Council urges young people to apply for allowance

Young people staying on at Secondary schools in the Highlands are being urged by Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Service "not to miss out" and to apply for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) which could be worth up to £1,500 to each pupil.

An EMA is a weekly payment of up to £30, paid directly to eligible young people who stay on in school after they reach statutory leaving age. Young people may also be eligible for two bonuses of £150 if they remain on their course and make the necessary progress with their learning.

EMAs were introduced nationally by the Scottish Executive in August 2025 to provide financial support to young people from low income families staying on at school.

Highland Council's EMA Co-ordinator, Katie MacLean said: "Eligibility for the academic year 2025/08 is dependent on your household income and date of birth. You must also live within the Highland Council area, meet residency criteria and attend a Highland Council school or be home educated for over 21 hours a week. Payments are dependent on students completing a Learning Agreement with their school and complying with it for the full academic year."

The income eligibility levels for the 2025/08 academic year are as follows:

Application forms and further information are available throughout the Highland Council area from Secondary Schools and Service Points.