EMA for returning students

If you received EMA during the last academic year, then you won’t have to complete another application form. Instead, you will receive a Returners award letter to check and your parent(s) or guardian(s) maybe asked for details about your household income.

Returners award letter

If you received EMA during the 2024 to 2025 academic year, and are continuing with your studies in academic year 2025 to 2026, you don’t need to complete another application form. Instead, you will receive a returners award letter to advise you of your EMA award for 2025 to 2026. This will be based on your previous academic year’s financial assessment.

Once you receive the letter, check that all of the details in it are accurate. If you need to change anything, or if you haven’t received your letter yet, contact the EMA helpline.

Receiving your EMA payment

If all of the information on the returners award letter is accurate, you should sign your Learning Agreement within eight weeks of starting your course – this will also entitle you to any backdated payments to the start of term.

The Learning Agreement is an agreement between the student and the school/ college, setting out the conditions upon which EMA and the two bonus payments will be payable. Learning Agreements are signed and dated by both parties and retained by the school/ college.

You must also meet the attendance rules and objectives contained within your Learning Agreement – your school or college must confirm your attendance with the Student Loans Company.

EMA - January bonus

To be considered for the January bonus, you must sign Part 2 of your Learning Agreement by 2 December 2025.

Education Maintenance Allowance explained

Financial details form

As a returning student approved to receive EMA in 2025 to 2026, the Student Loans Company may issue a financial details form to your parent(s) or guardian(s) asking them to provide details of the household income for the 2023 to 2024 financial year.

The form must be completed and returned to the Student Loans Company within 30 days or your EMA payments will be suspended.

The financial details form is available at:

Education Maintenance Allowance application forms and guidance notes

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?

report a problem

leave feedback

ask a question

Report a problem

Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

A link, button or video is not working

There is a spelling mistake

Information is missing, outdated or wrong

I can't find what I'm looking for

Another issue

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

Tell us more about the problem you're having with the nidirect website.

Enter your feedback

What is your question about?

Choose a topic for your question:

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly. We don't have access to information about you.

Extra comments (optional)

Translation help

Select a language