If you do not immediately have a job after the conclusion of your B.A. or M.A. degree, you are entitled to receive unemployment benefit.
Admission to an unemployment fund (a-kasse) – rules for new graduates
You must have completed your B.A. or master’s degree before you are entitled to receive unemployment benefit from an unemployment fund (a-kasse).
It is a good idea to apply to an unemployment fund, order your admission material and send your application for admission to the unemployment fund before you have completely finished your course. Once you have done that, you can choose whether to have part-time or full-time insurance cover. In Denmark you are free to choose which funds you wish to belong to, but many people choose the fund that is traditionally associated with their degree course. You can find an overview of the funds that academics most often choose under ‘Related content’ in the right-hand column.
Always contact your unemployment fund to get advice about rules for new graduates.
See the list to the right for links to unemployment funds!
Fact box:
What is an ”a-kasse”?The Danish word ‘a‑kasse’ is an abbreviation for ‘arbejdsløshedskasse’ and means unemployment insurance fund. Most professions and trades have their own specialised a‑kasse. When you join (become a member of) the a‑kasse, you are guaranteed an amount of regular income if you become unemployed. So the a‑kasse can give you time to look for the right job, pay your bills – and in fact help you to find a job. | |
B.A’s and unemployment funds (a-kasser)
If you have been admitted to an unemployment fund as a B.A. you need to be aware that you cannot receive unemployment benefit if you continue studying at the university. This means that you can receive unemployment benefit during periods of leave from the university but you must be available for work. This also means, for example, that you must not be actively studying – be participating in teaching, going to examinations or writing your dissertation – while receiving unemployment benefit. If you wish to receive unemployment benefit during leave, then your leave must be for at least one semester.
Pre-approval and admission to unemployment funds (a-kasser)
If you conclude your degree course with a dissertation or a main assignment, you can be admitted to an unemployment fund and receive benefit from the day you signed the pre-approval. As a rule unemployment funds have a pre-printed form for this pre-approval, which will be sent to you when you request the admission material or which you can print from the fund’s homepage. Then you hand in the form to your dissertation supervisor and, once it has been signed by the supervisor and the moderator, you can send it to the unemployment fund. If the dissertation is accompanied by an oral defence (viva), pre-approval cannot be supplied.
Fact box:
You can join an a-kasse if:
- You had a permanent address in Denmark no later than one day before the start of your education.
- You are in Denmark no later than 14 days (including weekends) after you end your education, i.e. you must apply for membership within two weeks (14 days) of completing your education.
Note: If you are an EU citizen you can join the unemployment insurance fund. You will be entitled to benefits after the same rules as Danish citizens.
If you are not a EU citizen, we advise you to contact us to hear more about your options. | |
The 2-week deadline is fixed
If you join an unemployment fund within two weeks of your date of graduation, you will be regarded as a new graduate. If you do not join an unemployment fund within two weeks, you will only be able to receive benefit once you have been a member of the fund for one year and have had 1924 hours of work. The 2-week deadline is laid down by the law, and the unemployment funds are not able to make dispensations.
Jobcentre
The first day you are unemployed you must report to a jobcentre in order to be eligible for unemployment benefit. You can do this in person by attending your local jobcentre or on www.jobnet.dk 
. It is a requirement for receiving benefit that you are inscribed at a jobcentre. At the jobcentre you will be given an unemployment benefit card and a declaration of unemployment. The declaration should be completed and sent to the unemployment fund along with copies of, among other things, your tax card. Your unemployment card should be sent to your unemployment fund once your unemployment period is over.
Contact your local jobcentre when you graduate and for more information on your unemployment period.