GUIDE FOR GRADUATES

First of all congratulations on your graduation!

As a graduate without a job there are a couple of things that you need to know in order to receive unemployment insurance benefits. We will guide you through the steps.

1. Change your membership status

Change your status as soon as possible and no later than 2 weeks after graduation. If you miss this deadline, you will not be entitled to unemployment insurance benefits.

Enter Tast Selv and log on by using your NemId. Choose the menu “studerende/dimittender” and then the form “uddannelsesafslutning”. Fill out the form by entering the date of your last exam and complete by clicking “Godkend og send”.

Not a member yet?

Sign up for a membership within 2 weeks after graduation to ensure your eligibility to unemployment benefits.

2. Register as unemployed at www.jobnet.dk

The deadlines that must be met in order to receive unemployment insurance benefits are:

• Register the first day after your last exam if you have been a member during the last year. You can receive unemployment insurance benefits from the day after you have passed your last exam.
• Register no later than 1 month after you have passed your last exam, if you have been a member for less than 1 year. You can receive unemployment insurance benefits from 1 month after you have passed your last exam. - If you plan to leave Denmark for a while, you have to register the first day you are back in Denmark.
• If you have registered at the Job centre before leaving Denmark, you have to deregister the day you leave Denmark and register again, when you come back to Denmark.
• You must create a user profile at Jobnet.dk and then register as unemployed. Select the link "Meld dig ledig" at the frontpage and follow the procedure. You can also show up in person at your nearest Jobcenter.

3. Fill in the ledighedserklæring (declaration of unemployment)

New members
After receiving a letter confirming your membership of FTFa you can fill in the “Ledighedserklæring” as soon as possible after you have passed your last exam. When we have dealt with your “Ledighedserklæring”, you will receive at letter with the title “Dagpenge efter din uddannelse”.

Member for at least 1 year
After you have changed your status to graduate, you will get a letter with the title “Ændring af forsikring”. Then you can complete the “Ledighedserklæring”. When we have completed your “Ledighedserklæring” you will receive a letter with the title “Dagpenge efter din uddannelse”.

4. Registration certificate

It is important that you apply for a new registration certificate (EU residence document) at The State Administration as soon as you graduate.

When FTFa have registered that you have graduated, we can provide you with a print for you to bring to The State Administration to apply for a new registration certificate.

The registration certificate you got for participating in an education, is not valid after you have graduated.

For more information and addresses check statsforvaltningen.dk and read about EU residence.

5. Book an intro meeting at FTFa

Within the first 2 weeks of unemployment, you have to book an intro meeting at FTFa. Here you will be informed about the possibilities and obligations while receiving unemployment insurance benefits.

We will send you an invitation to book this intro meeting at FTFa.

6. Create a CV at www.jobnet.dk

We have to approve your CV within the first 2 weeks after your registration at the Job centre. The approval will take place as soon as possible after the intro meeting at FTFa. We will also make a plan for your job search.

You must have completed your CV at jobnet before attending the intro meeting.

7. Apply for jobs every week

While you are unemployed, you are expected to apply for announced, relevant, and realistic full-time jobs in Denmark every week. Relevant and realistic jobs mean jobs that you are actually able to manage.

Register your job search at jobnet.dk. We will use the joblog to evaluate your job search and job availability.

8. Unemployment insurance benefits

Unemployment insurance benefits covers a period of a month at a time. The money will be paid backwards on a monthly basis. Each month you need to fill in the unemployment insurance benefits card. See the payment calendar for more details.

Your unemployment insurance benefits will be paid on the basis of the information you provide to us at your benefit card. Therefore, all information about work, income, holidays, illness etc. must appear on your benefit card.

9. We recommend

This is just a brief guide. We advise you to:

Spend some time learning the main rules as soon as you can and that you familiarize yourself with ftfa.dk
Learn the Danish language. This will increase your opportunities for a job. Talk to your Jobcenter about Danish courses

ANY QUESTIONS?

Then don’t hesitate to call us, or write to us on Chat. The lines are open at tel. 7013 1312 on weekdays from 8:00-18:00.

WHAT NOW?

If you have followed the five steps in the guide above, we’ll send you three messages in your inbox at Tast Selv:

1. In the first message, we confirm that we have changed your status from student to recent graduate.
This is the message that confirms that you are entitled to two years of unemployment benefit.

2. The second message asks you to book an intro meeting within the next two weeks.
We send this message automatically when you have registered as unemployed at jobnet.dk. If you don’t receive it, it may indicate that you haven’t registered, or that something has gone wrong with your registration. Check at jobnet.dk to get it sorted out, so you can start receiving unemployment benefit from the first day.

3. Thirdly, we will send you a message confirming your entitlement to unemployment benefit.
We will tell you the date from which you can receive unemployment benefit, and how much you will receive. You will also receive this message as a physical letter.

Your job, as an unemployed person, is now to look for work. You will learn about this, and much more, at your intro meeting. If you are curious to know more about your possibilities as a jobseeker, take a look at the ‘Ledig’ menu, where you can obtain an overview and answers to your questions.

Good luck with your job-seeking!

EVEN IF YOU HAVE A JOB, YOU MUST SECURE YOUR ENTITLEMENT TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT

Congratulations! You have both a completed study programme and a job. Follow the two steps in this guide to ensure you can receive unemployment benefit if you become unemployed within the next two years.

1. Spend two minutes on your unemployment insurance fund

• Change your status
Fill in the Status Change form at Tast Selv within 14 days of your last examination.
• Remember to pay your membership fee
Pay your membership fee to keep your financial safety net and the opportunity to receive our advice. You pay the fee once every three months. You can see your new member fee here.

2. Pay attention to the following:

• Look for a confirmation of your change of status in the inbox at Tast Selv in the days after you have filled in the Status Change form.
When you want to move on to a new job, use us as a sparring partner to land your next job.
• We are your unemployment insurance fund, and we can give you advice on how to get a new job, or about the legislation on unemployment benefit. But we are not a trade union.
• We recommend that you join a trade union. Especially now that you have a job.
You can see a list of the 58 trade unions we co-operate with here.

YOU ARE CONTINUING YOUR STUDIES

If you have decided to continue studying, take two minutes anyway to secure your right to unemployment benefit. That means you’ll have an economic safety net if you drop out of your studies and need unemployment benefit.

What you need to do is the following:

1. Change your status
Fill in the Study programme completion form at Tast Selv no later than 14 days after your last examination. You can find the form at Tast Selv, under ‘Studerende/Nyuddannet’ (Student/Recent graduate).

If we have not confirmed your change of status after you have filled in the Study programme completion form, please call us at 7013 1312 to make sure we have received it.

2. Free membership during the summer holidays
Answer yes to the question of whether you are going directly into the next study programme, and that you are applying for free membership in the period between the two programmes.

3. Remember the five-year limit
You can receive free membership for a maximum of five years in all. If you have previously had more than three years of free membership, call or chat with us to find out what you need to do.

Do you wish to receive unemployment benefit during the summer holidays? Then you will need to register as unemployed and follow the guide for unemployed recent graduates. You can find that here.