Education Maintenance Allowance
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) helps to cover the costs related to your child’s schooling. The EMA provides families on a low income with financial assistance to support their child’s education up to the age of 16.
The allowance is paid in two instalments throughout the year; the first instalment from March onwards and the second instalment from August onwards. Half of the payment is paid to the school and half to the parent or guardian.
You need to submit your EMA application to your child’s school by 26 February 2010, in time for the first instalment. Application forms are available from schools.
Parents have the option to have their EMA instalments paid by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) directly into your bank account. You can select this option when filling in your application form.
After feedback from parents and schools, the new EFT option has been introduced to offer you a faster and more convenient option for receiving your EMA payment. Choosing the EFT option means that you will receive your payment 2–3 weeks sooner than with the current cheque based system.
Further information
- Eligibility – find out if your family is eligible to receive the EMA
- Payment Amounts – information on how, when and how much you will be paid and the new EFT payment option
- Frequently Asked Questions
Information on the EMA is also available in a letter from the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, MP and the Minister for Education, Hon Bronwyn Pike, MP, in the the following languages:
Government schools
- English (PDF - 123Kb)
- Arabic (PDF)
- Bosnian (PDF)
- Cambodian (PDF)
- Croatian (PDF)
- Macedonian (PDF)
- Persian (PDF)
- Serbian (PDF)
- Somali (PDF)
- Spanish (PDF)
- Traditional Chinese (PDF)
- Turkish (PDF)
- Vietnamese (PDF)
Non-government schools:
- English (PDF - 122Kb)
- Arabic (PDF)
- Bosnian (PDF)
- Cambodian (PDF)
- Croatian (PDF)
- Macedonian (PDF)
- Persian (PDF)
- Serbian (PDF)
- Somali (PDF)
- Spanish (PDF)
- Traditional Chinese (PDF)
- Turkish (PDF)
- Vietnamese (PDF)