Education Maintenance Allowance Guidance 2024-25

2. The EMA programme aims to provide a financial incentive to young people from
   low-income households to remain in education beyond the minimum school leaving age. This programme is available on the same terms to students who remain in school and to those who go to college.
3. Within the Scottish college sector, SFC manages the programme on behalf of the Scottish Government.
4. SFC acts as the agent of the Scottish Government under a separate agreement from its other activities. EMA funds do not form part of the Scottish Government’s grant-in-aid to SFC. The programme is subject to separate regulations from other student support funds and there are separate reporting requirements for both colleges and SFC.

5. The EMA programme provides a weekly term-time allowance for students from low-income households who are at college studying non-advanced courses on either a full or part-time basis. It can be allocated to students aged 16-19 years old (inclusive), although as set out in SFC’s FE Bursary Guidance for AY 2024-25, college students who are aged 18 when they begin their course should normally be offered an FE bursary.
6. The household income of the young person will determine their eligibility for an EMA. Details of income thresholds and other eligibility criteria can be found in Part 1 of the Scottish Government’s ‘EMA Scotland Guidance and Processes’ document for 2024-25, which we will separately email to college Student Support Administrators.
7. For both full-time and part-time students, there is a single EMA award available of £30 per week. Once students have been assessed and deemed to meet the requirements, they will be eligible for this payment. Full details of the application assessment process are available in Part 2 of the EMA Scotland Guidance and Processes document for 2024-25.
8. Students must be 100% compliant with their learning agreement to receive the weekly payment, and any absences authorised by the college should be treated as a day of attendance. Colleges are reminded that authorised absences are permitted and that they may exercise flexibility when considering the attendance criteria for vulnerable students. This flexibility should be considered on a case-by-case basis and be part of the learning agreement.
9. Colleges should also note that the previous flexibilities around COVID-related attendance issues have been removed for AY 2024-25.
10. Detailed guidance on attendance is set out in Part 1, pages 11-20 and pages 24-25 of the EMA Scotland Guidance and Processes document for 2024-25.
11. These funds are available to all college sector bodies funded by SFC, with the following exceptions:

• Shetland and Orkney Colleges will receive payments from, and report to, their respective local authorities for EMAs.
• Sabhal Mòr Ostaig does not currently have any relevant activity for EMAs.

12. The EMA Scotland Guidance and Processes document governs the use of EMA funds. This document is prepared and updated regularly by the Scottish Government; with input from SFC, colleges, local authorities, and schools.
13. The Scottish Government has provided the final version for AY 2024-25 and this document will be emailed directly to student support contacts in colleges. The terms of this document cover both the school and college sectors to ensure consistency across Scotland.
14. This guidance covers both full-time and part-time EMA provision. Colleges are reminded that, for students to be eligible for a part-time EMA, they should be:

• On a course that is eligible for SFC funding, as detailed in SFC’s Credit Guidance.
• On a course that leads to a recognised qualification, meets an employer’s need or is a formal access course. Students on leisure courses and taster courses are not eligible for SFC funding or an EMA. Students on evening or weekend courses may be eligible for a part-time EMA but only where they meet the above criteria and where their attendance on the course is monitored.
• On a course with a duration which is less than the full-time definition. The minimum course duration is 1 hour.
• Claiming an EMA from one source and for one course only. Colleges are asked to make explicit to students when they apply that they should not claim an EMA for more than one course at a time, or at more than one college or at a school and a college simultaneously. Colleges should also inform students that SFC monitors enrolments to identify students making dual claims. If students are found to be making dual claims, they will be liable to repay any EMA that is over-claimed to the college. Colleges should have systems in place to recover this money from students under these circumstances.

15. Students claiming part-time EMAs are not eligible for travel or study costs.
16. Criteria for the residential eligibility for EMA in colleges are set out in The Education Maintenance Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007, The Student Support (Scotland) Regulations 2022, and The Education (Fees and Student Support) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023. Colleges should also note the residency criteria set out in Annex A of the Scottish Government’s EMA Scotland Guidance and Processes Document.
17. Colleges are reminded that Scottish-domiciled students studying in the rest of the UK (rUK) are not eligible for EMA. Similarly, under the revised regulations, students domiciled in the rUK (England, Wales, or Northern Ireland) but studying in Scotland are not eligible for EMA in Scotland.

18. Colleges can claim funds for administrative costs. Two different types of payments for administrative costs will be made to colleges each year:

• A flat rate payment of £8,000 will be made to all colleges participating in the programme in May 2025.
• A further payment of £15 per accepted EMA student will be paid after student totals have been received in the data returns that are submitted twice annually, in February and June 2025.

19. Colleges should submit claims for administrative costs as part of the EMA claims process.
20. The EMA administrative funds are ring-fenced for EMA-related expenses and colleges should be able to demonstrate evidence of spend against their allocation. Colleges are asked to report annually on spend on EMA administrative costs (see Annex C).

21. Returns claiming funds must be signed by a relevant authorised signatory before being sent to SFC. This signatory will normally be the Principal/Chief Executive Officer or a nominated deputy. In recognition that many staff continue to work remotely or on a hybrid model, colleges may continue to submit their monthly returns by sending an email from the authorised signatory’s college email address to EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk by the usual monthly deadline. The authorised signatory should include the following text in their authorisation email to SFC:

“I approve the EMA claim made by (college name) for the amount of (£XXX).”

