Joining an unemployment insurance fund

When you have completed your studies, a new reality kicks, which is why there are certain points that demand your attention.

We have compiled them here:

• No later than 12 months prior to your graduation, you must join an unemployment insurance fund (having a student membership is typically free). This ensures your right to unemployment benefits from your first day of unemployment, instead of being subjected to a waiting period of four weeks/a month. This means that if you wait until after you have graduated to join, you will not receive payment until four weeks after graduating.
• If you have a student job with a term of notice, and you want to resign, you must have resigned from and left your job before your last exam. Otherwise you will be imposed a quarantine period by the unemployment insurance fund, in which you are unable to receive benefits. Contact the unemployment insurance fund, if you wish to continue your employment.
• You have to join an unemployment insurance fund no more than 14 days after completing your education or receiving your last grade. If you register after the 14 days have passed, you are not entitled to benefits before after one year of membership or having worked for a minimum of 1,924 hours.
• Even if you have joined an unemployment insurance fund 12 months prior to your graduation (and thus being eligible for benefits from the first day of unemployment), you must still inform them of your graduation no later than 14 days after your last grade. Which means that you register as unemployed and change your status from student member to graduand member.
• You must also register as unemployed on jobnet.dk, in case you have not gotten a job.
• If you are finishing your bachelor’s degree and want to continue with your master’s, you must still register within 14 days and inform the unemployment insurance fund of your continued education. This does not mean that you are entitled to benefits in the intermediate state between your bachelor’s and master’s. However, if you continue your studies and later decide to drop out, you have thence ensured your rights to benefits and to remain a student member at the unemployment insurance fund.
• If you have a student job and become unemployed after graduation, or you might be receiving supplementary unemployment benefits, you must still contact the unemployment insurance fund within 14 days and ensure your graduand rights.

If in doubt whether to continue your education or wanting a break, talk to your unemployment insurance fund. Remember that you can always ask them about your rights and opportunities and information about benefit rates, payout, obligations and rights.

Job opportunities

At your place of study you will often find a career centre, in which to get guidance about job applications and the transition from student life to work life. They regularly conduct career events, so be sure to keep an eye on your education’s website.

The job centre/jobnet and unemployment insurance funds offer personal career counselling to some degree and information about job seeking on their websites. Likewise the unemployment insurance funds typically offer seminars for recent graduates and newly unemployed, which are recommendable if you want helpful advice and exchange experiences with other newly unemployed.

Special needs/functional impairments

If you have any functional impairments or special needs, it is important that you talk to your unemployment insurance fund when you graduate concerning your limitations.

Contact your municipality regarding opportunities for support and special terms employment. Your municipality must provide you council and, to ensure that you know your rights and options, we recommend that you reach out to them before completing your education.