27 academic year, not just a carried-over 2025/26 figure as previously flagged for reverification. Distinct from England's 16-19 Bursary Fund and from Scotland's and Wales's own EMA schemes, which apply different weekly rates and income thresholds.
Requirement
Aged 16, 17, 18, or 19 within the relevant academic-year birth-date window, household income at or below £20,500 (one dependent child) or £22,500 (more than one dependent child), and in full-time education at school or a minimum of 15 guided learning hours a week at college. Maximum entitlement is 117 positive or negative weekly attendance confirmations over the length of the course, and support can run for up to 3 years while household income stays under the threshold.

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How to apply

Apply using the EMA application form available from your school/college or nidirect.gov.uk; must reapply each academic year.

View official source

Other areas' version of this scheme

Education Maintenance Allowance (Northern Ireland) is run locally — here's the same scheme in other areas.

Grant

Education Maintenance Allowance (Scotland)

Local councils (school pupils) and colleges (Scotland), within a national scheme set by the Scottish Government

Scotland's equivalent of England's 16-19 Bursary Fund — a weekly payment of £30 for 16-19 year-olds from lower-income households who stay on at school or move into further education college, intended to help with the everyday costs of studying (travel, meals, materials). Paid fortnightly and subject to maintaining attendance and agreeing a learning plan with your school or college.

£30 a week, paid fortnightly, subject to attendanceRolling / no fixed deadlineScotland
Grant

Education Maintenance Allowance (Wales)

Student Finance Wales, within a national scheme set by the Welsh Government

Wales's equivalent of England's 16-19 Bursary Fund — a weekly payment of £40 for 16-18 year-olds from lower-income households in further education, higher than both Scotland's and Northern Ireland's EMA rate. Intended to help with the everyday costs of staying in education, such as travel, meals, and course materials.

£40 a week for 2026/27Rolling / no fixed deadlineWales

Last verified: 23 August 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.