22. Colleges are required to complete and return the pro-forma response (Annex B) to EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk, giving an update of the details of authorised signatories, by
    27 September 2024. There can be up to four separate signatories. If you would like to amend these signatories at any point, please contact Ken Johnston in SFC’s Finance Directorate (contact details are provided at the end of this document), as soon as possible.
23. The year-end statement is a declaration of each college’s EMA spend within the AY, and it must be agreed and signed by the Principal/Chief Executive Officer. SFC’s EMA Team will circulate regular reminders and information on submitting monthly and annual returns throughout the year.

24. EMA funding for colleges has specific conditions as set out below.

General

25. Students cannot claim an EMA for more than one course at a time, or at more than one college or at a school and a college simultaneously.
26. Students must sign a declaration agreeing that the college can recover any overpayment of EMA funds.
27. SFC will recover any overpayment of EMA funds from colleges at the earliest opportunity.
28. Colleges are required to comply with The Student Support (Scotland) Regulations 2022, The Education (Fees and Student Support) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023, the EMA Scotland Business Model, National Guidance and other policy documents and updates as issued by SFC and/or the Scottish Government in operating the EMA programme.

Use of funds

29. EMA funds, for both students and college costs, are ring-fenced and should only be used for the purpose(s) for which they are allocated within the EMA programme.

Data returns and quality

30. Monthly data returns should be sent to SFC in good time (see Annex A for process timetable) as no ad-hoc payments will be made outside the monthly payment schedule. Therefore, colleges that delay making their returns and/or claims will not receive a payment until the following payment run.
31. Colleges are also required to agree and sign-off an AY-end data return. The return will include the information for the full AY and will be issued by SFC in September 2024.
32. It is the college’s responsibility to ensure that data is submitted on time and quality requirements are met. Any delay and subsequent non-payment by SFC for a particular month should not lead to students being disadvantaged.
33. SFC’s EMA Team will circulate regular reminders and information on submitting monthly and annual returns throughout the year. Colleges should also refer to the EMA Guidance and Processes document.

34. EMAs will require a separate audit on the basis of the signed AY-end statement. The audit cycle is on an AY basis.
35. An audited year-end statement for the period August 2024 to July 2025 should be sent to SFC by 26 September 2025.
36. The audit procedures are currently being reviewed. Any changes will be communicated to colleges and incorporated into the audit guidance, due to be published in summer 2025.
37. This year has seen a change to the way the Scottish Government has funded EMA through SFC. As a result, there will be some minor changes to the audit requirements next year, mainly in the audit paperwork and in the way spot checks are carried out. Further details will be communicated to colleges later in the year and in the EMA Audit Guidance.

38. Colleges are asked to complete and return a signed copy of the funding offer pro-forma (Annex B, parts 1 and 2) by 27 September 2024 to indicate they accept the offer of EMA funds and the conditions attached to them. The pro-forma should be sent to EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk and colleges should retain a signed completed copy of these documents for their records.

39. Details on how colleges use the administrative funds they receive are still required and the copies of the form to be completed can be found at Annex C. The returns are also scheduled in the timetable in Annex A. Colleges should submit Annex C by 27 September 2024.
40. This deadline is considerably earlier than in previous years and is due to the Scottish Government changing the way in which SFC receives the EMA grant.

41. Please contact Ken Johnston, Funding Policy Officer, tel: 0131 313 6562, email: kjohnston@sfc.ac.uk.

Richard Maconachie FCCA

Director of Finance

1. The payment dates for Academic Year (AY) 2024-25 are set out in the table below. Colleges should complete EMA online returns for each month, and these should be with SFC within the allotted time. Failure to make the return in time sets the risk of non-payment of funds (see paragraphs 30-33). Colleges can email scanned copies of the signed return to EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk, or follow the email authorisation process described at paragraph 21.
2. College claims for EMA payments to students will be made in arrears.

Payment schedule

3. The schedule detailing payment and data return dates is set out in the table below. This is based on the turnaround time for data and payments as set out in the EMA Scotland Business Model and to fit with SFC’s standard monthly payment schedule.
4. Timetable of EMA returns and payments between all colleges and SFC for AY 2024-25:

* Please note that the data return will be kept open for student numbers only until the February claim is due, to allow colleges to reflect as accurate numbers as possible at this time.
** Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

To be received by SFC no later than Friday 27 September 2024

ACCEPTANCE OF EMA CONDITIONS OF GRANT

College name

……………………………………………………………………………

I agree to the EMA conditions of grant for AY 2024-25 (August 2024 – July 2025), as set out in SFC’s EMA grant letter 2024-25. I note that as part of these conditions, I will receive payment of administration costs for EMAs, which will be used for EMA-related expenditure only.

Signed

………………………………………………..

Principal/Chief Executive Officer (or principal designate or equivalent)

……………………………………………….

Name (please print)

………………………………………………

Position

………………………………………………

Date:

Please return by 27 September 2024 to: EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk.

To be received by SFC no later than Friday 27 September 2024

EMA CLAIMS AND PAYMENTS – AUTHORISED SIGNATORIES FOR 2024-25 ONWARDS

The following are authorised to claim EMA funds from SFC on behalf of

……………………………………………………………. (insert name of College) from August 2024

Please inform SFC of any changes to these signatories as soon as possible.

Authorised signatories for claims:

Please return by Friday 27 September 2024 to: EMAreturns@sfc.ac.uk.