EMA Conditions of Award
Education Maintenance Allowance is a student support scheme designed to assist students aged 16 to 19 years of age enrolled on full-time non-advanced level further education courses. The scheme is administered by South Lanarkshire College on behalf of the Scottish Executive.The offer of award is based on the financial information supplied by you. The EMA covers maintenance only. Travel and Course Expenses are dealt with separately under the colleges’ Further Education Bursary scheme. You will receive full details of any award by a separate letter.
Ongoing payment of EMA requires 100% attendance of planned classroom study from the student. Failure to achieve the 100% target in any week will result in the loss of that week’s payment.
EMA payments will not be made during short-term holidays (see payments schedule).
The offer is made subject to the conditions contained in your award letter and conditions within the Scottish Executive Business Model. If the conditions are acceptable to you, you and your parent should sign the acceptance form and return it to your course tutor as soon as possible.
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLY TO YOUR EMA AND YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF AN EMA OFFER RENDERS THEM BINDING UPON YOU:
1. You shall attend for 100% of planned classroom study per week. Continuing payment depends upon strictly 100% attendance. No payment can be made for weeks that show attendance of less than 100%.
Note
Only periods of illness covered by a South Lanarkshire College Self-certificate or Medical Certificate may be set against the 100% attendance requirement.
Only one self-certificate will be accepted per two week period (the maximum is five per academic session *for full conditions, see reverse of Self-certificate), after that Medical Certificates must then be submitted to cover any absence/illness.
In all cases, certificates must be submitted immediately (within three college days) to the Bursary Officer, with Self-certificates counter-signed by the parent of guardian.
2. Should your aggregate attendance over any term fall below 90% the EMA will be reviewed.
3. You must have a signed Learning Agreement with South Lanarkshire College and adhere to the conditions of the agreement. The College will review the Learning Agreement for continuous EMA payment.
4. You must continue to make satisfactory progress and be of good conduct.
5. You are responsible for advising the College of any change in circumstances (e.g. bank details, address, etc.).
6. If the College ascertains that incorrect financial information has been provided by you, your parent(s)/guardian or any other person on your behalf the College may, at its discretion, reclaim from the student all or any part of the award made and reimburse the SFEFC.
7. You are responsible for advising the College if you decide to leave or change your course and should seek appropriate advice.
8. Details of the appeals procedure are detailed in the Scottish Executive Business Model (http://www.emascotland.com).
Should you fail to comply with any of the conditions of the award, the College shall, without notice, be entitled to
a) Require you to refund any or part of the EMA paid to you;
b) Cancel any future payments;
c) Cancel the EMA altogether.
If you are removed from the Education Maintenance Allowance scheme, this may also affect any bursary funding you may be in receipt of.
South Lanarkshire College is registered under the 1998 Data Protection Act. Under ‘the Act,’ the information supplied by you will be stored on a computer system by the College.
