Education Maintenance Allowance Scheme and Welsh Government Learning Grant (Further Education) Scheme academic Year 2025 to 2026 (SFWIN 04/2025)

This Information Notice provides details of the following income assessed further education grant schemes for the 2025 to 2026 academic year:

• Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
• Welsh Government Learning Grant (Further Education) (WGLG (FE)).

The schemes are available to view on the funding and finance for students webpage.

Please ensure that this Information Notice is circulated to all staff and colleagues who help to administer the schemes.

The Student Finance Wales application service is open for EMA and WGLG (FE) for the 2025 to 2026 academic year 

How to apply: new students

New students can apply online by creating a Student Finance Wales account.

Alternatively, new students can collect a paper form from their school (EMA only) or college (EMA and WGLG FE), or download one for printing from the Student Finance Wales website.

Student Finance Wales will only be able to determine eligibility and entitlement once they have received a fully completed application form with appropriate supporting evidence. For information and advice contact the Student Finance Wales bilingual customer service on 0300 200 4050.

How to apply: returning students

Returning students are not required to submit a paper or online electronic application. Student Finance Wales will write to returning students during Spring 2025 to let them know the next steps to follow for academic year 2025 to 2026.

The qualifying EMA household income thresholds have been increased for academic year 2025 to 2026. The new household income thresholds follow the recommendation of the independent EMA review report published in July 2024.

EMA income thresholds in academic year 2024 to 2025:

• £20,817 - households with one dependent child.
• £23,077 - households with two or more dependent children.

EMA income thresholds in academic year 2025 to 2026:

• £23,400 - households with one dependent child.
• £25,974 - households with two or more dependent children.

The online and paper EMA application form and notes for academic year 2025 to 2026 show the new household income thresholds. The 2025 to 2026 form should only be completed by new students or continuing students who are applying for EMA for the first time.

If learning centres are aware of any students who have not yet applied for EMA in the current academic year, please ensure they complete the 2024 to 2025 form and submit it to Student Finance Wales before the 31 August 2025. EMA applications received after this date will not be accepted for 2024 to 2025.

The WGLG (FE) grants have been increased for eligible students studying in academic year 2025 to 2026.

Grant levels in academic year 2024 to 2025:

Full-time grant 

• £1,500 grant - household income up to £6,120.
• £750 grant - household income £6,121 to £ 12,235.
• £450 grant - household income £12,236 to £18,370.
• £0 grant - household income £18,371 and above.

Part-time grant 

• £750 grant - household income up to £6,120.
• £450 grant - household income £6,121 to £ 12,235.
• £300 grant - household income £12,236 to £18,370.
• £0 grant - household income £18,371 and above.

Grant levels in academic year 2025 to 2026:

Full-time grant 

• £1,919 grant - household income up to £6,120.
• £959 grant - household income £6,121 to £12,235.
• £576 grant - household income £12,236 to £18,370.
• £0 grant - household income £18,371 and above.

Part-time grant 

• £959 grant - household income up to £6,120.
• £576 grant - household income £6,121 to £ 12,235.
• £384 grant - household income £12,236 to £18,370.
• £0 grant - household income £18,371 and above.

The online application and downloadable form for academic year 2025 to 2026 provide details about the new grant levels. 

The paper forms will not be reprinted with the new grant levels; however, we welcome the support of learning centres to communicate the grant changes to eligible students.

The following eligibility changes ensure consistent criteria for maintenance support arrangements between FE and HE student support. 

Ukrainian nationals: the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme

For academic year 2025 to 2026 the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme has been included in the FE schemes to maintain continuity of support and eligibility. 

In February 2024, the Home Office announced the introduction of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme which provides an additional 18 months of leave to remain to those previously granted permission to remain in the UK under the Ukraine Scheme. 

Students will need to check when their current leave is expiring prior to making an application to the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

Persons who become settled in the UK during an academic year

In certain circumstances a person may become eligible for support during the academic year, this is known as an event. The events provision in the FE schemes has been extended to include a person who becomes settled in the UK during the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

If you have queries about applications, how to apply, payments or any other aspect of the service, please contact Student Finance Wales .

If you have any queries about this Information Notice, please email the Strategy and Funding Division, Welsh Government. 

Large print, Braille and alternate language versions of this document are available on request. 

We welcome correspondence in Welsh or English.