Andrew Battarbee, head of the Department for Education and Skills' EMA unit, told YPN: "We've had far more applications than we thought we would get. We thought that some people would not apply until after they got their GCSE results."
The department estimates that 250,000 young people will take advantage of the allowance when it is rolled out across England this month.
The EMA is a weekly allowance of up to 30, depending on household income, for 16-year-olds who stay in education. They must sign an agreement committing them to this.
The allowances have been offered in pilot projects across England since 1999.
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