Education and unemployment benefits
You can take part in education while you are unemployed (ledig). However, there are rules on how much education you may undertake.
To take part in education while receiving unemployment benefits, you must remain fully available to work.
This means, among other things, that:
- the education must not prevent you from starting a job the next day
- you must attend meetings with your unemployment insurance fund or the municipality
- you must apply for jobs and keep your job log up to date, and
- you must reside and stay in Denmark throughout the entire education programme.
You cannot take part in all types of education while unemployed. It is important that you apply for approval to participate in education while receiving unemployment benefits, and that you only begin the programme once your unemployment insurance fund has approved it. You must pay for the education yourself.
You apply for permission by filling out Erklæring om deltagelse i uddannelse (declaration of enrolment in education) on Mit AKA. Our final decision is based on assessing the specific education you wish to participate in.
Go to the form Erklæring om deltagelse i uddannelse via Mit AKA
Study programmes with fewer than 20 hours per week and no SU eligibility
The programme must involve less than 20 hours per week and must not be part of a full-time course of study that would make you eligible for SU as a student.
Single-subject courses at universities and other higher education institutions will generally qualify for SU.
Examples include the academy profession programme in business, the merit teacher and merit social educator programmes, as well as MBA, MPA and HD programmes.
Courses and education via the municipality
When you attend sessions with the municipality or your other service provider, you can learn about their options for granting courses and education that can bring you closer to a job.
You won’t have to pay for the course, and you don’t need our permission as it will be entered into Min Plan.
Upper secondary courses, primary and lower secondary education, and evening classes
You may keep your right to unemployment benefits while taking individual upper secondary courses for fewer than 20 hours a week, teaching at 8th to 10th grade level, or subsidized evening classes.
This also applies to similar courses lasting up to two weeks, as long as they are not part of a qualifying education programme.
Training through your unemployment insurance fund, trade union, or another professional organisation
You can take part in courses lasting up to two weeks if they are organised by Akademikernes A-kasse, another unemployment insurance fund, your trade union, or another professional organisation.
If you are a member of a professional organisation, it is worth checking its course offerings. Like Akademikernes A-kasse, many organisations offer workshops on job interviews as well as writing applications and CVs.
Some organisations also provide special offers for their unemployed members.
As a member of Akademikernes A-kasse, you have access to a wide range of online courses
If you need to strengthen your skills in a specific area, it may be helpful to explore the online courses available to you free of charge as a member. We offer online courses in subjects such as InDesign and Excel, as well as courses on topics including meeting management, project management tools, and digital marketing and communication. In most cases, you get a course certificate once you have completed the course.
You may participate in open-education courses for up to six hours per week
You can retain the right to unemployment benefits while participating in education under the Open Education Act or the University Act, if you have completed a vocational education programme of at least 18 months.
This only applies until your right and obligation to receive offers from the municipality begins, and the teaching must not be able to form part of a new education programme for you.
The teaching may amount to no more than 6 hours per week or correspond to 1/3 of a student full-time equivalent year.
Folk high school stays for people under 25
If you’re under 25, you can attend a folk high school (højskoleophold) in Denmark. You will receive 50 percent of the highest unemployment benefit rate during your stay. You must pay for the stay yourself.
The stay at the folk high school must take place within the first six months of your total unemployment period. You must actively search for jobs during your stay. You must inform the municipality about the folk high school stay.
Regional positive lists for job-relevant training
The Regional Labour Market Councils compile so-called positivlister (positive lists). They list courses expected to lead to job opportunities within the next six months.
The municipality must approve of your participation in a course. If they approve a course, they will pay the course fee, and you can continue receiving unemployment benefits. Your chances of getting a course approved by the municipality vary, so contact them to learn more about your options.
On the Regional Labour Market Councils’ website, you can find the positive lists for your region and adjacent regions.
Find the regional positive lists (in Danish)
Six-week job-oriented education
If you are unemployed and receiving unemployment benefits (dagpenge), you may be eligible for job-oriented education of up to six weeks. The education must be on the positive list, and you must meet specific requirements.
You may qualify for a six-week job-oriented education if you:
- Are unskilled
- Have completed vocational education or equivalent training
- Have completed short, higher education (kort videregående uddannelse) at the business academy level and vocational education (erhvervsuddannelse) or education equivalent to vocational education.
Suppose you have a bachelor’s degree, higher education, or self-employment as a secondary occupation or steady part-time work. In that case, you are, unfortunately, not eligible for a six-week job-oriented education.
The education can start no earlier than after five consecutive weeks of unemployment (equivalent to 185 hours of paid unemployment benefits).
The education must be completed within the first:
- Nine months of unemployment if you are over 25 years old
- Six months of unemployment if you are under 25 years old
If you want to know more about six-week job-oriented education, feel free to contact us.