Nationality and residency requirements for EMA
To be eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in Northern Ireland, you must meet the residence and nationality rules set out for the scheme. Find out what evidence you will need to send for your specific circumstances.
Qualifying for EMA
If you are a UK national living in Northern Ireland and meet all other eligibility criteria, you will normally be eligible for EMA.
If you are a UK national living in Northern Ireland and meet all other eligibility criteria, you will normally be eligible for EMA.
If you are not a UK national you may still be eligible to apply for EMA if:
- you are a Republic of Ireland (RoI) national
- you have ‘Settled Status’ in the UK
- you or a family member have been granted ‘Leave to Enter or Remain for Humanitarian Protection’ or ‘Discretionary Leave’
- you or a family member have ‘Refugee status in the UK’ or European Union (EU) temporary protection status’ in the UK
- you are an EU national with ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’ status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- you are the child of a Turkish national who is working or has worked in the UK
- you are the child of a Swiss national entitled to support in the UK under Article 18(2) of the Swiss citizens’ rights agreement
- you or a family member are an EEA or Swiss national with ‘protected rights’ who is working/ has worked or is looking for work in the UK
In addition to one of the above, to be eligible for EMA, you must be resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of your course, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years before the first day of your course.
RoI nationals, those with ‘Settled Status’ in the UK, and children of a Swiss national may be eligible for EMA if they are resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of their course, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Gibraltar, EU/EEA or Switzerland for three years before the first day of their course. RoI nationals are not required to have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Children of a Turkish national who is working or has worked in the UK may be eligible for EMA if they are resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of their course, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Gibraltar, EU/EEA or Turkey for three years before the first day of their course. Both the child and the Turkish worker are required to have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020.
Family members of an EEA or Swiss national who is working/ has worked or is looking for work in the UK could be eligible for EMA if they are resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of their course, and have been ordinarily resident in the UK/EEA, Turkey or Switzerland for three years before the first day of their course. RoI nationals are not required to have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme or to have been in the UK by 31 December 2020.
You will not be eligible for EMA if you are an asylum seeker.
Evidence of nationality and residency
The information below highlights what evidence of your nationality and residence you will need to send.
If you have a UK passport, you can provide your passport number. Otherwise, you need to send original documents. These will be returned to you as soon as possible.
However, a passport won't be accepted as evidence of your nationality if it expires before your application form is received.
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If you hold a valid UK passport, enter these details on the application form. This means you don't need to send your passport. If you don't hold a valid UK passport, you need to send either:
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If this status applies to you:
If this status applies to your family member:
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If this status applies to you:
If this status applies to your family member:
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If this status applies to you:
If this status applies to your family member:
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If this status applies to you:
If this status applies to your family member:
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