A PARENT’S VIEW

IT’S the end of March already and applications for the Educational Maintenance Allowance in Wales have opened.

It is not available in England, so some eligible Welsh teenagers have the opportunity to get additional financial support for post-16 education that their friends over the border do not get.

Applications need to be submitted by the end of June if any awarded allowance is to be paid when schools and colleges start back. This is a great incentive for 16 to 18-year-olds who want to continue their education after school-leaving age. For most, this would be sixth form at a school or college.

Not everyone is eligible and there are family income criteria, but it is certainly worth checking out the Student Finance Wales website for more details.

The student has to fulfil residency criteria and be studying an “eligible” course. The allowance could be £30 per week and is paid fortnightly.

If your teenager is unsure about continuing their education post16, this is a factor they could take into consideration if they find out they are eligible. After all, £30 per week is a decent amount of money when you are still living at home with your parents and have few bills to pay.

Combine this with the fact that it is free to study A-levels etc in sixth form, and that could tip the balance. Once they get to university (if that is where they choose to go), they will be paying tuition fees.

The other advantage is that it is paid directly into the student’s bank account and not via mum or dad. This gives them the responsibility for budgeting. If they blow the lot in the first couple of weeks, they will soon learn – especially if you refuse to bail them out.

The application form is fairly hefty and runs to more than 20 pages, but that in itself is good practice for filling in university and job applications. Of course they need to have a bank account, but by 16 years of age most teenagers should have one of these anyway.

Many students will be able to combine the EMA with a part-time job which can give them enough money to see them through sixthform studies. They may even save a bit for when they go away to university, but don’t hold your breath.

Dr Sharon Parry is a mother of three and former public health research fellow. She shares useful tips and her experiences of having three daughters in primary school, high school and university in Wales on her website www.aftertheplayground.com