Studies and unemployment benefits

Unemployment fund membership

By joining the unemployment fund, you can begin accumulating the right to the earnings-related allowance before you graduate. By doing this, you can receive your earning allowance if you do not get a job immediately after graduation.

In order to receive the earnings-related allowance, you must have worked for at least 6 months. This work does not need to have been completed as a single period. If you study, you can accumulate working weeks from up to 9 years. In order to accumulate working weeks, you need to have worked for at least 18 hours per week. In addition, you must be a member of the unemployment fund during the working weeks in question.

Graduation

Register as a job-seeker as soon as you receive a diploma or a provisional certificate. Earnings-related allowance may be paid upon graduation if you are registered as a job-seeker at the TE Office.

You may also be eligible to receive the earnings-related allowance if you have not yet graduated, but no longer have the right to study at the educational establishment or the studies have been interrupted for at least one year. In these situations, you should also register at the TE Office and ask the TE Office about the impact of your studies.

 

Receiving unemployment benefit as a student

You can complete small-scale or short-term studies while in receipt of unemployment benefits. If your studies are more extensive, you should transfer onto a study grant (unless such studies consist of employability training or so-called and self-directed studies).

If your studies have been interrupted and you think that graduation or the completion of another educational qualification would improve your employment prospects, ask the TE-Office about self-directed studies. Should the TE Office approve payment of unemployment benefits for the duration of a period of self-directed study, the unemployment benefits can be paid for a maximum of 2 years. You may also receive an increased earnings-related allowance during your self-study period.