Bulletin for October 2026

Last Updated: 11 Nov 2026

EMA/WGLG applications for academic year (AY) 2026/27

Please remind your learners that they can still apply for EMA and WGLG FE funding for academic year 2026/27. 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. Learners can apply online or download application forms and guidance from the Student Finance Wales website.

Paper application forms for AY 2027/28

From academic year (AY) 2027/28 we'll no longer be sending you paper applications for EMA and WGLG. This is due to the uptake in online applications, with almost 95% of students now applying for EMA and WGLG online.

You can still download application forms, The Little Book of EMA and The Guide to WGLG from the Student Finance Wales website. 
If you have any questions about EMA and WGLG online applications, please contact us.

Attendance and illness guidance

You can find guidance on attendance and illness on the LC Services website. Please familiarise yourself with the guidance before contacting your Account Manager.

WGLG attendance confirmations and withdrawals

You should confirm term 1 attendance for all eligible WGLG students by 18 December. Please also check for any students who may have withdrawn. If a student has withdrawn from their course, you should update their Learning Agreement status to withdrawn on the portal.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.

Service standard reminders

Please make sure you follow these points in the service standards:
  • check your students’ attendance information is correct before submitting weekly attendance confirmations
  • return a weekly attendance confirmation for each of your students as 'in attendance' or 'not in attendance'
  • make weekly attendance confirmations on the LC Portal before 5pm on Wednesday for the previous week
You can find guidance on submitting attendance confirmations on the LC Services website.

Performance reports

Please take the time to check how your Learning Centre is performing against the service standards. You can track your performance in real time in the LC Portal. To do this navigate to the homepage of the portal and then select 'Reports' then 'Service standards'.

EMA/WGLG FE support desk

Our support desk team is available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday to answer any day to day operational questions about individual students, application processing, payments and system issues.

You can contact the support desk on 0300 200 4050 (option 6 for EMA queries, option 5 for WGLG FE) or email emainfo@slc.co.uk.