[Boothy]

EMA will close to new applicants from January 2011. Learner support funds will be available through schools, colleges and training providers to help students who most need it to continue in learning. If you currently get EMA you will continue to receive it for the rest of this academic year, but you will not receive it next academic year

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio.../EMA/index.htm

Hope they replace it with something though. I get EMA and haven't spent a penny of it this year, saving it all so I can do work experience in America once I'm at uni. I don't need it but I'm not gonna say no to free money.

Having said that, there are people who I know who genuinely do need it. Granted, not £30 a week, but I'm pretty sure they'd struggle getting to and from college, buying all their books and stationery without some financial help. Instead of giving students cash in their pocket, they should give them free bus/train passes and provide them with stationary and paper. Something like that.

[MTVN]

Most the people I know who get it dont spend it on what it's intended for or dont need as much as they get. Surely it's not that hard to find a once-a-week job or something that will give them the money they need.

And stationary doesnt cost £30, the only people who really need that much are those with high travel costs in which case they should give bus passes like you said.

[Callum]

So won't there be any EMA next year?

[Benjamin]

EMA is ridiculous. If people can't afford to go to college/uni then don't go. I had to work 3 jobs to get me through College, and work 2 to get me through uni. It's called earning and paying for your future.

[Livia]

You're saving it to go to the USA? LOL... No wonder they're ending it.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by ukturtle

EMA is ridiculous. If people can't afford to go to college/uni then don't go. I had to work 3 jobs to get me through College, and work 2 to get me through uni. It's called earning and paying for your future.

A year ago I would have disagreed, now that I'm earning my own money, I agree

[Smithy]

I get EMA, I spend it so badly

[Jords]

EMA.

[Ninastar]

I can not wait to tell my friends this. they all make fun of me cause they get ema and I dont! :'(

[Lewis.]

I work 20 hours a week anyway do it won't really effect me financially when I go to college next year, although I can see a lot of people not going to college if that's the case and just going straight onto work, especially with all of the hype that uni students cannot find jobs after they have graduated. Luckily my job isn't in school times and I'm already earning the amount to suit my needs and to pay for other things that I like, but might not essentially need. I might have a different view next year though when I've got to start paying for a car etc.

[Tom]

when I was at college it was peoples beer money for the weekend

GET A JOB IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY

[Shaun]

of course it's ending - going to college is becoming compulsory isn't it? there's no way the government could afford paying EVERY student £30 a week.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Shaun

of course it's ending - going to college is becoming compulsory isn't it? there's no way the government could afford paying EVERY student £30 a week.

I don't see why the government pay people now to go to College. If they cannot afford it, either don't go, or get a job.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Shaun

of course it's ending - going to college is becoming compulsory isn't it? there's no way the government could afford paying EVERY student £30 a week.

Almost everyone goes anyway, only skanks leave school at 16 and not bother with anything further

[Angus]

Nobody should be PAID to attend college, education is free to all to age 19 as it is, and should be valued for the privilege it is. Most students gettting EMA just consider it as pocket money, so why should the taxpayer fund it?

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by ukturtle

I don't see why the government pay people now to go to College. If they cannot afford it, either don't go, or get a job.

It's supposed to be for 'travel expenses' and books
I could really do with it actually. My bus pass is £14 a week, and I had to buy 4 textbooks at the start of the year at £20 each.

damn my oldness.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Shaun

It's supposed to be for 'travel expenses' and books
I could really do with it actually. My bus pass is £14 a week, and I had to buy 4 textbooks at the start of the year at £20 each.

damn my oldness.

No doubt every college will have its own "hardship fund" for those students who really are in dire financial straits, but the majority are not and really it is ridiculous to be giving teenagers £30 to spend on booze, cds or whatever simply for doing what they're supposed to do, i.e. turning up every day and studying.

[lily.]

Originally Posted by Tom

Almost everyone goes anyway, only skanks leave school at 16 and not bother with anything further

I left school at 16.

I also used birth control when I didn't want to get pregnant.

Just saying.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by angus58

No doubt every college will have its own "hardship fund" for those students who really are in dire financial straits, but the majority are not and really it is ridiculous to be giving teenagers £30 to spend on booze, cds or whatever simply for doing what they're supposed to do, i.e. turning up every day and studying.

Yeah I have to agree - it is mostly misused.

[Novo]

Originally Posted by lily.

I left school at 16.

I also used birth control when I didn't want to get pregnant.

Just saying.

Yes. Bang On Right.



Tom Jnr.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by angus58

No doubt every college will have its own "hardship fund" for those students who really are in dire financial straits, but the majority are not and really it is ridiculous to be giving teenagers £30 to spend on booze, cds or whatever simply for doing what they're supposed to do, i.e. turning up every day and studying.

Plus at the end of term and on your birthday you get a £100 bonus

[Z]

I didn't get paid anything for staying beyond compulsory education, find it a bit unfair that English kids do.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Zee

I didn't get paid anything for staying beyond compulsory education, find it a bit unfair that English kids do.

Don't you get to go to uni for free?

[lily.]

The rules are different up here Greg.

[Z]

Originally Posted by Smithy

Don't you get to go to uni for free?

Tuition fees are paid for by the government, everything else I have to pay for.