Bulletin for November 2024

EMA/WGLG applications for academic year 2024/25

Please remind your learners that they can still apply for EMA and WGLG FE funding for academic year 2024/25.

We'll backdate EMA payments to the start of the course if we receive the application within 13 weeks of the course start date. For WGLG FE, new learners must apply within 9 months of starting their course. Returning learners must also sign their agreement within 9 months of starting their course.

The EMA online service is available in English and Welsh for learners to apply here. 

Learners can also download EMA and WGLG FE application forms and guidance from the Student Finance Wales website.

EMA removed box

We've recently made an enhancement to the LC Portal based on feedback from last year’s forums.

The 'removed' box on the view application worklist page will now only be available if a student has not signed a Learning Agreement. This will help to administer students who leave or transfer their Learning Centre after signing a Learning Agreement.

The correct way to administer a student who leaves or transfers Learning Centre after signing a Learning Agreement is to stop the agreement. Full guidance on this is on the LC Services website.

Learning Centre Portal opening early

We're opening the LC Portal early for entries for the week ending 20 December. This means you can submit attendances from 16 December. The allocations will then be in place before you break for the winter holidays. Please make sure to mark the following weeks as holidays:

• all weeks your Learning Centre will close for holidays
• all weeks your Learning Centre is only open for one day

This will automatically mark all learners as on holiday, making sure the portal is up to date. You must also administer outstanding student payments in the 'unconfirmed weeks' section of the portal.

WGLG attendance confirmations and withdrawals

As we approach the last month of term one, please make sure to confirm attendance for all eligible WGLG students for the term by 20 December.

If a student withdraws from their course mid-year, make sure to update their Learning Agreement status to withdrawn on the portal. You must do this within 30 working days of the withdrawal date as per the service standards.

EMA and WGLG support desk

Our support desk team is available to answer any day to day operational questions you have. This includes queries about individual learners, application processing, payments and the LC Portal.

You can reach our support desk on 0300 200 4050 (option 5 for WGLG, option 6 for EMA) or by emailing emainfo@slc.co.uk.

Please try to use all available resources before you escalate these types of queries to the account management team.